People migrating from blue to red suberbs...because its more affordable

[brandonbull]

I invite you all to move to Texas. The land is plentiful, there's a good job market, and we could really use some political diversity.

Is that like regular diversity?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Is that like regular diversity?

As long as you're white.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Given that Texas has the 6th highest property tax rate in the country, a shit ton of upper middle class Republican tax voters are going to take it in the ass for the benefit of the 1%. I wonder if the fucking they are about to get is going to influence their next vote. Texas is already bordering on purple, this little knife in the back could turn it completely.

As someone that lives in Texas, you're way off the map. Property tax % is certainly important - but what is OBVIOUSLY more important is how much the property values are. To put that into perspective, you can live in a very nice brick-house that is 2 stories, 4+ bedrooms, 3+ bath in the subburbs for ~$300k. Hell, mine is $140k for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath but that is largely because we live way below our means.

So to put this into perspective... With our CURRENT tax structure, I would need to pay $12,700+ in Property Taxes, mortgage interest, etc...in order to itemize (since like most home owners, we are married). I pay ~$2k in mortgage interest (2.75% APR), and I'll round up and say we pay ~$5k in property taxes. Still no-where close to getting past the standard deduction.

So what am I saying here? Well, ultimately I'm saying that you're wrong about Texas losing out much. But more importantly, property value is something YOU can actually do something about. You don't have to have an expensive house that you can't afford. Unlike income-based taxes... obviously you're not going to refuse more income, but you can certainly do something about property based taxes.

Also, Texas is and has been blue - if the stupid liberals weren't so retarded and they realized if they got off their ass to vote it would flip blue tomorrow.

 

[Jhhnn]

Equally as bad. You won't find me defending corporate interests. Earlier in this very thread I criticized Apple for its blatant hypocrisy.

Yeh, but you think giving them a tax cut is a great idea.

 

[Starbuck1975]

Yeh, but you think giving them a tax cut is a great idea.

Where did I say giving corporations a tax cut is a good idea?

I said it is a good idea for people in blue states to educate themselves and engage on where their local governments are pissing away their tax dollars, something they are more inclined to do now that those tax dollars are no longer a deduction.

 

[Jaskalas]

American labor not efficient? Wait, what??

What, you never heard of offshoring?

The basis of what I spoke of is a core component of Capitalism, efficiency. If labor and excessive costs can be eliminated, then they will be. It just so happens that our laborers and consumers are one in the same. At this stage in economic development cheaper labor is overseas. But even China is turning to automation. Ultimately consumers will not be laborers. How are they going to have enough money to keep the economy moving?

I have my answer... what will be yours?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

It's part of our diabolical plan to bring money & expectations for good schools to drive local Red State property taxes over 10k

 

[Jhhnn]

Where did I say giving corporations a tax cut is a good idea?

I said it is a good idea for people in blue states to educate themselves and engage on where their local governments are pissing away their tax dollars, something they are more inclined to do now that those tax dollars are no longer a deduction.

Heh. The reason richer blue states have higher taxes is because they heavily subsidize a lot of poorer red states through the higher federal taxes their residents pay because they're richer overall. That's a function of progressive federal income taxes. That's not a complaint but rather an observation of fact.

The other side of it is that urban areas simply require higher levels of services to function properly. They're magnets for the down & out & for immigrants as well. It's the only place they can find any opportunity at all. That's why they're blue, even in Texas. Every time Libs try to improve & extend more services to more people outside those areas the more the GOP tries to starve funding.

It's expensive to deliver services in sparsely populated places. Small town hospitals, clinics, senior care, child nutrition, mental health & so forth. That extends to infrastructure like streets, water & sanitary services. Libs aim to do just that if we can wrangle the money out of our wealthiest citizens. And you know what? It won't diminish their lifestyles enough to notice.

 

[Snarf Snarf]

Also, Texas is and has been blue - if the stupid liberals weren't so retarded and they realized if they got off their ass to vote it would flip blue tomorrow

This is actually so true it hurts. The Republican voter base in Texas is almost religious in how they turn out for elections. Texas has been purple for the last 10 years or so, the problem is getting Democrats out to vote here, for some reason they love to complain but can never be bothered to show up for elections.

Some of it is apathy that their votes haven't counted for so long that they feel like it's a lost cause, some of it is just genuine laziness. I harass everyone I know to vote, and I can count on maybe 5-6 to actually go, it's really sad.

As someone that lives in Texas, you're way off the map. Property tax % is certainly important - but what is OBVIOUSLY more important is how much the property values are. To put that into perspective, you can live in a very nice brick-house that is 2 stories, 4+ bedrooms, 3+ bath in the subburbs for ~$300k. Hell, mine is $140k for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath but that is largely because we live way below our means.

This. Property values on average are much lower in Texas so we don't notice the % increases nearly as much. Increases in valuation are what start to take a toll on people here.

We bought in 2011 during the buyers market and scored on a 2100 ft^2 3 bed 2.5 bath in a nice neighborhood by the university for $110k, our neighbors just sold an identical floor plan model for $225k. Even after market readjustment it's still amazingly affordable to live well in a nice area in San Antonio, great highway system with minimal traffic, and 15 minutes from downtown with a straight shot down I-10. So, who wants to move here?

 

[yllus]

Where did I say giving corporations a tax cut is a good idea?

I said it is a good idea for people in blue states to educate themselves and engage on where their local governments are pissing away their tax dollars, something they are more inclined to do now that those tax dollars are no longer a deduction.

Cutting your corporate tax rate to a flat 25% or so would've been a fantastic idea if it was also paired with getting rid of the numerous deductions they also take. It's really unfortunate and telling that Republicans instead decided to go with 21% (as close to the 20% they promised donors as possible) and kept all of the deductions as well.

 

[soulcougher73]

Good. Soon the red states will be nice and not red anymore. Win/win