[NY.SS-Bar9]

Hey Rutgers:

Maybe the corruption and socialism of the liberal Democrats is enticing people to move from "Blue" to "Red" states.

[JerseyDvl]

Yayyyyy! Great news that there are other like myself who grew sick and tired of corrupt Dems in the Peoples Republic of New Jersey.
May the mass exodus continue.

[pnh102]

Maybe the corruption and socialism of the liberal Democrats is enticing people to move from "Blue" to "Red" states.

And ruining the red states in the process.

[Abathar]

Perhaps taxes and cost of living does make a difference to people. I am surprised Granholm up in Michigan hasn’t got that number beat cold yet, she sure seems to be trying to.

[2banana]

Socialism - it sounds so good when you vote for it - but it never works out...

[econjack]

You don’t suppose that the fact NJ residents face the highest tax burden in the country has anything to do with it, do you?

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I’m planning on joining the ranks of former NJ residents, as soon as hubby retires. The high taxes and insurance premiums are killing the middle class in this corrupt hell hole.

[rod1]

Real trickle-down economics.
Money and people flowing from Taxachusetts, Patchesville, RI, Ilegals get DLs (NY) and the ultimate Mecca for corrupt RAT politicians (NJ) to lower-taxed Red states.

[Clemenza]

Interestingly enough, the biggest population losses are occurring among the lower middle classes.

Whatever loss of native wealthy folks is counterbalanced by a continued influx of wealthy New Yorkers. Nevertheless, once the bills come due in the next few years, those folks will be looking elsewhere as well.

[FormerACLUmember]

Basic formula for making New Jersey fit for human habitation:

Put all the democrat politicians in jail (where they belong) and cut the taxe rates by 50%. Amazingly, you will not see any reduction in total revenue (Laffer Curve Effect)

[RoseofTexas]

"people to move from "Blue" to "Red" states."

Problem with this scenario is they bring THEIR liberal politics and soon after the state becomes purple and later Blue.

[duckworth]

Well, it’s obvious what’s going on here:

California has Nancy Pelosi.
New York has Hillary Clinton.
Louisiana had Hurricane Katrina.
New Jersey had Christy Whitman.

Dames are ruining our states!

[Brilliant]

Liberalism is a blight on our nation. Basically, what is happening is that rich states like NJ, NY, and CA impose all kinds of liberal-friendly regulations, taxes, and the like, and that drives the rest of us out of the state, leaving the liberals in complete control of the state. And of course, they could care less whether it is driving the average guy out, as long as they have their job and/or stash.

[AdvisorB]

I have some cousins left in Jersey City, but most of them have abandoned the place, migrating to the Sun Belt.

I escaped from that hellhole (NJ) in 1980, and have never looked back.

[Gritty]

It found the state had a positive net inflow of taxpayers from New York (148,538 people)

That's a pretty telling indictment of what's going on in New York.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

New Jersey will probably consider prosecuting former state residents for tax evasion.

After all, they probably moved to escape the state's confiscatory taxes, which proves motive.

[chaos_5]

population drain is estimated to have cost the state $680 million in tax revenue

I love how these libs always have to frame the story in terms of lost tax revenue for the government.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Naw. It get’s down to basic economics. They are taxed to death and the cost of housing is horrendous. Corruption ois something they are used to in the “Garden State”.

[dbwz]

Yes, there are probably a lot of people who have left NJ because they can't stand the corruption and ever-increasing tax burden, and want to go somewhere that they can start over in less oppressive surroundings.

But there are others who have left for the same reasons not realizing that the demands THEY'VE made - and will continue to make - on the system are largely responsible for the mess. A friend of mine is fond of using the phrase "seagull manager" - someone who flies in, makes a lot of noise, sh*ts all over everything, and then leaves. These are the "seagull residents", and they're going to end up sh*tting all over places like PA, NC and FL, or wherever they happen to swoop in.

[appeal2]

This is pure Milton Friedman at his best. When people don’t like their government, are over taxed and over regulated, they vote with their feet.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

When lost income and sales taxes from the people who left New Jersey are considered, the population drain is estimated to have cost the state $680 million in tax revenue last year, the report found.

You mean people collecting entitlements don't leave?