Legal to come, go, as we please
I was appalled at the recent letter to the editor complaining about folks from Maryland moving to York County. First of all, these are not illegal aliens coming up from Maryland, they are U.S. citizens, and the last time I checked, we may come and go around this nation as we please, as long as we aren't doing anything illegal. Last time I checked, also, smoking was still legal. Perhaps you should concentrate your efforts on getting the federal government to ban smoking if you have a problem with that.
You complain that outsiders are moving to southern York County, "causing the biggest housing boom ever, bludgeoning our schools with kids, resulting in building more schools, which means higher taxes for us York County natives." I am not a York County native, and I pay taxes too, and I resent that comment. It is this kind of closed-mindedness that has made me regret moving to this area from another state 4 years ago. Outsiders are not looked upon too kindly around here because of this backward mindset. I have actually had quite a few "York County natives" tell me this themselves, and that this is why people from this area tend to be generally "unfriendly."
The school taxes are unjustly put upon those who want to buy a home here, when the schools could be funded more equitably with a sales tax. Perhaps people from this area apparently don't know that most other states don't even have a "school tax" like we do in this state. I say eliminate the school tax, fund schools through a sales tax on food, and be done with it. Don't tell people not to come here. More people moving here means more housing, meaning more jobs, meaning a broader tax base. Besides, York county is going to need replacement taxpayers for those of us who are leaving because we finally figured out just how unwelcome we outsiders are.
Jeannie Bohn
Windsor
Unfriendly York Countians? Impossible! Actually, you are exactly right and for a lot of reasons. A while ago there was a book out called Patterns of Our Past that explained, historically, why all that is. The scary thing is, it made sense! Contrast that with the smarmy stuff the Record passes off as how York is, the latest installment can be found in "The Heart of York" a blog by the paper's editor. While McKee's book is probably not a bad one, thinking people should resent the white wash that McClure presents in the guise of the caring "York Crowd." now, I'm no expert, but doing family history a little, I can tell you that of all the family names that show up in the article, almost NONE of them are families originally from York! Probably this little cadre of suburban outsiders banded together out of self-preservation. York County has a long way to go before it becomes the place it should be.
More housing means less farm land which we York Countians want to preserve. Maybe that is why Maryland movers are not welcome! Yes, I know that people keep having kids and the population keeps booming but what is going to happen when there are no farms to produce food? Then you cannot tax food! One thing leads to another lady! Like I have said before, if you do not like York MOVE!
rf,
If you Yorkers are trying to preserve land, why did you support the developers over the preservationists with the lauxmont farm issue? You can't have it both ways. Keep subdividing and building and people will keep coming!
rf,
That is exactly the mentality I am talking about. Do you really think local farms produce all the food here? It comes down to treating people like human beings. You are a prime example of how rude people are here..so you demonstrated exactly what I meant. Thanks for doing that. I have never seen folks that LOVED paying taxes so much, so I will leave York county and leave you to enjoy those, along with the backward thinking. Maybe you should start a drive to put up signs at all the county line markers announcing that outsiders aren't welcome. LOL I wish you only knew how ridiculous your comments sound.
And by the way, rf, if you want to preserve your farm land, then don't sell it! You shouldn't be able to control what other people do with their own land. Sounds as if you are the one who should be moving...to the People's Republic of Maryland. LOL You might like it. You were the one complaining about a housing boom, not me. So just don't sell your darn property, how about that? :)