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High property taxes are the price you pay for living in a state with no income taxes. The government WILL get its pound of flesh one way or another.
Yup, you are correct. And the cities are facing even higher taxes next year.
I'm under no illusion that Texas rocks like the OP states.
We're a bit more fiscally conservative but the lack of revenue has hit the budget. Reality is starting to hit here in many places.
No one wants cut services, public employees layed off, schools closed.
In fact they want MORE services and the plan is to push MORE bond issues on local voters so they can partially fund more projects.
Lots of folks here in Texas still drinking that koolaid of "we're just fine thank you".
Yea I know the economy is not the greatest. But there are four seaons of weather and the Great Lakes. The beaches on Lake Michigan are way better than anything Texas can offer. Just about every lake in Texas is man-made by the Army Corp of Engineers. Aside from East Texas which is very pretty Michigan has it all over Texas when it comes to scenic beauty.
Oh come on, you troll !
It's just the recession.Texas will cut spendings, and voilà ! Not complicated.
And you know what ? Texas created about 200,000 jobs in 2010, more jobs = more spendings = more revenues in sales We see that in this moment :
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs said Wednesday that the state’s sales tax revenue for December was $1.81 billion, up 9.4 percent compared to December 2009 data.
The sales tax data shows that the Texas economy is continuing to grow, Combs says.
“This marks the ninth consecutive month of year-over-year improvement in sales tax revenues, with increases posted across the board,” Combs says. “There were increases in the oil and natural gas and manufacturing sectors reflecting recovering business spending. Sales tax in the retail trade and restaurant sectors were also up.”
This deficit will disappear very quickly at this rate
In Texas the state doesn't get the entire sales revenue it gets most of the sales tax revenue. Cities and various local authorites get the remainder.
In the meantime it will be interesting to see how the legislature which meets once every two years (WTF!) unless called in special session by the governors handles the whole budget issue.
In Texas the state doesn't get the entire sales revenue it gets most of the sales tax revenue. Cities and various local authorites get the remainder.
In the meantime it will be interesting to see how the legislature which meets once every two years (WTF!) unless called in special session by the governors handles the whole budget issue.
Oregon is set up the same way and there was even an article about CA doing the same although I think that was an opinion piece.
Think about it though..the less they meet the less harm they can do
Plus there is a provision for emergency sessions SHOULD the need arise.
So far it works. And it saves Texas some money.
Seriously..do you need your state to meet and make new laws EVERY year ?
Am i wrong in thinking that they had watere issues, maybe i am nuts! Well if the figures are accurate, good for Texasssssss, would like to see more States doing this good, and instead of jobs fleeing overseas, would like them to stay put right here in the U.S. Calif get a freaking clue!
Texas is a model of governmental restraint. In 2008, state and local expenditures were 25.5 percent of GDP in California, 22.8 in the U.S., and 17.3 in Texas. Back in 1987, levels of spending were roughly similar in these places. The recessions of 1991 and 2001 spiked spending everywhere, but each time Texas fought to bring it down to pre-recession levels. “Because of this policy decision,” the Texas Public Policy Foundation report notes, “Texas’ 2008 spending burden remained slightly below its 1987 levels — a major accomplishment.”
Less spending means lower taxes. Texas doesn’t have an income tax — in contrast to California’s highly progressive income tax — and it is among the 10 lowest-tax states in the country. Its regulatory burden is low across the board, and it’s a right-to-work state that enacted significant tort reform in the middle of the last decade.
It is true that Texas enjoys bountiful oil and natural-gas reserves, but its attitude toward those resources is what’s most important — “if you got ’em, use ’em.” If only the Obama administration’s Department of the Interior agreed. The state long ago defied the stereotype of an economy entirely dependent on bumptious oilmen. In Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, it has four diverse, thriving metropolitan areas featuring robust high-tech and manufacturing sectors.
Texas is a model of governmental restraint. In 2008, state and local expenditures were 25.5 percent of GDP in California, 22.8 in the U.S., and 17.3 in Texas. Back in 1987, levels of spending were roughly similar in these places. The recessions of 1991 and 2001 spiked spending everywhere, but each time Texas fought to bring it down to pre-recession levels. “Because of this policy decision,” the Texas Public Policy Foundation report notes, “Texas’ 2008 spending burden remained slightly below its 1987 levels — a major accomplishment.”
Less spending means lower taxes. Texas doesn’t have an income tax — in contrast to California’s highly progressive income tax — and it is among the 10 lowest-tax states in the country. Its regulatory burden is low across the board, and it’s a right-to-work state that enacted significant tort reform in the middle of the last decade.
It is true that Texas enjoys bountiful oil and natural-gas reserves, but its attitude toward those resources is what’s most important — “if you got ’em, use ’em.” If only the Obama administration’s Department of the Interior agreed. The state long ago defied the stereotype of an economy entirely dependent on bumptious oilmen. In Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, it has four diverse, thriving metropolitan areas featuring robust high-tech and manufacturing sectors.
Excellent post and I will stand by my assertion that other states could learn something from Texas. After all, what is everyone clamoring for these days? More jobs and Texas seems to have created a model that increases jobs. There is something to be learned here.
Y Just about every lake in Texas is man-made by the Army Corp of Engineers. Aside from East Texas which is very pretty Michigan has it all over Texas when it comes to scenic beauty.
Every lake in Texas except Caddo Mills is man made. So what ???
And I guess your definition of beauty is lakes, woods and tall trees. That's OK, but a lot of people like other scenery better or at least as much.
Water supply ? I don't see a shortage, Texas = Gulf Coast ! They have a huge quantity of water
Don't be jealous
Not true...... And you can't drink salt water and it cost a lot to get the salt out of it...
And yes we do have a water shortage here in Texas and it will get worse as more move here.... Right now we are just holding our own...
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so they can partially fund more projects.
We see that in this moment : 
k:
