Houston: Mainly Conservative? (Pasadena, Texas City, Alvin: neighborhoods, to buy, income)

[kpoeppel]

I currently live in western PA, and I am generally fed up with the entitlement mentality and anti-business attitude around here. I have also lived in California, and I did not like the earth-worship/anti-development/anti-Christian attitudes there.

From what I have read about Houston, it seems to be a generally pro-business (has many good jobs, unlike western PA) and pro-development (affordable to buy a house). I have also heard there are many conservative churches.

My main concern is that property taxes seem very high, and Houston seems to be doing the "tax and spend" to fund a light rail system when most Americans would rather just drive. The good news is I see Texas has no income tax. I am also concerned about illegal immigrants, how big of a problem is that?

[Guerilla]

The suburbs are, but Houston's inner core isn't.

[jfre81]

Is being anti-mass transit what makes one a *conservative?* If so, count me out.

I don't see how funding light rail is much different from funding more highways.

[observer]

Unfortunately, Houston and the state of Texas gets a bad rap. Honestly, I think Houston is much better and nicer than what people in general describe it to be. I found people to be pretty tolerant in general. However, in some of the suburbs and other parts of the Houston metro area religion is pretty big. In fact, if you drive on a Sunday morning in some neighborhoods about 11 am you will find many of the churches packed with people and not many people out except church.

However, it is nothing like many parts of the bible belt in TN, AL.

[jfre81]

When I lived in places like Texas City and Alvin I used to make it a point to go grocery shopping or whatever on Sunday morning because there wasn't much of a crowd (and despite not being able to buy beer before noon per state law ). But in the Inner Loop it doesn't make a whole lot of difference. People will be in there like any other morning.

[BearBranch]

On my block in Kingwood (NE suburb) only one family attends church. People tend towards tolerance.

[kpoeppel]

I see here that there is a basic (false) assumption:

Church = A Bad Rap, Intolerant

[kpoeppel]

Jfre81,

I don't have a problem funding highways, since almost everyone uses them. I do, however, have a problem with funding light rail since few people will have convenient access to it. As long as it is impossible to put a bus stop/train station in front of everyone's driveway, the automobile will usually be more convenient and thus used more often.

[SDBreaux]

Originally Posted by kpoeppel

I currently live in western PA, and I am generally fed up with the entitlement mentality and anti-business attitude around here. I have also lived in California, and I did not like the earth-worship/anti-development/anti-Christian attitudes there.

From what I have read about Houston, it seems to be a generally pro-business (has many good jobs, unlike western PA) and pro-development (affordable to buy a house). I have also heard there are many conservative churches.

My main concern is that property taxes seem very high, and Houston seems to be doing the "tax and spend" to fund a light rail system when most Americans would rather just drive. The good news is I see Texas has no income tax. I am also concerned about illegal immigrants, how big of a problem is that?

Houston is 1800s conservative compared to PA, haha. But really, Houston is half and half. I think in 2004 the majority went for Bush, but only by a little more than half. Pasadena, inner-loop Houston and some other places vote Democrat, but there's enough screwed up redistricting to swing an area Republican. That said, that attitudes in Houston is very pro-business. You will find entitlement everywhere you go, and yes, there are Christian churches here, lots of them, but there are also lots of other holy spots for other religions. If you don't mind religious diversity...

Texas has A LOT of illegal immigrants. That's all I'm really going to say about that. I've argued this too much with my friends.

[Mom2Feebs]

To answer your question overall, yes, Houston leans more to the right. The center is more liberal, and as the circle spreads out it becomes more conservative. Houston is extremely PRO business, it's the city's bread and butter to support everything from entrepreneurs to big companies! You won't find much in the way of anti-business here.

I know many Pennsylvanians who have made Texas their home, my father was one of them (from Mercer) and was a naturalized Texan until the day he died! You will love it!