Why is Austin doing so well economically? (Howe: upper-class, appointed)

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Roadking2003

Vote Libertarian.

That doesn't accomplish the goal I was trying to convey, and it doesn't send the same message. Like I said, I'm tired of voting for the lesser of evils, I want to be able to very clearly vote AGAINST someone, not just for someone because they're not as bad. If we tell them that we absolutely do NOT want THEM, very clearly, maybe they'll get the message.

[eileenkeeney]

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.

I would LOVE to see an option for "None of the Above", allowing us to start over.
This might also alter the effectiveness of negative campaigning.

The power of the major parties is a real problem, but people won't do anything to decrease that power (and the people do have the power).

The time to vote out incumbents (if that is one's goal) is the Primary. By the time we get to the main election, partisanship often rules.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by eileenkeeney

I would LOVE to see an option for "None of the Above", allowing us to start over.
This might also alter the effectiveness of negative campaigning.

The power of the major parties is a real problem, but people won't do anything to decrease that power (and the people do have the power).

The time to vote out incumbents (if that is one's goal) is the Primary. By the time we get to the main election, partisanship often rules.

Yeah, I've been asking for None of the Above since I first did a write-in vote for Dr. Spock in the first Presidential election way back in 1972. I iunderstand a couple of states have this for some elections, but they don't follow through and make them go away and come back with better candidates like they should.

[MiaMia411]

It would be nice if the people of this country voted with their voices, our politicians are extremely out of control and the government no longer fears its people.

[louche]

Good conversation, all.

Still gee whiz, I sure wish ol' Steve would chime in with his 2¢.

[Aquitaine]

Here's an anecdote to throw into the mix.

I own a small business and we relocated from New York City. It isn't because of Rick Perry exactly (about whom we're ambivalent, at least over here) but because of what he and the Texas Legislature don't do: which is, establish a command and control economy run from the statehouse. They'll play around with enterprise funds because they want the photo op with Apple coming to Texas or what have you, but for the most part they're happy to get out of the way and let you do business.

Our clientele is national and not local, so we make the same amount of money regardless of where we are. I guess if it's 'greed' that we can pay people less in Austin than we would have to in NYC, then call me greedy - I pay myself less, too, because the cost of living is lower - and also because the employee gets a bigger chunk of what we actually pay them.

Let's look at a $102k job in New York City for a single person:

Federal tax: $21,853
New York State income tax: $6,303
New York City income tax: $3,603

After-tax take home pay: $70,241

Now let's look at Austin and assume the same job pays $20k less at $82k:

Federal tax: $16,429
State & City tax: $0
After-tax take home pay: $65,571

To say nothing of the employer having to pay additional social security and unemployment on the higher wage basis as well. In the NYC scenario our company would probably be out about $120k to pay the employee $102k of which they'd receive $70k, versus being out $92k-ish to pay $82k for the employee to receive $65k, or a 'pay effectiveness' of dollars spent by company to dollars received by employee of 71% in Texas versus 58.3% in NYC. City-data rates Austin's cost of living Index at 95.8 and NYC's at 163.2 - so if something costs $1 in Normaltown, USA, it's 96 cents in Austin and $1.63 in NYC, while your take home pay is only 7.6 cents on the dollar higher. In fairness, I expect that Austin's COL has gone up since 2012 - rents certainly have, if nothing else.

I would add that I don't mind paying taxes - dealing with a government entity that thinks you're the bad guy or a piggy bank (depending on the day) is far worse than just having to pay taxes. And we have it pretty easy since we don't have office space or permits or serve food or anything like that: and NYC was still awful for the business, much as I liked it for everything else.

Just be cautious of an attitude that suggests businesses (or people) are fleeing the high-tax coasts because they're greedy and/or because they are trying to dodge something that they owe. In Texas I can own a house (or a couple) and pay mountains of property tax, which I do; in NYC I would never be able to own much. In Texas we can hire more people, both because the money is there and because the paperwork for dealing with the state is manageable for one non-accountant like me to do, since we're small enough that I end up doing all of it.

I'm from New England and I love it there. But there is such a thing as too much government burden. Even everything you're hearing in the news today about NYC and the guy who died while being arrested - it was over selling 'illegal cigarettes,' because the tax on cigarettes in NYC makes them about three times as expensive as they are in Virginia; one drive from VA to NYC each week and you can make a 100% profit while your customers are still paying far less than they otherwise would. Whatever you think of the NYPD, it is interesting to me that nobody is questioning why we have our professional law enforcement guys spending their time dealing with cigarette smugglers when the city could abolish them overnight just by cutting their taxes to eliminate the black market margin.

Sources:

2014 Tax Brackets | Bankrate.com
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_fo...e_schedule.pdf
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_fo...e_schedule.pdf

[tom331]

It makes a lot of sense for someone like you moving to Austin instead of staying at NYC. I have been in Austin for too long and I might move to Seattle or San Diego when I retire. But, I will likely keep a small place at Austin in case I am not happy to the places that I move to.

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by Aquitaine

Here's an anecdote to throw into the mix.

I own a small business and we relocated from New York City. It isn't because of Rick Perry exactly (about whom we're ambivalent, at least over here) but because of what he and the Texas Legislature don't do: which is, establish a command and control economy run from the statehouse. They'll play around with enterprise funds because they want the photo op with Apple coming to Texas or what have you, but for the most part they're happy to get out of the way and let you do business.

Our clientele is national and not local, so we make the same amount of money regardless of where we are. I guess if it's 'greed' that we can pay people less in Austin than we would have to in NYC, then call me greedy - I pay myself less, too, because the cost of living is lower - and also because the employee gets a bigger chunk of what we actually pay them.

Let's look at a $102k job in New York City for a single person:

Federal tax: $21,853
New York State income tax: $6,303
New York City income tax: $3,603

After-tax take home pay: $70,241

Now let's look at Austin and assume the same job pays $20k less at $82k:

Federal tax: $16,429
State & City tax: $0
After-tax take home pay: $65,571

To say nothing of the employer having to pay additional social security and unemployment on the higher wage basis as well. In the NYC scenario our company would probably be out about $120k to pay the employee $102k of which they'd receive $70k, versus being out $92k-ish to pay $82k for the employee to receive $65k, or a 'pay effectiveness' of dollars spent by company to dollars received by employee of 71% in Texas versus 58.3% in NYC. City-data rates Austin's cost of living Index at 95.8 and NYC's at 163.2 - so if something costs $1 in Normaltown, USA, it's 96 cents in Austin and $1.63 in NYC, while your take home pay is only 7.6 cents on the dollar higher. In fairness, I expect that Austin's COL has gone up since 2012 - rents certainly have, if nothing else.

I would add that I don't mind paying taxes - dealing with a government entity that thinks you're the bad guy or a piggy bank (depending on the day) is far worse than just having to pay taxes. And we have it pretty easy since we don't have office space or permits or serve food or anything like that: and NYC was still awful for the business, much as I liked it for everything else.

Just be cautious of an attitude that suggests businesses (or people) are fleeing the high-tax coasts because they're greedy and/or because they are trying to dodge something that they owe. In Texas I can own a house (or a couple) and pay mountains of property tax, which I do; in NYC I would never be able to own much. In Texas we can hire more people, both because the money is there and because the paperwork for dealing with the state is manageable for one non-accountant like me to do, since we're small enough that I end up doing all of it.

I'm from New England and I love it there. But there is such a thing as too much government burden. Even everything you're hearing in the news today about NYC and the guy who died while being arrested - it was over selling 'illegal cigarettes,' because the tax on cigarettes in NYC makes them about three times as expensive as they are in Virginia; one drive from VA to NYC each week and you can make a 100% profit while your customers are still paying far less than they otherwise would. Whatever you think of the NYPD, it is interesting to me that nobody is questioning why we have our professional law enforcement guys spending their time dealing with cigarette smugglers when the city could abolish them overnight just by cutting their taxes to eliminate the black market margin.

Sources:

2014 Tax Brackets | Bankrate.com
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_fo...e_schedule.pdf
http://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_fo...e_schedule.pdf

Yep.

Pus, it's warmer here, the BBQ is better and more readily available and fewer bears.

I can't abide by bears.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Aquitaine

Here's an anecdote to throw into the mix.

I own a small business and we relocated from New York City. It isn't because of Rick Perry exactly (about whom we're ambivalent, at least over here) but because of what he and the Texas Legislature don't do: which is, establish a command and control economy run from the statehouse. They'll play around with enterprise funds because they want the photo op with Apple coming to Texas or what have you, but for the most part they're happy to get out of the way and let you do business.......

Aquitaine, Thanks for the excellent & informative post.

(& in addition to BBQ, mild winters, no bears & Tex-Mex.....if one has kids, a family can buy or rent a 250K-400K home & kiddo will attend a fine public school & school feeder.)

[Eastcoasting]

Originally Posted by hound 109

Aquitaine, Thanks for the excellent & informative post.

(& in addition to BBQ, mild winters, no bears & Tex-Mex.....if one has kids, a family can buy or rent a 250K-400K home & kiddo will attend a fine public school & school feeder.)

Whoa now! I didn't say there weren't any bears.

Texas has exactly 250 bears.

Bear Population by State