[BC] Why One answer

[Robert Meuser]

When you add in insurance (NJ is the highest in the country) and commute 
costs, the whole picture is different. Secaucus is primary bus service - 
a favors the morning and evening commute pattern. Taxis into the city 
are not cheap. I you drive, those parking costs will hit you in 
Manhattan. Brooklyn and parts of Queens can equal or exceed Manhattan 
prices unless you go where there is scarce public transportation. 
Suffolk county and a lot of the NJ suburbs rack up high transit costs 
(as in over $600 per month) plus you car expenses. Most of those houses 
are no longer cheap unless you move more than 2 hours away. Some people 
here live in the Poconos in PA. It is over 2 hours each way by train 
(after you drive to the station) but you can get a place for 2 or 3 
hundred thousand dollars.

There is no free lunch

R


Dana Puopolo wrote:

>But you can live in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Suffolk County, New Jersey,
>etc. for much less then Manhattan prices. Parking wouldn't be an issue then
>either.  My wife was recently looking for housing in Secaucus, NJ and found
>many apts. for well under $1500.00. That's half of what you claim when parking
>is factored in. 
>
>
>-D
>
>------ Original Message ------
>Received: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 02:18:45 PM EDT
>From: Robert Meuser <Robertm at broadcast.net>
>To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>Subject: Re: [BC] Why  One answer
>
>Ok, housing is about half than in New York City. Gas is over $3 per 
>gallon here as well and it will cost you another $500 a month for 
>parking. There are a number of jobs in broadcasting that pay under $90K 
>including almost all union positions in NYC. This would translate to 
>less than the $45K in the market you used as an example.
>
>R
>
>
>Dana Puopolo wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Not always.
>>
>>There are plenty of smaller 'boutique' markets where housing costs are WAY
>>more then salaries. 
>>
>>As an example, I was offered a job in one of these markets. It's located 30
>>miles north of San Francisco.  They offered me $45K for four class B FM's
>>    
>>
>and
>  
>
>>a 5 kW directional AM.
>>
>>A one bedroom apartment here costs about $1200.00 a month.
>>
>>Gas in CA is now about $3.50 a gallon.
>>
>>It's impossible to live there on what they pay!
>>
>>Besides, AS I SAID, the plumber's and electrician and car mechanics' rates
>>aren't tied to the: "size of the market". We do the SAME type of work they
>>    
>>
>do.
>  
>
>>I even believe that our kind of work is more specialized (example: we are
>>    
>>
>also
>  
>
>>expected to be experts at computers and IT).
>>
>>Did you not read what my contractor friend said? He's 28, self trained and
>>makes over twice what any of us here do!
>>
>>The problem is, WE let it get this way.  We allowed our salaries to stagnate
>>while our workload increased, while the plumbers and mechanics and
>>    
>>
>contractors
>  
>
>>didn't!  The car dealer lists his repair rate as 90 dollars an hour. Take it
>>or leave it. Same with the plumber, electrician, maintanance worker and
>>    
>>
>floor
>  
>
>>scrubber. Take it or leave it.
>>
>>
>>Now, how do we fix it??
>>    
>>