TEXAS Likely To LEAD Nation In Economic Growth

[daboyz 36]

Dreaming of what? When was the last time Texan cities were recognized for anything pertaining to actual Q.O.L, when compared to other international cities? You also still fail to grasp the concept of supply and demand, regarding the value of property. Much for the same reason coal is cheap versus platinum. There is a reason that seldom will you find professionals located in the first world choosing Texas for migration, versus NYC, Boston, Chicago, LA, Seattle and DC. Not trying to hate here either, just being a realist.

The majority of companies I hate are based out of Texas. E.G AT&T, AA, the oil companies, Dell etc etc.

A great business climate and no state income tax. Texas (Dallas and Houston in particular) don't have the benefits of somewhere say like New York (good public transport etc.) on the flip side there is no income tax here. The sales tax is fairly high (7.25% or in my case 8.25% thanks to the yellow buses I an most other people here rarely ride.

If you want to hate companies, look at AIG, Investment banks, brokerage houses etc. I'm pretty sure they are all based in NY. AT&T used to be based in NJ, now based in Dallas. Verizon is still based in NJ (Basking Ridge), but they have a very large presence based in the DFW area. Don't be surprised if VZ moves their HQ here after Seidenberg retires.

Housing is very cheap here, and the quality is the same if not better.

[luckytxn 2,263]

Life is good here for me for sure. I live near the water and like to fish. I also have many great golf courses and love to golf. I have a nice business that is going like gang busters. I also own several pieces of acreage north of Houston. I love our sports teams even though they suck right now but still enjoy going when able. We get all the top bands and performers through. Life over all is great for me and many here.

Houston also has more fortune 500 headquarters than any other city except for New York. This is a good thing I guess but Houston has grown to ungodly proportions and the other cities are also getting huge. Many jobs here and the cost of living is among the lowest anywhere. There are too many pluses to mention and the weather here is moderate compared to any anywhere else. We in Texas know we are the tops and it is hard not to trumpet that fact.

[The_Dude 1,142]

We in Texas know we are the tops and it is hard not to trumpet that fact.

Except in terms of the size of your economy, Texas is still the red-headed stepchild.

[luckytxn 2,263]

Except in terms of the size of your economy, Texas is still the red-headed stepchild.

And we actually know this. We expect it and just chalk it up to jealousy. Oddly enough though, one of the main things that many trumpet and that is the amount of people here now and the ones coming I am ambivalent on as that means more and more for a piece of the pie. There are a lot of people here now. My small town I live in is now the largest in the county and growing. I was planning on moving away to the north of Houston on one of my properties I own by a lake but now we own a business with at least a couple more in the works and it looks like we are here to stay forever. It is this growth that is making the businesses and the model of the businesses work but I miss my small town.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Except in terms of the size of your economy, Texas is still the red-headed stepchild.

having the 15th largest economy in the world, is hardly being a red-heade stepchild. '

That says a lot right there actually.

[The_Dude 1,142]

having the 15th largest economy in the world, is hardly being a red-heade stepchild. '

That says a lot right there actually.

None the less, Texas has #######-envy, I mean economy envy

[Heracles 417]

Except in terms of the size of your economy, Texas is still the red-headed stepchild.

The GDP per capita of Texas is $36,484.

It's also no surprise that most common plate of the professionals moving into the area, have Texas in big writing on them; which is strange, considering the rhetoric on here about it.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

The GDP per capita of Texas is $36,484.

It's also no surprise that most common plate of the professionals moving into the area, have Texas in big writing on them; which is strange, considering the rhetoric on here about it.

It's also funny that Australia is only 2 places above Texas @ 13 in World economies... Looks like a 'state' is just as good as a first-world country there!

Yeah, the 'per capita' might be a bit higher for you, but cost of living is A LOT cheaper here as well. Our Q.O.L. with low cost of living > Aussie land man. Sorry to break it to you!

[Heracles 417]

A great business climate and no state income tax. Texas (Dallas and Houston in particular) don't have the benefits of somewhere say like New York (good public transport etc.) on the flip side there is no income tax here. The sales tax is fairly high (7.25% or in my case 8.25% thanks to the yellow buses I an most other people here rarely ride.

If you want to hate companies, look at AIG, Investment banks, brokerage houses etc. I'm pretty sure they are all based in NY. AT&T used to be based in NJ, now based in Dallas. Verizon is still based in NJ (Basking Ridge), but they have a very large presence based in the DFW area. Don't be surprised if VZ moves their HQ here after Seidenberg retires.

Housing is very cheap here, and the quality is the same if not better.

AT&T dropped in service once they moved to Texas, or following their purchase by crapular. Verizon kicks some serious azz, love that company and their rock-solid cell service. Fios apparently kicks some serious azz too.

Great climate for business, however I am one of the 94% of people in the US that is not self-employed (88% in AUS - 70% in European countries), so why would I care what tax rate a company pays? I am interested in what I earn and what they do for the community and country I live in. Zero tax for them means they get to amass wealth, while putting FA back into the community. It's also why less than 9% of the federal budget is derived from US business, a rate much higher abroad.

I fail to see the rationale of cheap house prices, as there is always a reason as to why they are cheap. Supply and Demand 101. I do remember seeing something on housing in Houston, noticing that street after street of carbon choppy homes in a new area. Block after block, both the streets and the homes all looked the same and where in a same straight line. Clear win for the corporation who built them and extracted the most profit wise out of it but a future ghetto for anyone who buys there. The county doe snot permit such construction back in AUS, even if it's on private land. One of the most crucial steps to a permit is whether a development will add future value to an area. Build and run housing projects are not permitted there, hence why the burbs are so visually appealingly there. However, this seems to be a problem all over the US than Texas alone.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I fail to see the rationale of cheap house prices, as there is always a reason as to why they are cheap. Supply and Demand 101. I do remember seeing something on housing in Houston, noticing that street after street of carbon choppy homes in a new area. Block after block, both the streets and the homes all looked the same and where in a same straight line. Clear win for the corporation who built them and extracted the most profit wise out of it but a future ghetto for anyone who buys there. The county doe snot permit such construction back in AUS, even if it's on private land. One of the most crucial steps to a permit is whether a development will add future value to an area. Build and run housing projects are not permitted there, hence why the burbs are so visually appealingly there. However, this seems to be a problem all over the US than Texas alone.

Cookie-cutter neighborhoods are ugly/annoying, I agree... Not the case to see those everywhere though. Just have to know where to look, which builders to pick.

Would you rather buy a 2500 sq ft home for $160,000, OR would you rather pay $350,000 for the same home, same style, same ameneties, in the same type of neighborhood... Same quality materials, etc. Goods overall are cheap here. The low tax burden really helps a lot in this area as well. You try and define too much by if it's expensive, it's better... it's all relative to where you live though at the end of the day.

[Heracles 417]

It's also funny that Australia is only 2 places above Texas @ 13 in World economies... Looks like a 'state' is just as good as a first-world country there!

Yeah, the 'per capita' might be a bit higher for you, but cost of living is A LOT cheaper here as well. Our Q.O.L. with low cost of living > Aussie land man. Sorry to break it to you!

Love the Paul, Gary, lucky [libertarian] shoot-from-the-hip on everything. This love of opinion explains why you guys like the libertarian view, as no actual data or research [facts] is every needed for everything.

Texas GDP per capita is $36,484, while Australia's is $54,869. The GDP of Texan's is essentially 66% of Australians. Can you imagine what it would be if I break those figures down to the key states in AUS? I was like a king in Bali..

Apart from being good for corporations, I am yet to see anything really about Q.O.L and Texas. Cost of living? Like we have discussed before, the cost of living is dirt cheap in third world [libertarianesque] countries, therefore, should we move there too?

Texans have always fallen for the if you cannot have quality, just make up for it in size. For example, pickup trucks. The equivalent size vehicle from Audi would cost $130K to purchase, in order to maintain the same level of quality found in their other vehicles.

Edited November 11, 2010 by Heracles

[Heracles 417]

Cookie-cutter neighborhoods are ugly/annoying, I agree... Not the case to see those everywhere though. Just have to know where to look, which builders to pick.

Would you rather buy a 2500 sq ft home for $160,000, OR would you rather pay $350,000 for the same home, same style, same ameneties, in the same type of neighborhood... Same quality materials, etc. Goods overall are cheap here. The low tax burden really helps a lot in this area as well. You try and define too much by if it's expensive, it's better... it's all relative to where you live though at the end of the day.

The reason homes are expensive in most other areas is not only size, it's about the location, location, location. Australia's house prices, for example, have gone through the roof because people are moving there and want to purchase homes.

The right always beats on about taxes yet anyone wealthy I know of here, and I mean $1 million and up types, all live in high taxing counties. I wonder why that is? Because these freagin hypocrites enjoy the amenities, services and quality of the high-taxing county they live in. Surely if the Repubs were correct, then the rich would all move to low taxing counties. I see quite the opposite actually. Canada, Australia and Europe got the memo, hence why so many of there communities are awesome to live in. And I only pay $1K in council [country] rates [tax] per house over there.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

What does Australia have to do with economic growth in Texas and the US? One would almost think this was an Australian immigration forum.

[Heracles 417]

What does Australia have to do with economic growth in Texas and the US? One would almost think this was an Australian immigration forum.

Definitely more than your opinion of me or what I post being throwing out in every second thread by you.

[Heracles 417]

Edit: It's actually starting to resemble 'Spooks forum', where you get to decide who and what can or cannot be discussed.

You'd be considered a troll in most forums. Consistent trolling results in automatic suspensions and leads to being banned. Over here, it's tolerated and why you get to regularly enter the Politics & Religion section and attack anyone voicing their opinion that is not American.