Is Texas economy really that good, or is Texas a bit overrated? (Houston: real estate, vehicle registration)

[tstone]

Originally Posted by CalGal953

So my experience-less boyfriend, who is 27 and can't get the right connections due to his Asperger's Syndrome, can forget about working here. Same with me, a 25-year-old Aspie also without work experience because no one wants to give us a chance.

Asperger Syndrome, well there ya go.

Wikipedia says:
The lack of demonstrated empathy is possibly the most dysfunctional aspect of Asperger syndrome.[2] Individuals with AS experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others (for example, showing others objects of interest); a lack of social or emotional reciprocity; and impaired nonverbal behaviors in areas such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.[1]

(article)

This could very well be the reason you're having these problems.

Something in academia may be more up your alley. But a lot of that is still ''who you know.'' I know firsthand that there are loopholes around the mandated hiring procedures.

[texdav]

Everything shakeout eventually. But moist people have the wrong idea that Texas produces alot of crude;that peaked in the mid 60's. We now produce like 20% of usage from offshore which is the largest.We are a large producer of product from crude as well as other energy such as largest in electric wind production.There is one town near mine that has like 15 billion in projects that will take ten years. That is huge in a town of apox 50,000. Texas has long gone from a crude producer to alot of energy and other products since our down turn in the 70's.

[CalGal953]

Originally Posted by KantLockeMeIn

So if you're living beyond your means, you're taxed like crazy...but if you're living well below your means, you are rewarded. I like that incentive...

That's oversimplification, not accounting for differences in income. Having no state income tax makes the system highly regressive and punishes lower-income people. Groceries and gasoline take a much bigger bite out of their paychecks, and public services are underfunded. I am getting help with finding a job through DARS because of my Asperger's Syndrome, which has been taking 4 months so far because they are understaffed due to being woefully underfunded.

NOTE TO REPUBLICANS FROM AN EX-REPUBLICAN: Not everyone that needs government help is a lazy bum that wants to leech off of hard-working people. Some people actually do need a little extra help to become productive, tax-paying members of society. I want to be a hard-working, productive taxpayer too, and I am an extremely frugal person. And even if I was filthy rich, I would not at all mind paying more in income tax to help people less fortunate than me, as long as it helps them become hard-working, productive taxpayers also.

[Lakewooder]

Texas Cities Dominate Best:

Best And Worst Bang For The Buck Cities - Forbes.com

[CalGal953]

Yeah, the economy here is so great, my bf's mom and stepdad had to relocate to Arkansas because they could not find any computer jobs here that would pay their bills, and they are on the frugal side also, and have a decent commute. My bf and I are considering relocating out of state soon also, if I don't find anything through DARS.

[loves2read]

retrenchment is the name of the game
TX and DFW were enjoying part of the entension of the boom from the housing/easy credit run-up but now that energy prices have started to soften and housing is soft even here where that was not the same type of crazy boom in prices that the coasts experienced, TX is going to feel the pinch...

I am just so surprised when I walk around my neighborhood that I still see McCain Palin signs in people's yards...some dreams really do die hard...

[Lakewooder]

FT.com / Video & Audio / Interactive graphics - The state of the US economy

Texas ranked best according to Financial Times

[Lakewooder]

Dallas - Unfair Park - Dallas Fed's Richard Fisher Hails From "The Strongest Economic Region Within the United States"

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by CalGal953

Yeah, the economy here is so great, my bf's mom and stepdad had to relocate to Arkansas because they could not find any computer jobs here that would pay their bills, and they are on the frugal side also, and have a decent commute. My bf and I are considering relocating out of state soon also, if I don't find anything through DARS.

How does this tie in with your theory that Texas is "stealing" jobs from California?

[ZeroTX]

Originally Posted by autotech4dallas

Why are property taxes so high, but cost of living is low, and the state of Texas exempted from state income taxes? I was just a little curious.

State income taxes are STATE income taxes. We don't have a state income tax. There's nothing to be "exempted" from. If you have state income taxes in your state, it's because your STATE decided to do so.

We pay property and sales taxes. Since it's possible to live in a fairly low-cost home, that makes the potential cost of living low. Now, if you choose to go out and spend 300k on a McMansion or a fancy townhouse in one of our big cities, then you made the choice to pay the city/county more in property taxes.... on the other hand, you can easly buy a home in nearly any part of Texas in the 90-135k range if you so choose. Those who say you can't are only looking at new construction. I work under the assumption that humans can dwell in something that wasn't built last week.