Posted on 01/27/2007 2:15:06 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
BOSTON — Young adults are earning their college degrees in Massachusetts and leaving the state, taking their eager work ethic, vitality and young families with them, according to a new study.
The entire Massachusetts population has dwindled over the past 14 years, but young adults between the ages of 25 and 34 are disappearing the fastest, according to a study out of the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.
And they are not just leaving the Bay State. All six New England states rank in the top 10 in the country when it comes to losing members of Generation Y.
"It really affects the economic and social character of the region. Businesses that are growing fast, such as technology fields, need the energy of entry-level workers, and if there's a decline in this group, they may look to settle elsewhere," Ross Gittell, author of the study, said.
Most counties lose youth
Each of the 67 counties across New England has lost young adults since 1990 except Nantucket, Gittell found. Berkshire County lost 34 percent, Worcester County lost 20 percent, and Windham County in Vermont lost a whopping 41 percent.
The loss not only threatens the state politically in terms of congressional representation, but also has more subtle implications, said Sen. Steven Panagiotakos, D-Lowell.
"We have a very aging population, and we have one of the best benefits systems, but you need those young entrepreneurial working-class people to support that system. Losing people in the 25 to 34 age group hurts us today, but it hurts us even more ten years from now when those people would be getting into the prime of their business careers," Panagiotakos said.
Although several universities in the state attract young adults, Massachusetts is unable to keep them, leading to a "brain drain," of skilled workers. "Our greatest resource is our highly skilled work force. If that erodes, we will lose our competitive edge," he said.
Massachusetts could lose up to 40 percent of their young workers who have bachelor's degrees by 2020, according to a study by the Nellie Mae Foundation.
Once those young workers are gone, it gets harder to attract investors and expand businesses, and the area begins to be "branded as old and cold," said John Schneider, interim president at MassInc, a public policy think tank. Communities also are losing out on the innovations and tolerance that younger generations bring into a community, he added.
"Younger people bring new ideas and new ways of thinking about things and more diversity, and we lose that element. It's not just work force, but also to the contributions young people make to civic and cultural community," Schneider said.
State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, hopes to work with Gov. Deval L. Patrick to entice young adults to stay here, explaining that a creative job market might keep them.
"We need to revitalize the economy in Massachusetts region by region. The market here in the Berkshires is very different from the market in Boston," Pignatelli said.
They oughta raise taxes to help offset this loss of people.
Well....I'd like to think the grads of places like MIT and Harvard have enough sense to avoid the punitive Mass taxes.
Gee, why would the young run from a lifestyle of liberalism, high taxes, eco-awareness, and diversity?
Ironically, I wouldn't be surprised if Massachusetts is one of the most "white" states in America.
Translation: a parasitic system dies without a host to prey on.
Imagine the utter gall of the hosts to leave before they're infected!
Well, with their high cost of living, attracting and keeping people would necessarily involve either forcibly crashing the real estate market there, or paying the attractees attractive salaries - i.e. more than in other places. The second option is not viable - business migration is cheaper in the long run. And the first option is not an option.
Actually no.
Race doesn't seem to be a factor.
I reckon crappy weather, high taxes and a lack of affordable housing is pushing the younger folks south and west.
He's dead, Jim.
And we have one of the best benefit systems.... Smart kids, come on to the south and leave that socialist scathole with the socialist.
But more and more I hear people here say, "This is a rotten place to live. I sure wish I could go someplace else. But my house would never sell -- there's too many houses already on the market, and they aren't moving. I guess I'm stuck in this hellhole."
But, as I say, these good folks will continue to vote for fine gentlemen like Deval Patrick every time.
I left MA two years ago. I saw where it was heading.
IMO, companies will import the young workers they need via H1B visas and other similar temporary worker programs.
Beautiful post. I had exactly the same thought.
Actually, for a very long while it was exactly that.
I'll have to look at the numbers one of these days to see how we rank now.
Ummmmm, don't the federal rules govern census data used for districting?
Lower your price.
Maybe the young people see this and act accordingly. Further, why even bother trying to get ahead when you are taxed and taxed some more. Finally, after all those taxes what do you get--old geezers including Teddy Kennedy and John Kerry.
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