Omaha's Brain Drain

[ricko]

Is this really a thing? If so, why? I'd like to hear some suggestions on how to reverse the trend.

[Omahacritic]

I’d like to see how they measure a “brain drain”. Is it people with a college degree? That would presuppose a college grad is smarter than a carpenter.
Is it people with specific skill sets?
Is it people with specific industries?

Before anyone blames “the weather” ... do Chicago and Minneapolis suffer the same measure of “brain drain”?

[S.O.Boy]

I thought “brain drain” happens because an area is lacking reasons to stay.


Omaha you have to drive a day to ski
no near beaches
pro baseball is in KC
pro football is in KC
pro basketball is in Minneapolis
all the surrounding states have gambling, so everyone leaves the state to gamble
Colorado has legal marijuana


I would rather live in Omaha than Chicago, but I understand why my neighbor took a job in Chicago.

[ita]

Omaha's future: What can Omaha do to reverse brain drain?

Jeffrey Robb
Omaha’s civic and business leaders have long grappled with “brain drain,” the notion that too many young, educated people move away for greener pastures with more opportunity.

Over roughly the past decade, Nebraska saw a net loss of 16,000 college graduates 25 years or older, even as the state made modest population gains overall.

Staunching the bleed is a complex discussion. Nebraska’s erratic weather can’t be controlled, but how might Omaha and the state reverse course? More entertainment and cultural offerings? Better-paying jobs? An emphasis on diversity and inclusion? Lowering taxes to compete with other states?

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I’ve wondered about how they calculate those statistics. 16,000 just seems absurd. Does this include college students who come to Nebraska from out of state and then return to where they came from after they graduate? Or retired people who moved to warmer climates? During a time when more and more people are getting college degrees, this just doesn’t add up.

[Taco]

Yes, I know the plural of anecdote is not data. However, I am a member of the population of interest and may have some insight into the situation. For what it's worth, I don't doubt the numbers. 1,600 per year isn't a massive loss each year, but over time is clearly adding up.

The large majority of people I know from Omaha with advanced degrees have left Omaha to move to a larger city. Many plan to return eventually, but left for better-paying jobs with more options for advancement up the corporate ladder in more exciting cities. I will likely join them elsewhere after completing my education. Denver is booming and despite negative press and inequality in Chicago, the Northside is filled with incredible, relatively affordable neighborhoods. On the other hand, I know tons of people from Lincoln or smaller towns in Nebraska/Iowa who have moved to Omaha for jobs, especially in the medical field. I think Omaha will continue to draw from these populations while losing its own to larger cities.

Omaha is an affordable city with wonderful neighborhoods and people, but it does not have the excitement of larger metros which will continue to boom as they did over the past two decades. As others remarked in this thread, Omaha is behind in terms of weather, natural beauty, and economic opportunities. One elephant in the room is political climate - by and large, young people have politics to the left of the city council, mayor, and especially the governor. The metro caters very heavily towards those in their 30s with kids, and gives the scraps to those of us younger. Look at the riverfront front plan - Iowa plans on creating an awesome experience for kids while Omaha removes plans for a skatepark and sports courts.

[LetsBeReal22]

IMO, it's the salary amount. Property taxes would make the top 10 list too.

[ita]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

At the city level, we cannot compare ourselves with bigger cities and have a hard time competing. However, I think we can do better to retain and not lose young people to peer cities by giving young people what they need in an urban environment. We have decently affordable housing in up and coming neighborhoods, but we need better transit, better bikeways, better public amenities catered to young people. We do a good job getting families here, but we are doing a disservice when we don't do enough to keep the kids.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

I think you’ve mentioned a couple times that you have moved to Omaha from elsewhere. Out of curiosity what brought you to Omaha and from where?

[ita]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

I think you’ve mentioned a couple times that you have moved to Omaha from elsewhere. Out of curiosity what brought you to Omaha and from where?

I came here for grad school. My wife and I were married less than a year before we had to decide where to go. We were moving from Hawaii (island of Oahu), where both of our families still live. She grew up there, went to college in Utah. I am a military brat; we moved there when I was in high school, but grew up in SoCal and Washington.

We knew we would have kids sooner rather than later, so we were considering how each school's cities were for families. Omaha just checked all the boxes; housing affordability, stable job market (even for 2012, in the midst of recovery from the Great Recession), proximity to a temple for our church, lack of traffic, among other things. At the time, we did not really consider taxes because of naivety. Young people including those in my generation seem to more savvy in that aspect and have other priorities that Omaha struggles providing. We don't have regrets, love raising our family here, and intend staying long term, but I get why some young people and others seek opportunities elsewhere.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

I think you’ve mentioned a couple times that you have moved to Omaha from elsewhere. Out of curiosity what brought you to Omaha and from where?

I came here for grad school. My wife and I were married less than a year before we had to decide where to go. We were moving from Hawaii (island of Oahu), where both of our families still live. She grew up there, went to college in Utah. I am a military brat; we moved there when I was in high school, but grew up in SoCal and Washington.

We knew we would have kids sooner rather than later, so we were considering how each school's cities were for families. Omaha just checked all the boxes; housing affordability, stable job market (even for 2012, in the midst of recovery from the Great Recession), proximity to a temple for our church, lack of traffic, among other things. At the time, we did not really consider taxes because of naivety. Young people including those in my generation seem to more savvy in that aspect and have other priorities that Omaha struggles providing. We don't have regrets, love raising our family here, and intend staying long term, but I get why some young people and others seek opportunities elsewhere.

Man, you lived in three of the top five spots pre-teen me wanted to live in.

I get what you're saying though. I left Omaha for Chicago in 2011 when I was 25 for several reasons: I was offered an excellent job there after being laid off from a job that I commuted to in rural Iowa and didn't want to accept in the first place but having graduated college in 2008, I felt my hands were tied. I was also a little low on friends, either because they had moved away for/after college or I had come to find we were too different of people. But most of all, with a passion for large, urban cities, I wanted to experience one as a resident after living in Omaha and a college town my whole life prior. I was not happy in Omaha between the ages of 23 and 25. Chicago turned that around. I was doing something there that I loved, I built an extensive friendship network of like-minded people from scratch from the shear number of 20-somethings, and I was able to pursue hobbies and interests I never thought I would have the opportunity to. I went from being afraid I would squander my twenties and have to settle on various aspects of my life to having more fun and opportunity than I had ever had before.

That is all to say however, that I look at where Omaha is today and compared to what truly made Chicago fun and exciting for me when I lived there and I feel like it's closing the gap. For one thing, Blackstone and Benson didn't really exist and North Downtown wasn't much either. There seems to have been some pent up demand for urban spaces and culture that wasn’t really pursued until I left. The variety of social activities and nightlife has expanded significantly and is more varied now. It’s still not at the level of most major cities of course, but the pace of improvement has been strong.

[ita]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

I think you’ve mentioned a couple times that you have moved to Omaha from elsewhere. Out of curiosity what brought you to Omaha and from where?

I came here for grad school. My wife and I were married less than a year before we had to decide where to go. We were moving from Hawaii (island of Oahu), where both of our families still live. She grew up there, went to college in Utah. I am a military brat; we moved there when I was in high school, but grew up in SoCal and Washington.

We knew we would have kids sooner rather than later, so we were considering how each school's cities were for families. Omaha just checked all the boxes; housing affordability, stable job market (even for 2012, in the midst of recovery from the Great Recession), proximity to a temple for our church, lack of traffic, among other things. At the time, we did not really consider taxes because of naivety. Young people including those in my generation seem to more savvy in that aspect and have other priorities that Omaha struggles providing. We don't have regrets, love raising our family here, and intend staying long term, but I get why some young people and others seek opportunities elsewhere.

Man, you lived in three of the top five spots pre-teen me wanted to live in.

I get what you're saying though. I left Omaha for Chicago in 2011 when I was 25 for several reasons: I was offered an excellent job there after being laid off from a job that I commuted to in rural Iowa and didn't want to accept in the first place but having graduated college in 2008, I felt my hands were tied. I was also a little low on friends, either because they had moved away for/after college or I had come to find we were too different of people. But most of all, with a passion for large, urban cities, I wanted to experience one as a resident after living in Omaha and a college town my whole life prior. I was not happy in Omaha between the ages of 23 and 25. Chicago turned that around. I was doing something there that I loved, I built an extensive friendship network of like-minded people from scratch from the shear number of 20-somethings, and I was able to pursue hobbies and interests I never thought I would have the opportunity to. I went from being afraid I would squander my twenties and have to settle on various aspects of my life to having more fun and opportunity than I had ever had before.

That is all to say however, that I look at where Omaha is today and compared to what truly made Chicago fun and exciting for me when I lived there and I feel like it's closing the gap. For one thing, Blackstone and Benson didn't really exist and North Downtown wasn't much either. There seems to have been some pent up demand for urban spaces and culture that wasn’t really pursued until I left. The variety of social activities and nightlife has expanded significantly and is more varied now. It’s still not at the level of most major cities of course, but the pace of improvement has been strong.

Haha, yeah, I always get crazy looks from people when they here we moved here from Hawaii.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, your experience is not unique for people in the age bracket. I think that is the same train of thought and experience many young people have when considering moving to a bigger city.

I would have to agree that there is some progress being made. The neighborhoods and urban environment are developing into what many young people want in a city, with a lot of cool areas on the precipice of redeveloping, but until we get those big pieces like better public transit and better walkability downtown and midtown, we are going to be continually overlooked as a desirable place for the younger demographic. Property tax and, moreso, income tax reform would be a nice carrot, but I don't see our state getting any substantive done on those issues anytime soon. I think if the state were serious about competing from a tax burden standpoint for young people and even retaining retirees or empty nesters, lower or get rid of state income taxes first.

[riceweb]

#KeepOmahaBoring

Omaha will never be fashionable, except to those that come from even less fashionable areas. I think we need to do our own thing and stop worrying about what others are doing. I'm not sure we should be so concerned with what New Yorkers, Austinites, Seattlelites, and Portlanders think about us, and if people want to leave for those cities, I'm not sure there's much we can do to appeal to them. I doubt there's going to be a sudden cultural shift to people having 4 kids and wanting an affordable place in the suburbs. Very small % of those folks wanting those things are leaving.

[ricko]

#KeepOmahaBoring

Omaha will never be fashionable, except to those that come from even less fashionable areas. I think we need to do our own thing and stop worrying about what others are doing. I'm not sure we should be so concerned with what New Yorkers, Austinites, Seattlelites, and Portlanders think about us, and if people want to leave for those cities, I'm not sure there's much we can do to appeal to them. I doubt there's going to be a sudden cultural shift to people having 4 kids and wanting an affordable place in the suburbs. Very small % of those folks wanting those things are leaving.

I can't speak about Seattle or Portland, but I do know a bit about Austin, having lived in San Antonio in the 70's, and having witnessed Austin's transformation over the years. I don't think Omaha should have to live up to a perceived notion of what other cities think about it. In my experience, I've never, in the last 49 years of living away from Omaha, experienced a negative view of of Omaha from people I've encountered who know where I grew up. The NYT has featured several positive articles about Omaha over the years. Omaha has a lot going for it compared to its peer cities.


Frankly, I wouldn't want to live in Austin now. I think it's lost a lot of the vibe that made it unique in the 60's thru the 80's. It's still a livable city with some great amenities, but I think it's coasting on its historic reputation. Manhattan (NYC) is too expensive for the people who used to make it a fascinating place to live and visit (artists, writers, musicians, actors). A city full of international moguls and private equity cowboys is a boring place because any group of people who spend 99% of their time chasing money and power are some of the most boring people I've met.

I've had a love/hate relationship with all of the 7 places I've lived, and I could give you my take on all of them. Is Omaha where I'd like it to be? No, but its getting there much faster than I thought it would, which is why I bought property there, and will be splitting my retirement between DC and Omaha down the road.

[ricko]

In addition to what has already been said, at the state level, taxes in general do not do us favors in retaining young people. State income taxes might not mean much when you have kids and get deductions anyway, but if you are single or are married with no kids, income taxes play into the calculus more.

I think you’ve mentioned a couple times that you have moved to Omaha from elsewhere. Out of curiosity what brought you to Omaha and from where?

I came here for grad school. My wife and I were married less than a year before we had to decide where to go. We were moving from Hawaii (island of Oahu), where both of our families still live. She grew up there, went to college in Utah. I am a military brat; we moved there when I was in high school, but grew up in SoCal and Washington.

We knew we would have kids sooner rather than later, so we were considering how each school's cities were for families. Omaha just checked all the boxes; housing affordability, stable job market (even for 2012, in the midst of recovery from the Great Recession), proximity to a temple for our church, lack of traffic, among other things. At the time, we did not really consider taxes because of naivety. Young people including those in my generation seem to more savvy in that aspect and have other priorities that Omaha struggles providing. We don't have regrets, love raising our family here, and intend staying long term, but I get why some young people and others seek opportunities elsewhere.

Man, you lived in three of the top five spots pre-teen me wanted to live in.

I get what you're saying though. I left Omaha for Chicago in 2011 when I was 25 for several reasons: I was offered an excellent job there after being laid off from a job that I commuted to in rural Iowa and didn't want to accept in the first place but having graduated college in 2008, I felt my hands were tied. I was also a little low on friends, either because they had moved away for/after college or I had come to find we were too different of people. But most of all, with a passion for large, urban cities, I wanted to experience one as a resident after living in Omaha and a college town my whole life prior. I was not happy in Omaha between the ages of 23 and 25. Chicago turned that around. I was doing something there that I loved, I built an extensive friendship network of like-minded people from scratch from the shear number of 20-somethings, and I was able to pursue hobbies and interests I never thought I would have the opportunity to. I went from being afraid I would squander my twenties and have to settle on various aspects of my life to having more fun and opportunity than I had ever had before.

That is all to say however, that I look at where Omaha is today and compared to what truly made Chicago fun and exciting for me when I lived there and I feel like it's closing the gap. For one thing, Blackstone and Benson didn't really exist and North Downtown wasn't much either. There seems to have been some pent up demand for urban spaces and culture that wasn’t really pursued until I left. The variety of social activities and nightlife has expanded significantly and is more varied now. It’s still not at the level of most major cities of course, but the pace of improvement has been strong.

Haha, yeah, I always get crazy looks from people when they here we moved here from Hawaii.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, your experience is not unique for people in the age bracket. I think that is the same train of thought and experience many young people have when considering moving to a bigger city.

I would have to agree that there is some progress being made. The neighborhoods and urban environment are developing into what many young people want in a city, with a lot of cool areas on the precipice of redeveloping, but until we get those big pieces like better public transit and better walkability downtown and midtown, we are going to be continually overlooked as a desirable place for the younger demographic. Property tax and, moreso, income tax reform would be a nice carrot, but I don't see our state getting any substantive done on those issues anytime soon. I think if the state were serious about competing from a tax burden standpoint for young people and even retaining retirees or empty nesters, lower or get rid of state income taxes first.

Ita, I totally understand the "crazy looks" thing. For a mainlander who's been to Oahu, it truly is a paradise. I've always told people you can't take a bad picture in Hawaii. The sunsets alone are worth a visit.

[riceweb]

I don't think Omaha should have to live up to a perceived notion of what other cities think about it. In my experience, I've never, in the last 49 years of living away from Omaha, experienced a negative view of of Omaha from people I've encountered who know where I grew up. The NYT has featured several positive articles about Omaha over the years. Omaha has a lot going for it compared to its peer cities.

Is Omaha where I'd like it to be? No, but its getting there much faster than I thought it would, which is why I bought property there, and will be splitting my retirement between DC and Omaha down the road.

I should clarify that I don't want Omaha to stop improving, but I also don't want us to carry an inferiority complex about things we largely can't control. We're a good town, especially, as you say, against peer cities.

[BRoss]

I have always loved Omaha, but one thing that has really started getting to me as I get older is the climate. I just can't stand the cold and ice and would love summer year-around. Plus all the overcast days like we've seen lately.

I kind of wish that I would have gone elsewhere in my twenties. I would love to have moved where you came from ita!

But now that I'm in my mid-30s, starting over is harder and makes me not want to take the leap.

[ricko]

I have always loved Omaha, but one thing that has really started getting to me as I get older is the climate. I just can't stand the cold and ice and would love summer year-around. Plus all the overcast days like we've seen lately.

I kind of wish that I would have gone elsewhere in my twenties. I would love to have moved where you came from ita!

But now that I'm in my mid-30s, starting over is harder and makes me not want to take the leap.

One thing I find unique about most native Omahans, compared to people in other places I've lived, is their absolute passion for the city. In New York, it's become a standing joke that broadway actor and Omaha native Andrew Rannells won't shut up about the fact that he's from Omaha----funny and kind of embarrassing, but I get it.

Paperstacks, keep in mind that, wherever you go, there are weather issues. Frankly, I'll never understand Omaha's Phoenix fetish---been there several times to visit a college buddy, but you can't go outside very long in the Summer during the day. Phoenix, Las Vegas, and places similar are unsustainable and will be unlivable at some point in this century, yet people keep moving there in droves. I think many will be shocked down the road when their houses are unsellable----I predict a great migration back to the Mid-West in a few decades.

[bigredmed1]

I don’t think Phoenix will be unliveable in the next 50 years, but you are correct about the summers. Down in the valley, it is routinely brutal. Lots of people migrating to the rim communities. My son does low voltage stuff for big houses in the area and it’s all points north.

For me, I like the winter here, but it is nice to get down there in the late fall before snowbird season.

The midwest continually looks for a return. I don’t see that coming. People move to the coasts or the SW and despite the serious downsides and the dangerous demographics in some of those areas, they find themselves trapped there.

Still, I love this place, I feel it is my Heimat. It brings what the Danes call Hygge. I have lived in NM and FL and both were nice, but both were lacking and both had dangerous demographics. Neither really felt like my Heimat.

[Busguy2010]

Phoenix, Las Vegas, and places similar are unsustainable and will be unlivable at some point in this century, yet people keep moving there in droves. I think many will be shocked down the road when their houses are unsellable----I predict a great migration back to the Mid-West in a few decades.

Huh, I've always had that same thought. Those desert/arid type places, Southern California are totally unsustainable. I always wondered why da fuq anybody would decide to settle there, but to each their own little buddies. Just look at Lake Mead for confirmation. I also feel like there will be a great migration back away from places around there, and Omaha and the Midwest in general will probably be a landing point for a large mass of people. If not by 2050, then definitely by 2100.

[Louie]

Phoenix, Las Vegas, and places similar are unsustainable and will be unlivable at some point in this century, yet people keep moving there in droves. I think many will be shocked down the road when their houses are unsellable----I predict a great migration back to the Mid-West in a few decades.

Huh, I've always had that same thought. Those desert/arid type places, Southern California are totally unsustainable. I always wondered why da fuq anybody would decide to settle there, but to each their own little buddies. Just look at Lake Mead for confirmation. I also feel like there will be a great migration back away from places around there, and Omaha and the Midwest in general will probably be a landing point for a large mass of people. If not by 2050, then definitely by 2100.

I feel like by the time these cities are unlivable, we'll be dealing with much larger climate change related problems to be getting excited about a population boom to the Midwest.

[Busguy2010]

Not excited at all, just what I could logically see happening.

[nebport5]

I really think too much is being made of taxes as a significant factor for brain drain. I get that most of us don't like taxes (every other comment on Omaha.com is rooted in biatching about taxes). However, how many young people leaving the state do you think are citing taxes as an issue? Most would probably say, weather/geography, opportunity and entertainment. I suppose if you have lived in Omaha most of your life it's easy to forget how low the cost of living is here(yes, that includes property taxes) compared to the brain drain destinations. Sure, "brain drain" doesn't have to behold to an age group but it certainly starts with the freshly educated flying away for greener pastures(although probably not literally).

And yes, over population will at some point make Omaha a very attractive destination to many who never would've thought so...that is if we're still surviving as a species and not existing in some Mad Max post apocalyptic purgatory.

[Louie]

I really think too much is being made of taxes as a significant factor for brain drain. I get that most of us don't like taxes (every other comment on Omaha.com is rooted in biatching about taxes). However, how many young people leaving the state do you think are citing taxes as an issue? Most would probably say, weather/geography, opportunity and entertainment. I suppose if you have lived in Omaha most of your life it's easy to forget how low the cost of living is here(yes, that includes property taxes) compared to the brain drain destinations. Sure, "brain drain" doesn't have to behold to an age group but it certainly starts with the freshly educated flying away for greener pastures(although probably not literally).

And yes, over population will at some point make Omaha a very attractive destination to many who never would've thought so...that is if we're still surviving as a species and not existing in some Mad Max post apocalyptic purgatory.

100% this. All of the people that I went to college with that left did not leave because of taxes...they left for more exciting cities/locales, more exotic natural landscape, and cities with more progressive views. Some left for job opportunities that weren't available here.

I never really saw myself not calling Omaha home, but I totally get where they all were coming from and can't fault them one bit.

[ita]

I really think too much is being made of taxes as a significant factor for brain drain. I get that most of us don't like taxes (every other comment on Omaha.com is rooted in biatching about taxes). However, how many young people leaving the state do you think are citing taxes as an issue? Most would probably say, weather/geography, opportunity and entertainment. I suppose if you have lived in Omaha most of your life it's easy to forget how low the cost of living is here(yes, that includes property taxes) compared to the brain drain destinations. Sure, "brain drain" doesn't have to behold to an age group but it certainly starts with the freshly educated flying away for greener pastures(although probably not literally).

And yes, over population will at some point make Omaha a very attractive destination to many who never would've thought so...that is if we're still surviving as a species and not existing in some Mad Max post apocalyptic purgatory.

100% this. All of the people that I went to college with that left did not leave because of taxes...they left for more exciting cities/locales, more exotic natural landscape, and cities with more progressive views. Some left for job opportunities that weren't available here.

I never really saw myself not calling Omaha home, but I totally get where they all were coming from and can't fault them one bit.

While I agree that taxes isn't the issue, I wouldn't say it's a non-issue. Maybe it depends on your circle of friends or cohorts, but I've had a couple friends who moved to Omaha move to states like Washington, Texas and Florida where state income tax was a factor, if not the determinative factor. Of course, those states having larger urban centers, natural amenities liking beaches, the ocean, or mountains, higher paying jobs, better public transportation (Seattle) were higher on their checklist, but no state income tax was always in the conversation with people who chose to move to destinations in those states. Just for reference, I am a millennial, if that matters.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I really think too much is being made of taxes as a significant factor for brain drain. I get that most of us don't like taxes (every other comment on Omaha.com is rooted in biatching about taxes). However, how many young people leaving the state do you think are citing taxes as an issue? Most would probably say, weather/geography, opportunity and entertainment. I suppose if you have lived in Omaha most of your life it's easy to forget how low the cost of living is here(yes, that includes property taxes) compared to the brain drain destinations. Sure, "brain drain" doesn't have to behold to an age group but it certainly starts with the freshly educated flying away for greener pastures(although probably not literally).

And yes, over population will at some point make Omaha a very attractive destination to many who never would've thought so...that is if we're still surviving as a species and not existing in some Mad Max post apocalyptic purgatory.

100% this. All of the people that I went to college with that left did not leave because of taxes...they left for more exciting cities/locales, more exotic natural landscape, and cities with more progressive views. Some left for job opportunities that weren't available here.

I never really saw myself not calling Omaha home, but I totally get where they all were coming from and can't fault them one bit.

While I agree that taxes isn't the issue, I wouldn't say it's a non-issue. Maybe it depends on your circle of friends or cohorts, but I've had a couple friends who moved to Omaha move to states like Washington, Texas and Florida where state income tax was a factor, if not the determinative factor. Of course, those states having larger urban centers, natural amenities liking beaches, the ocean, or mountains, higher paying jobs, better public transportation (Seattle) were higher on their checklist, but no state income tax was always in the conversation with people who chose to move to destinations in those states. Just for reference, I am a millennial, if that matters.

Honestly I haven’t put any thought to taxes at all moving state to state. Our house even comes with a property tax abatement for 10 years where we pay a fraction of the taxes that would normally be due on it... it’s a great perk but we probably would have purchased it regardless.

Moving from high tax Illinois to low tax Missouri, I do miss the ease and convenience of almost anything you’d need the government for and the services they provide.

[ita]

I really think too much is being made of taxes as a significant factor for brain drain. I get that most of us don't like taxes (every other comment on Omaha.com is rooted in biatching about taxes). However, how many young people leaving the state do you think are citing taxes as an issue? Most would probably say, weather/geography, opportunity and entertainment. I suppose if you have lived in Omaha most of your life it's easy to forget how low the cost of living is here(yes, that includes property taxes) compared to the brain drain destinations. Sure, "brain drain" doesn't have to behold to an age group but it certainly starts with the freshly educated flying away for greener pastures(although probably not literally).

And yes, over population will at some point make Omaha a very attractive destination to many who never would've thought so...that is if we're still surviving as a species and not existing in some Mad Max post apocalyptic purgatory.

100% this. All of the people that I went to college with that left did not leave because of taxes...they left for more exciting cities/locales, more exotic natural landscape, and cities with more progressive views. Some left for job opportunities that weren't available here.

I never really saw myself not calling Omaha home, but I totally get where they all were coming from and can't fault them one bit.

While I agree that taxes isn't the issue, I wouldn't say it's a non-issue. Maybe it depends on your circle of friends or cohorts, but I've had a couple friends who moved to Omaha move to states like Washington, Texas and Florida where state income tax was a factor, if not the determinative factor. Of course, those states having larger urban centers, natural amenities liking beaches, the ocean, or mountains, higher paying jobs, better public transportation (Seattle) were higher on their checklist, but no state income tax was always in the conversation with people who chose to move to destinations in those states. Just for reference, I am a millennial, if that matters.

Honestly I haven’t put any thought to taxes at all moving state to state. Our house even comes with a property tax abatement for 10 years where we pay a fraction of the taxes that would normally be due on it... it’s a great perk but we probably would have purchased it regardless.

Moving from high tax Illinois to low tax Missouri, I do miss the ease and convenience of almost anything you’d need the government for and the services they provide.

Thanks for sharing your experience going from a low to high tax state, that's good input.

[Linkin5]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

[bigredmed1]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

Is this the same thing that people are massing locally to fight? Colorado had to fight off something similar and one of their organizers was going to speak in Nebraska about how CO successfully blocked the feds from doing this.

Honestly, I agree with the concern that the fed’s involvement will not be a long term positive. Consider Boyer Chute. The feds came in and went hard core about getting back to the river. One comparatively minor flood blew out the canoe launch, never to be repaired. A second bigger flood took out the landing and the vaunted composting outhouse brought in from Sweden, never to be fixed. 2011 kicked a bunch of damage in and destroyed surrounding farmland and 2019 destroyed the road getting to the NWR and the island side of the bridge meaning that you can’t get the the entire NWR without a boat. Before they went back to the river, that was productive farmland on the tax rolls, now it’s neglected and unusable. I guess that a state who has that to base it’s planing on would have to take pause before wanting more of that.

That area has abandoned irrigation canals that are deep and not exactly uninviting to kids. The feds built them and then just let them go. If I was in Franklin or Red Cloud, I might look at the long term “gains” from previous federal govt interventions and take pause as well.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

Trumpism has allowed the white supremacist to feel comfortable coming out of the closet. Even though we have got rid of Trump the racist still are slow to retreat back into their closets. At least that is what comes to my mind when I see garbage like this come out of our Governor. Our worse nightmare would be if he ran for president in a couple of years and won.

[Busguy2010]

I definitely think he will run for president one day. But hopefully he will be one of those who just keep trying and never makes it past the primary.

[ita]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

I don't even think this is the worst he has said that would deter whole swaths of young people in the past week; see his comments about Nebraska backing Georgia.

[Linkin5]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

I don't even think this is the worst he has said that would deter whole swaths of young people in the past week; see his comments about Nebraska backing Georgia.

Oh yeah I’ve seen that, just highlighted this due to the sheer absurdity of it.

[Louie]

If there is anything he can say to rile Trump's base he will. And he makes a big show of it, too. Like a human thumb would.

[bigredmed1]

This is the type of stuff I look at and point to when people are surprised young people leave. It’s never one singular event but a collective whole of actions taken by one party and its officials in this state.

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-region ... e92d1.html

Trumpism has allowed the white supremacist to feel comfortable coming out of the closet. Even though we have got rid of Trump the racist still are slow to retreat back into their closets. At least that is what comes to my mind when I see garbage like this come out of our Governor. Our worse nightmare would be if he ran for president in a couple of years and won.

What are you saying? That when Colorado blocked this kind of action it was ok, but if KS and Neb block it, it’s racist?

[BRoss]

The amount of ignorant things coming out of Rickett's mouth lately has been ridiculous and really embarrassing to the state. He just has to be on the wrong side of everything.

[Omaha Cowboy]

The amount of ignorant things coming out of Rickett's mouth lately has been ridiculous and really embarrassing to the state. He just has to be on the wrong side of everything.

Luckily, we only have to put up with him for another year.. Too bad term limits currently don’t extend to the Omaha Mayors office..but that’s another story for another thread ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[S.O.Boy]

The amount of ignorant things coming out of Rickett's mouth lately has been ridiculous and really embarrassing to the state. He just has to be on the wrong side of everything.

ESPN has done more to help the reputation of the area than Mr. Ricketts.

[ita]

I hate to make this thread about Rickett's, but he is at it again. I mean the optics of taking this position are just terrible, let alone it being plain wrong, particularly when he has fought other policies that would help Nebraska's own children.

Gov. Ricketts rejects request to house migrant children in Nebraska

Paul Hammel
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Tuesday rejected a request from the Biden administration to house displaced migrant children in the state.

Ricketts' rejection comes five days after fellow Republican, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, announced a similar denial. Both governors said it was Democratic President Joe Biden's "problem," and he should deal with it.

“President Biden has created an immigration crisis on our border with thousands of unaccompanied migrant children coming to our country without their parents or family,” Ricketts said. “Nebraska is declining their request because we are reserving our resources for serving our kids."

"I do not want our kids harmed as the result of President Biden’s bad policies,” the Nebraska governor added.

[MadMartin8]

The amount of ignorant things coming out of Rickett's mouth lately has been ridiculous and really embarrassing to the state. He just has to be on the wrong side of everything.

Luckily, we only have to put up with him for another year..
Ciao..LiO...Peace

I completely forgot about this fact. You, sir, have just made my day.