NY is WAY better than NJ

Thank you for the compliment. Also, I would like to extend my gratitude for taking on this debate with me and for not forfeiting any rounds. I enjoyed this debate very much. Good luck to you! It is understandable that NYC is not a fit place to raise children and have a family, however, my argument still stands that NY State has plenty of other decent location where families can live and parents can simply commute to work in the city as many of them do via public transportation like in NJ. I'd also like to point out that even if someone was forced to raise their children in NYC that it would not be as bad as raising them in Camden, Newark, or Paterson, NJ. Yes, NYC has its rough parts, but for the most part its streets are constantly being overlooked by wandering police cars and officers on foot. Also, I'd like to raise a question. Why would it be better to raise a family in the suburbs over an urban area? I grew up in Yonkers, NY, an urban city right next to the Bronx till I was 14 years old. My mother raised me as a respectable, smart, and well-rounded young lady. My environment did not shape who I am, it simply was where I resided and I knew it was where my mother could afford to live at that time. People think that it makes a difference in the person where you live as to how you act. However, with proper upbringing, any child can live in even NYC and come out with a good head on their shoulders. Another major point that should be brought up is that NY is the center for job markets in the Tri State Area of NY, NJ, and Connecticut and even Pennsylvania. Some people travel up to 3 hours a day just to get to work in NY because work opportunities are higher and the pay is better. If NY wasn't the way it is, then it would put a lot of people out of work, and unemployment would skyrocket much higher than the 8.3% that it is now. No, everyone can't afford prep schools; however, as I said before public schools are an option for young children. Also, we still have the most prestigious education system because our state spends much more money on each student then any other education system. Also, our state contains the most prestigious colleges in the nation as mentioned in my above arguments. Yes, NJ is trying to open more stations and make changes to their transportation system, but as my opponent said, they are only starting to apply these changes. At this present moment, their transit system of buses and trains does not compare to NY buses and trains. Even suburban towns have better transit availability then those in NJ. The same goes for hospitals. They are making upgrades to the availability of services like the hospitals in NYC, but currently, they still lack much needed services. Regarding roads, everywhere there are potholes and cracks in the ground that could easily, under high speed, damage a car's tires pretty badly. However, NJ is not eliminated from this factor. The roads in all the urban towns of NJ are horrible even in suburban towns like Wayne, NJ. On Hamburg Turnpike, there are a series of potholes and cracks in the ground. Also, the roads are very narrow within towns in NJ which make it that much harder to travel around here. Yes, our taxes are much higher than in NJ. However, our taxes are higher because this state spends a lot more money on its students than anywhere else; the demand for housing here is high, and because of the location itself. It's NY. Along the east coast, we are the land of opportunity. On the west coast is NY's real competitor, and that is California with their great city of Los Angeles not NJ. Our economies are booming compared to NJ and many other states across the U.S. So much big business goes down in our state. Some of the most important buildings are located here. We have the World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), United Nations, and the Chrysler Building. Another well appreciated factor about NYC is the night life. NYC has some of the best clubs around the area. They are open longer then NJ clubs till about 4AM and are much nicer in quality. Some of the clubs that are pretty well known are: the Voodoo Lounge, Webster Hall, Splash, Venue, World, etc. Also, NY is land of opportunity. It's easier for immigrants to come and find jobs here. People can get those dream jobs they never thought they could have. Also, gay marriage is legal in NY State which shows the diverse nature and acceptance we have in this state for people of all orientations. In NJ, this bill for gay marriage legalization was vetoed by Governor Christie. NJ has some great places of culture that people can enjoy with their families or even their loved ones. However, it is one of the places where the greatest moments anyone could have are shared. Besides the Broadway shows, operas, and symphonies, NYC is the center for cultural awareness on the east coast. It is one of the fashion capitals of the world. We have some of the best restaurants and sources of food. Also, when people come to visit America's east coast, one of their main stops is NY and our beautiful NYC. Also, we have more attractive looking people in NY then in NJ, which is speaking off experience and interviews with others that I know who were born and raised in NJ. Also, NYC holds large events like the nationally known NYC New Year's Ball Drop, the Macys Day Parade, the St. Patty's Day Parade, and the Greek Independence Day Parade, the Super bowl Parade for the Giants, the Gay Pride Parade, and the Aids Awareness Walk. NY is a place for all to come and celebrate and have fun. We have many food and gift vendors that sell souvenirs very inexpensively to tourists and even frequent visitors of the city. Overall, NY is a place with much more history then NJ. NY was the place where immigrants had to travel to in order to get entry into America through Ellis Island. We were given a gift from France of the Statue of Liberty back in the late 1800s. 1/3 of the Revolutionary Wars against Great Britain were fought on NY soil like the Battle of Saratoga. NYC was the first national capital of this country upon the inauguration of George Washington as President of the United States. Robert Fulton's first steamboat which began a new era in transportation was made here in NY. Also, we have supplied the nation with some of its most prestigious leaders ever such as: Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the treasury; and John Jay, the first chief justice. Aaron Burr and George Clinton served as vice presidents. Martin Van Buren, Chester A. Arthur and Grover Cleveland went from New York politics to the presidency. In the 1900s, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt achieved the presidency; and Nelson Rockefeller served as vice president. Governors Charles E. Hughes, Alfred E. Smith and Thomas E. Dewey all were candidates for the presidency.