Why is Austin doing so well economically? (San Diego: 2014, rent)

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I said it should be charged sales tax, which would then go into the general fund.

Which, if you got your way, would produce LESS money anytime the price of gas went below $3.25/gallon. Like it is right now. Good luck with getting that passed.

Also, beware of unintended consequences -- once you start funding the state portion of highway construction and maintenance out of the general fund, who's to say it wouldn't be even more? At the EXPENSE of education.

[Tralfaz]

Originally Posted by Roadking2003

Also, you and I subsidized that Tesla with thousands of our tax dollars.

Oh not that bullcrap again. Are you talking about the loans that they paid back (and which program Ford took advantage of to take out $5B in loans that have NOT been paid back, which is what saved them from the bankruptcy that they deserved just as much as GM or Chrysler)? Or are you talking about the subsidy that Bush pushed and got passed, and which pales in comparison to the amount of money spent on maintaining freedom of the seas and access to imported oil, which also offers America's industrial competitors a free ride since we foot the bill for global security?

A gas tax tacked on that offsets spending on CENTCOM (which exists to guarantee the security of oil tankers and fields in the mideast, which is the only reason the US doesn't just ignore them or nuke them from orbit) would likely run at least $2/gal.

[RoadWarrior12]

Thought this thread was about Austin when I clicked on it.

[ITO]

I suspect some of the people who are highly critical of Perry and refuse to give him any credit, would be signing his praises if he were a member of a different party.

While I really don't like him, putting politics aside we have benefited from some of his actions, not all of them but absolutely some of them. Had we a less business friendly politician in office, there would still probably be some benefits but they would not have been financial ones.

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by Tralfaz

Oh not that bullcrap again. Are you talking about the loans that they paid back ....

No. I'm talking about several thousand dollars per car that are taken from hard working taxpayers and given directly to rich people who buy a Tesla.

It's not bullcrap. It's the truth.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by ITO

I suspect some of the people who are highly critical of Perry and refuse to give him any credit, would be signing his praises if he were a member of a different party.

While I really don't like him, putting politics aside we have benefited from some of his actions, not all of them but absolutely some of them. Had we a less business friendly politician in office, there would still probably be some benefits but they would not have been financial ones.

Well, I'm a member of the A Pox On Both Your Parties party because I realize that there's precious little to choose between when you get right down to the bottom line, "let us control your life" motivation of the two, and I'm well aware that Rick Perry is, has always been, and will always be about what's good for Rick Perry. Anything that might coincidentally have benefited Texas would have been entirely accidental and run FAR second to that primary motivation.

Good riddance, as far as I'm concerned. Sadly, we may have more of the same ahead. Not because of party, but because of character.

Dang, but I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils! Really wish it were possible to literally vote AGAINST someone so that it's very clear what my vote means rather than FOR someone simply because they're not the worst choice out there.

That would send a much clearer message.

[ITO]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

...Dang, but I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils! Really wish it were possible to literally vote AGAINST someone so that it's very clear what my vote means rather than FOR someone simply because they're not the worst choice out there.

That would send a much clearer message.

Yeah but as long as we play partisan politics, and stick to the scripted talking points this will pretty much be all we get.

[MiaMia411]

A lot of big businesses that are/were able to relocate got some nice bonuses for relocating to Texas, thats why the economy is doing so good. Also the COL is way cheaper in TX ( for now ) then the liberal controlled dumps that people are fleeing from.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

Nothing in this state is charged both use AND sales tax at the point of sale, so your idea of "fair" is a little out of the norm.

Actually, what isn't "fair", is that a driver of a $85,000 Tesla pays neither for the motive power of their vehicle, while the hoopty driver pays 20¢/gallon. Why? We need to move to a system that charges all vehicles by the mile and stop exempting some totally from the cost of the infrastructure they use.

+1 for toll roads!

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Dang, but I'm tired of voting for the lesser of two evils! Really wish it were possible to literally vote AGAINST someone so that it's very clear what my vote means rather than FOR someone simply because they're not the worst choice out there.

That would send a much clearer message.

Vote Libertarian.