We live New York


Remember Silda Wall Spitzer’s “I Live New York” campaign, which the former First Lady was spearheading to keep young people from leaving the Empire State, particularly Upstate?

Well, it’s back, as Chris Churchill reports today.

One point from the article that caught my eye was spokesman Errol Cockfield’s assertion that Gov. Paterson considers reducing property taxes as central to stemming the tide of the young. Rocco Ferraro, the executive director of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission, has said repeatedly that a younger demographic is more likely to settle in urban areas than suburbs, and more likely to rent than immediately buy.

Ferraro argues that making cities more attractive places is a key to retaining a younger crowd. It make sense. Look at New York City, which sees its rental market hyper-saturated every spring by recent college grads and others moving in.

Here, the trend is present but more limited.

Categories: General
Jimmy Vielkind

6 Responses

  1. lizzee says:

    You can run all the campaigns that people can create but for young families such as my son and his wife,owning a home and paying the taxes for that as well as fuel to drive to their jobs and paying college loans and day care is already hurting them. Now, we heard earlier this afternoon that heating oil is expected to jump 150%. What is available for them??

  2. Courtney Erickson says:

    Nothing. That’s why I left New York two weeks ago and I’m NEVER coming back here to live.

  3. Woody says:

    ” I Leave New York”! That should be the slogan. High taxes, low temperatures and an unfriendly business climate is the recipe for an empty upstate.

    Move South!

  4. CJ from Troy says:

    I will admit, I did leave but because I want to experience things while I’m young. I WOULD come back if there was much more to do in Albany. How about a shopping district downtown? More festivals, music events and the like along the waterfront or at Washington Park? We need a social atmosphere that is more than drinking and clubbing for 20 somethings. That’s why people leave (not because of taxes or cold weather, but because they’re BORED).

  5. Michael D. Gwizdala says:

    What we must do as New Yorkers and Americans is to reinvest in our communities again and create a massive public works project. One that fixes numerous problems including job creation, improved infrastructure and transportation systems and one that brings about energy savings. All of those things intertwined will help re-shape our economy for the 21st century, this will be our generation’s Manhattan Project, our NASA Space Program and unless we start creating and building and exporting, we will soon become a slogging 3rd world nation.

  6. Ben Mastaitis says:

    I lived in New York City the past 6 years. I left not because I didn’t like the city, but because it was too expensive. This region is great not only because my family is here, which helps in taking care of our little daughter, but because it is affordable for young families. I think the Capital District would compare favorably to fast-growing areas of North Carolina and Virginia. There, housing prices are going through the roof, as is the cost of living. It doesn’t matter mush if your taxes are low if you can’t afford to live there in the first place. I would encorage other people from Upstate come back home, its a great place to raise a family, and it has great natural beauty and abundant cultural opportunites. Also, the close proximity of big cities such as New York, Boston, and Montreal, make it that much more attractive.