A local paper recently asked me this questions: A recent study revealed Pennsylvania ranks eighth among states that lost the most residents in 2015 to another state. Why are people leaving and what can be done to reverse that trend?
My answer to this question is as follows:
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Climate. Taxes. Jobs. Depressed towns. Politics. The lack of Arts. Affordable housing. The aforementioned are some of the many reasons residents are leaving Pennsylvania. Trying to accommodate each person’s reason for leaving and then creating policies and legislation to prevent it from occurring would be fruitless and not a good use of our government’s time and resources. However, there is one way to prevent this unfortunate trend - returning to why Pennsylvania was founded.
In 1681, William Penn wanted his new colony to be “the seed of the nation” where people of differing languages, customs, and religious beliefs could live in harmony together. In recent memory, we have become too polarized politically, culturally and ethnically. Opposing sides want to win at all costs, but their pursuit of their victory creates hatred and disdain, causing residents to gravitate toward other states that are more appealing to everyone's sense of harmony. Generally, people don’t mess with their own view of happiness; therefore, one that is happy with where they live will not want to change. Only when we return to the ideals that created Pennsylvania in the first place – acceptance of everyone’s idea of happiness – will we be able to reverse the exodus of our fellow citizens. And this acceptance starts with you and I.
My answer to this question is as follows:
---------------------------------
Climate. Taxes. Jobs. Depressed towns. Politics. The lack of Arts. Affordable housing. The aforementioned are some of the many reasons residents are leaving Pennsylvania. Trying to accommodate each person’s reason for leaving and then creating policies and legislation to prevent it from occurring would be fruitless and not a good use of our government’s time and resources. However, there is one way to prevent this unfortunate trend - returning to why Pennsylvania was founded.
In 1681, William Penn wanted his new colony to be “the seed of the nation” where people of differing languages, customs, and religious beliefs could live in harmony together. In recent memory, we have become too polarized politically, culturally and ethnically. Opposing sides want to win at all costs, but their pursuit of their victory creates hatred and disdain, causing residents to gravitate toward other states that are more appealing to everyone's sense of harmony. Generally, people don’t mess with their own view of happiness; therefore, one that is happy with where they live will not want to change. Only when we return to the ideals that created Pennsylvania in the first place – acceptance of everyone’s idea of happiness – will we be able to reverse the exodus of our fellow citizens. And this acceptance starts with you and I.
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