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<p>Possible, but not terribly likely. As much as some people would like to pretend otherwise, racism is still alive and well 40+ years after the civil rights movement, so I do not see how homophobia would die out so rapidly, with such a large portion of the population believing that homosexuality is wrong. I know far too many people who wouldn’t DARE utter a racial slur but will use the other f-word without blinking.</p>
<p>Well NewHope, here in my city a filthy, disgusting pervert is currently leading in the race for mayor. </p>
<p>I win. (By losing)</p>
<p>Alh, I absolutely believe that day will come. It will be like inter-racial marriage. There are still a few die-hard bigots who still oppose that but no one takes them seriously. </p>
<p>These have indeed been especially inspiring days for teens and military families. Joy!</p>
<p>ZM - Don’t hate me because my family abandoned Bivalve/Shellpile.</p>
<p>BTW, thanks for keeping that filthy, disgusting pervert out of Connecticut. Can’t you ship him to, IDK, Perth Amboy maybe??</p>
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No, I want to ship ME to Perth Amboy or somewhere better than NYC. Which is why I secretly hate Garland. I am so consumed with jealousy that I pay $13 to cross the bridge to shop in her area and shake my fist at the fate that caused my little island to be claimed by the wrong state.</p>
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<p>I assume the question is facetious, but a couple of obvious considerations:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>More house for the money.</p></li>
<li><p>NJ residents working in NYC don’t pay NYC income tax, which ranges from 2.9% up to 3.648% (on top of state and federal income taxes). Combined state/city income tax rates in NY top out at between 10 and 11%. Top tax rate in NJ is 8.97%, but for those earning less than $500K, the rate is 6.37% (or less, depending on income). If you’re a household earning, say, $200K/year, the tax savings alone, if set aside every year for 18 years, could go a long way toward sending your kid to college.</p></li>
<li><p>Some people reach a point in life where they prefer a suburban lifestyle. This can also be true of same-sex couples, especially if they have kids.</p></li>
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<p>The law might have changed, but when I lived in CT and worked in Manhattan I paid both NY state and NYC income taxes. NYC at least gave one a break on the rate for being a non-resident. NYS determined your bracket and thus rate on ALL family income, including that earned by my spouse who lived and worked in CT. Then they applied that inflated rate to my NY earnings. (The same when H and I reversed working locations.)</p>
<p>Pugmadkate, I’m with you. I put my devotion to separation of church and state aside and worked for the gay marriage bill here in Maine, because friends convinced me that it was never going to work my way. 
Too many laws to be amended.</p>
<p>“I assume the question is facetious …”</p>
<p>Uh, yes. But it brings to mind that it’s getting time for me to put together my Bucket List of great cities to visit before I die. Let’s see, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Sydney, Hong Kong, Trenton, Patterson, Perth Amboy …</p>
<p>Re our grandchildrens’ world: We will never be entirely free from homophobia, just as we will never be entirely free from racism. But the law of the land places racists firmly on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of morality and decency. I’m CERTAIN that within 10 years, homophobes will be consigned to the same judgment. Yesterday was a huge step in that direction.</p>
<p>No. We will never be free from homophobia but my mixed race friends and I had one hell of an easier time than my mom, her brothers, and other mixed raced kids of the 40s, 50s, and before did. It will be the same for LGBT kids and their future children. </p>
<p>ZM, on the contrary, i think you could make a very good legal case for only consenting adults to get married. Only adults can consent.</p>
<p>Zoos–we’d welcome you with open arms to the other side of the Arthur Kill! :)</p>
<p>Newhope–I have been planning to make a trip over to the Bivalve/Shellpile area. Sounds really neat. I’m a huge fan of the Delaware Bay area (though the Jersey Shore is first in my heart, having grown up there.) Luckily, I get to spend a lot of my time very close to both. (I really love my state).</p>
<p>Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.</p>
<p>Only tangentially related, but I am always curious about the fact that teenagers can be wed with parental consent. Kind of a random story, but when my husband and I went to get our marriage license, there was a VERY young lesbian couple in the city hall getting their license as well. It appeared that one of the girls had a parent there, though I’m not sure if she was under 18 or the mom was just there to be supportive. I congratulated them but I remember thinking to myself, “Well, she’s obviously not knocked up, so what’s the rush?”</p>
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You are such a good woman, Garland! I feel very guilty about my envy now, but I’m sure you understand my plight.</p>
<p>hyperJulie, I hate to say this, but I truly don’t think people under 18 can/should consent to marriage. I hope the bride that you saw was older than she looked.</p>
<p>NewHope, don’t snark Perth Amboy. You can get some excellent Portuguese cuisine there.</p>
<p>zoosermom - I’m inclined to agree with your viewpoint. If I had to stick with all of the life choices I made as a teenager for the rest of my life (not to say that marriage is necessarily permanent) I would not be a happy camper today.</p>
<p>My personal feeling is that since marriage usually involves a sexual component, young girls can be exploited and abused in a completely legal manner. I just think that if she is at least finished with high school, the more mature she will be and there will be a greater likelihood that she can take care of herself. Yes. This is emotional and personal, but I still think some things, like serving in the military, casting votes and getting married should be reserved to adults.</p>
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<p>Here it is, straight from the horse’s mouth (NYC Department of Finance):</p>
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<p>New York City had a “commuter tax” (nonresident income tax on income earned in the city) until 1999, when it was repealed by an act of the state legislature, with both major political parties pandering to suburban voters. However, New York State continues to collect income tax on income earned in the state by non-residents, most of it earned in New York City. By some estimates, nearly 10% of New York State’s income tax revenue comes from New Jersey and Connecticut residents working in and around New York City.</p>
<p>Z–yeah. maybe in a few years. retire down the shore; it’s really lovely and the taxes get almost reasonable when you get far enough south.</p>
<p>I sincerely don’t like the fact that children can marry with adult consent. It’s too easy to be abused by the wrong people IMO. </p>
<p>Stick to consenting adults, regardless of gender or any other adjective. It’s a sign of my age and upbringing but I really, truly from the bottom of my heart do not understand why this is complicated.</p>
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I’m old enough to be your mother, had a totally different upbringing and live on the other side of the country from you. I don’t understand why it is complicated either.</p>