Posted on 09/26/2012 5:42:59 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Texas has been on a roll recently. Fueled by a booming energy sector, the state has easily outpaced others in job growth. Business executives consistently rate it among the most desirable places to invest in, and Texas has made a habit recently of poaching jobs from places like California. Although Texas legislators did confront a budget squeeze a few years ago, the booming economy has provided Austin with plenty of fiscal room to maneuver, even as other states confront perhaps another decade of fiscal adjustments.
Now Texas faces the challenge of managing its success over the long term. Although Texas has a reputation as a conservative state, legislators have been spending its prosperity. Its government is bigger than you might imagine, and Texas has its share of inefficient and at times even frivolous government expenditures that are unsustainable over time. Other states in the past have squandered their prosperity. Will Texas, too?
Texas revenues have increased robustly over the past decade thanks to economic growth, but so have state and local spending. State expenditures from all sources grew from the 1998-1999 two year budget cycle by 120 percent to $187 billion through the 2010-2011 biennial budget. Even though Texas is still among the more frugal of state governments based on a spending per capita basis, over those years expenditures grew 50 percent faster than the rate of inflation plus population growth.
Local government spending in the state has similarly risen, doubling over a decade, according to the federal government's census of state and local government finance. That high level of spending forced legislators to scramble, when tax revenues skidded in the fiscal downturn, and cut the state budget by billions of dollars, though Texas largely did so with one-time gimmicks that didn't really balance the budget.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearmarkets.com ...
A large migration is coming to Texas from all across the country, even where I live in Alaska I hear talk of people taking off to head there for wor, one of my drivers has a job offer to work through the winter down there, if he stays here he will see our regular seasonal layoffs which will start soon, I wish him luck and I wiash I could do the same.
Problem is I have been living in Alaska for over 20 years, I also lived and worked in Texas, I doubt I would be able to acclimate myself back to the heat and humidity they have, I can take the cold easier than heat.
Its just time to prep for a winter hibernation.
Just relocated here a little more than a year ago from the PNW and I can say that the summers are a little rough. September through May is fantastic however. Overall we love it!
Just relocated here a little more than a year ago from the PNW and I can say that the summers are a little rough. September through May is fantastic however. Overall we love it!
I moved here from the PNW about 10 years ago. I agree summers are a little rough but I love it here.
One big thing in our favor here in Texas is that we have no state income tax. Revenue comes largely from property taxes (high, but not as high as income tax + property tax as in most states), sales tax and user fees.
The latter two make it possible for those who pay no property tax to pay a share of the services the state provides. It’s the only way Texas can collect from the million+ illegal aliens living here and devouring our education, medical and justice systems.
Texas would be almost perfect (we do have terrible weather) were Switzerland our neighbor.
“poaching jobs”? Companies all over are leaving their over taxation and over regulation (and over unioned) states to relocate in Texas...I wouldn’t exactly call that “poaching”.
Texas offers the best and most rugged example of that can-do American spirit.
Which is why it must be flooded with Illegal Immigrants and that culture can precedence.
Texas' biggest weakness is being right next to Mexico. The Democrats don't have to conquer the Texas spirit. They just have get the illegal Mexicans, in what Ubama called "a Majority Coalition".
A Coalition of Takers.
“Although Texas legislators did confront a budget squeeze a few years ago, the booming economy has provided Austin with plenty of fiscal room to maneuver,...”
The economy boomed BECAUSE the legislature constrained the govt and squeezed the budget a few years ago. I have a relative who is a Texas teacher who was crying bloody murder and doom and gloom due to the cuts.
The journo’s still don’t or won’t get it.
A tea party conservative governor (fraud) who engages in taxpayer funded corporate welfare riddled with fraud, waste and abuse and who works with the state legislature to abuse millions of taxpayer dollars to pay for higher education for illegals.
State agencies under the control of the governor that spend like there's no tomorrow and give over the top pay raises to their executives (TXDOT).
Local governments that keep pushing and strong arming multi- million dollar school bonds that routinely pass and then spent on unneeded infrastructure, sports programs and hiring unneeded overhead.
Yeah, we have it all- great weather, great barbeque, professional high school football, a steady stream of Kahleefornia liberals and illegals to turn us into a third world state, increasingly higher property taxes and toll roads with increasingly higher fees (road tax) to keep those 'freebies" comin'. Come on down and help us build Xanadu. /s
Dear blue state Conservatives,
Please relocate now to a swing state. Texas is already red
enough. No need to come here. If you live in California, try
Aspen or Vail Colorado. You’ll feel right at home with all
the celebrities there. Colorado residents love California
immigrants. If you live in New York, try Florida. Most New
Yorker’s end up there anyway. If you can’t take the Florida
summer heat, move half way back to New York and stop in
North Carolina. They love “half-backs” there. Everybody else
move to Ohio.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Have a nice day,
Texas
The hot hot weather is 2-3 months. It just seems longer.
Property taxes have risen sky high so much so that I’m scared I may have to move. They’ve jumped to over 500% of what we were originally paying. FIVE HUNDRED PERCENT. I blame it on the libs moving in from CA and the north.
RE: Property taxes have risen sky high so much so that I’m scared I may have to move
Where to?
Certainly seems like all the outsiders want more and more social programs. IMO we do need to get rid of Dewhurst and Strauss who keep pushing the money envelope. There are lots of things the Legislature could do which would end up reducing our property taxes, like get rid of the Robin Hood concept for funding schools, cut out all the ESL classes, tell the schools to get rid of all their administrators except one per school or no funding. Certainly assess and collect hefty fines from businesses that hire illegals and filling jobs with people now on the government dole would reduce unemployment.
That’s the problem. There is no where to. The where to is just as bad or worse. Frankly, I’m at a loss and have no idea which way to turn.
This summer was nothing compared to last year’s.
I agree. We arrived in early July 2011 and the heat was stunning. lol
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