$22/hr min. for all city employees (Austin: hotel, go bankrupt, minimum wage)

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Somebody who bought their house 20 years ago and has a low house payment or has no house payments and lives modestly/humbly, they can live a pretty good/comfortable lifestyle at $22 an hour, $880 a week, or about $45,000 a year.

Not everyone moved to Austin 20 years ago, or if they were, we’re in a place to buy a home.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

We originally bought 21 years ago and refinanced 19 years ago (to a 15 year mortgage). P&I were right at $1,700/month after the refi, but were around $1450 (iirc) before the refi with a 30-yr mortgage? Our taxes for the 2021 tax year were about $9000, or $750/month, which is even now about half of our original 30-year P&I. Taxes approximately doubled in that time frame, I think they were just below $5k for us in the early- to mid-2000s. So our taxes have gone up about $375/month, or ~2$/hr for a full-time employee.

Your numbers make sense, there must be some difference in appreciation or initial down payment or something. My P&I on my biggest mortgage is about $1084 (refinanced 2020) and that is less than my property tax on that per month. So far the change in my property tax ($ amt) is about 250% since I bought. That's as of last year, before the huge property value bump this year. But I'll have to wait and see what the rates and everything end up being before I know what increase that may be.

On another note, has anyone messed around with the new TravisCAD.org site? I don't really like it - it has lots of information that I don't really need and laid out in a manner that makes even that hard to peruse quickly. I liked how I could find previous years' tax totals and appraised values for each entity (with exemptions shown). I don't seem to be able to find that easily now .

I don't remember the tax $ totals for past years being on the TCAD site (it is on traviscountytax.org though) but the last 5 years appraised value is right there on the first property page when you click on a property from the search results. And the search itself is much easier, IMO. Plus if you click on the "Truth in taxation link" or go here https://travis.trueprodigy-taxtransp...propertySearch and enter your property, it shows a whole bunch more information about your property taxes. You can see the "no new revenue" estimate, the "voter approved increase" estimate, etc. I don't know how much I trust that because the % increase in value, especially this past year, surely varies a lot. So the "no new revenue" estimate doesn't account for someone who may be paying more because their appraised value went up a higher percentage. Thus it doesn't estimate the transfer of burden within the total tax pool from people who had lower appreciation to those who had a lot.

[Trainwreck20]

The truth in tax stuff is sort of interesting, although the only category that is relevant (to me) is the actual enacted tax rate. And their numbers don't seem to match up with what we paid in taxes last year - I think those do not take HSE into account, but it isn't clear.

The old travisCAD did have tax bill listed for five years, and it was easy to get the tax rates for past years. I will poke around traviscountytax and see if it is easy enough to get there.

[done working]

All i am saying is that the numerous unfilled positions which include public safety are unfilled for a number of reasons - most because employees dont want to work in such a hostile environment created by council and now they have to raise starting wages even for lowest skilled jobs. Next all the existing employees will demand higher wages and the costs will continue to spiral upward.
Last time i looked there was no money trees planted in downtown so taxes will have to go up. That means property taxes, lower exemptions, increased fees, cut back of services. Austin is not the only city that faces this crisis, counties and alot of states have the same issues.
What is interesting is what you citizens want and demand and how much you are willing to pay for it. Hard choices are around the corner and it will be interesting to see how you people cope with these issues. Public safety? Fire and emergency services? Homeless support? Parks closing? All i know is that these things take money and its going to come from you and local businesses.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by done working

All i am saying is that the numerous unfilled positions which include public safety are unfilled for a number of reasons - most because employees dont want to work in such a hostile environment created by council and now they have to raise starting wages even for lowest skilled jobs. Next all the existing employees will demand higher wages and the costs will continue to spiral upward.

That is an assumption that isn't necessarily supported and/or related to the $22/hr mentioned. Police officers, firemen, paramedics all generally make notably more than $22/hr. Then you mention 'lowest skilled jobs' - which are NOT public safety - and imply they give a hoot about the city council. My guess is that they don't. The lower paying CoA jobs tend to be sought after for their pension benefits and low skill requirements, but are hard to fill due to the COL in Austin compared to the pay.

Originally Posted by done working

Last time i looked there was no money trees planted in downtown so taxes will have to go up. That means property taxes, lower exemptions, increased fees, cut back of services. Austin is not the only city that faces this crisis, counties and alot of states have the same issues.
What is interesting is what you citizens want and demand and how much you are willing to pay for it. Hard choices are around the corner and it will be interesting to see how you people cope with these issues. Public safety? Fire and emergency services? Homeless support? Parks closing? All i know is that these things take money and its going to come from you and local businesses.

Again, some assumptions that may or may not be accurate. How many employees make less than $22/hr right now? How much does it cost to raise all those to $22/hr? Some jobs are being eliminated (i.e. the water meter readers), replaced by technology. It could be a case of almost no cost but good 'PR' by making the city look like they are doing something 'big'.

[blakely]

To be fair, though, EMTs start around $20/hour, and would be considered part of "public safety." I hope no one would describe them as low skilled, even if the EMT position represents the entry level among a care group that progresses to medics and doctors. Paramedics make more, but I was surprised to learn how little an EMT makes

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by blakely

To be fair, though, EMTs start around $20/hour, and would be considered part of "public safety." I hope no one would describe them as low skilled, even if the EMT position represents the entry level among a care group that progresses to medics and doctors. Paramedics make more, but I was surprised to learn how little an EMT makes

I looked back at the news article from April, and the starting pay was $19.25, compared to $17.25 starting pay in Houston and $17.44 in Dallas, while the national average is pay (NOT starting pay) is $17.63.

do they deserve more? Quite possibly. But it is apparently above average compared to the general market.

The union wanted (wants?) $27/hr starting pay.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I looked back at the news article from April, and the starting pay was $19.25, compared to $17.25 starting pay in Houston and $17.44 in Dallas, while the national average is pay (NOT starting pay) is $17.63.

do they deserve more? Quite possibly. But it is apparently above average compared to the general market.

The union wanted (wants?) $27/hr starting pay.

Understood, and I have no dog in that fight. I was only responding to your post that mentioned workers in the public safety area make “notably more” than $22/hr. EMTs would be the exception, that’s all.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by done working

All i am saying is that the numerous unfilled positions which include public safety are unfilled for a number of reasons - most because employees dont want to work in such a hostile environment created by council and now they have to raise starting wages even for lowest skilled jobs. Next all the existing employees will demand higher wages and the costs will continue to spiral upward.

Sounds like some political fantasizing is in play here, to support an agenda you believe. Which, if I had to guess, was "Those dems are ruinin' everythin' in this country!!" or something similar. If I guessed wrong I apologize.

Also, I'm not sure anything "spirals" upward. Maybe a different word choice would have been more effective.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Somebody who bought their house 20 years ago and has a low house payment or has no house payments and lives modestly/humbly, they can live a pretty good/comfortable lifestyle at $22 an hour, $880 a week, or about $45,000 a year.

Sorry, no. Gas, taxes, food, rising costs due to materials and supply chain issues, yada yada.

And we’re not even talking about 22/hr you have grumbling about going from 15 to 22. 15/hr absolutely won’t cut it unless you’re living with mom and dad