"Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again....." John Denver....
Actually, I will be driving for about 13 hours on our trek to leave this beautiful state.
...and no, I will not be returning again.... Tennessee, here we come.
I'm posting this so whomever here think we should stay and fight and in countless threads, people telling me I should stay and fight for our rights.
I'm posting this because the many that can stay in fight, should and GodSpeed.
But a lot of us are leaving, not just because gun laws and NJ politics.
Some of us are getting older and preparing for retirement. My wife and I had deep discussion over this and if we stay here, even our pensions and social security will not enable us to keep paying, paying and more paying.
Some examples of living in Tennessee:
- Our home insurance here is about $1K a year. TN is about $582 for a brand new home.
- Taxes: NJ collects all the taxes you can think of. My home here is on a 40x100 ft lot. My taxes here are about $6500 a year. TN is about $1500
TN collects no State Income Tax. Their sales taxes suck a bit, averaging the collective state and county taxes of about 9.25% Lil' high but you save in a long run. Doesn't mean you have to spend thousands a year. Our biggest sales tax hit will be when we get there and buying all new furniture and such.
- Car insurance for 2 brand new leased vehicles cost us almost $2G a year. TN full coverage is $1G for both vehicles.
- OK, your favorite. Gun laws... I've had over 5 ccw's here in NJ over the years. Some were job related. Some not. You all, or should I start saying ya'll know the trials and tribulations you are confronting every day in NJ. In TN, they honor almost all states CCWs including Utah. Which I have. That will enable me to carry from the Virginias on out to TN till I get my CCW there.
There are no fid or pistol permits persay. Just instant NICS checks. Buy a gun, walk out with it. Once you get your TN ccw which I believe does not take long, you are good to go. Many ranges and gun stores, 2 of which are in the same town. But I will make a day trip to Kentucky Gun which I have done business with over the years. They are only 6% sales tax and are a gun friendly state.
- We can live anywhere as long as we get hi-speed internet. My wife is going to be allowed to work from home for the rest of her time employed as long as she has hi-speed internet so she can VPN in to her main office in Oregon. My only criteria is at least an acre and a garage that will be my man cave. I would really like being Bob Lee Swagger and go off grid but you don't get many amenities that way, including a Triple Play Package because if you want land, you are stuck with just a Satellite Dish and that won't cut it. So when we officially retire, we very well may go off the grid a bit. So no backyard shooting till then.
- Friends and family. My parents have passed long ago and my siblings are no longer in my eye site. They fall into the turnip category due to jealousy. I've worked hard all my life. If you choose not to, that's on you... My best friend passed away and all others have done what we are doing now. Getting out of this hell hole. All my LEO comrades moved to FL, AZ and other areas and opened up 7-11s.... screw dat! I'd open donut shops! lmao.... So, guess I'll have to make new friends and enjoy what lil time my wife has with her only parent, her dad which will be a mere 14 mile drive.
So please, if you see people in which you feel are running from this state because of gun laws, it may not just be about that. I'm tired of fighting for my NJ rights. I did my time here in many facets of life, Civil Defense, Rescue Squads, LEO, CG and many other things.... I don't need to do that, as I have pushed for over 60 years.
So that being said, I leave this beautiful state with tears in my eyes. I've lived in my town my whole life. I say 'beautiful state' because it is. It just happens to be ran by criminal scum politicians. The landscape can be city all the way through country living. If you have toured this state as much as I have, there are many beautiful places.
By the end of this week, I should be underway and to never look back!
So fair well to the friends I have made here, the business relationships and so on. I'd like to think I been helpful over the years and made some sort of difference. For the people who hate or despise me, no harm, no foul. If that is your nature in general, so be it. I won't say I hate you because I am not that kind of person. But all I can suggest is look outside the box. Its not and never will be all about you. I will try to check in from time to time, but we will be knee deep in trying to settle in.
Good Luck! Ya'll will need it!