Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Austin Texas comes to mind. as an independent fiscal conservative, and social liberal I enjoy both tenets of culture and personal responsibility. Growing up in NY, I enjoyed what the city and its offerings, yet I hated the nanny state and firearms restrictions, etc . Living in a truly conservative state for a bit was extremely boring, though not having to get permits for everything and respect of the 2nd Amendment was greatly appreciated there. Will Austin Texas satisfy both my appetite for the social liberalism tied in with fiscal responsibility that I enjoy?
I just left the Austin area after having lived there since 1996. I think Austin is not staying fiscally conservative.
The state, as a whole, is but as Austinites demand more services, their property taxes will go up. I wasn't in the city limits (Travis county) and my property taxes were over $7K last year.
Now I'm further east (near College Station) and my property taxes are only $2.5K per year..big difference.
But we don't have bike lanes, Cap Metro, green building mandates, recycling mandates, complex and expensive building process, etc. that drives up prices.
Austin is turning into the next Seattle. But that is what they want.
I just left the Austin area after having lived there since 1996. I think Austin is not staying fiscally conservative.
The state, as a whole, is but as Austinites demand more services, their property taxes will go up. I wasn't in the city limits (Travis county) and my property taxes were over $7K last year.
Now I'm further east (near College Station) and my property taxes are only $2.5K per year..big difference.
But we don't have bike lanes, Cap Metro, green building mandates, recycling mandates, complex and expensive building process, etc. that drives up prices.
Austin is turning into the next Seattle. But that is what they want.
Wow ,$7k is more then I pay in prop taxes and we have no sales or income tax.
It's not for the conservative people in the conservative states that have to put up with a bunch of fleeing liberals who then try to turn their new state into the same steaming mess of poop they just fled come Election Day.
Location: The Land Mass Between NOLA and Mobile, AL
1,796 posts, read 1,665,163 times
Reputation: 1411
Quote:
Originally Posted by smittyjohnny38
Austin Texas comes to mind. as an independent fiscal conservative, and social liberal I enjoy both tenets of culture and personal responsibility. Growing up in NY, I enjoyed what the city and its offerings, yet I hated the nanny state and firearms restrictions, etc . Living in a truly conservative state for a bit was extremely boring, though not having to get permits for everything and respect of the 2nd Amendment was greatly appreciated there. Will Austin Texas satisfy both my appetite for the social liberalism tied in with fiscal responsibility that I enjoy?
I don't know if I agree with the previous posters, especially joebald; I've lived in Minneapolis; Madison, WI; Austin, TX, and NNJ. Coming from the NE, you will probably find the property taxes in Austin to be low, especially as compared to NJ (where I currently live)--NY would be comparable to NJ. Austin is no NYC, but you can definitely find things to do there, and there are things that I desperately miss about Austin like breakfast tacos and good, cheap Mexican food around every corner. There are also uniquely Austin things like Hippie Hollow where you can get your nude sunbathing on should you have that urge, and Hamilton Pool which is just a little west of town--I once found myself swimming there right next to an armadillo which was kind of cool . Barton Springs is also a cool swimming spot that offers a nice respite from the heat.
That said, the public transportation system sucks; you pretty much have to have a car. Austin is also not urban at all; you're not going to have cool architecture to look at all over as in NYC. In addition, it can be hellishly and relentlessly hot--expect to spend a lot of the summer inside. I don't think Dallas is more liberal than Austin by any measure, especially social ones, and it is a good deal more fiscally conservative. But, given your concerns, Austin could be a very good fit for you. The most important thing to keep in mind is that by and large, the state overall will be governed by conservatives, but the local government will be dominated by Austin liberals. That sounds like what you want--kind of a mix of governmental styles that will give you what you want on the local as well as the state level.
I loved living in Austin and took what I thought was the good with the bad. You should really check it out; Texas isn't for everyone.
I can't imagine choosing where to live based upon political ideology.
Have we become so polarized that we don't even want to LIVE with each other any more?
Conservatives do not like being surrounded by people who relentlessly fight to raise their taxes, restrict their constitutional gun rights, and enact transfer payments to welfare parasites.
And before anyone brings up "Conservative" Southern states that collect the most welfare, remember that these states contain the vast majority of those who can not be named, and at a local level, this group votes 95% for the Welfare Party.
Conservatives do not like being surrounded by people who relentlessly fight to raise their taxes, restrict their constitutional gun rights, and enact transfer payments to welfare parasites.
And before anyone brings up "Conservative" Southern states that collect the most welfare, remember that these states contain the vast majority of those who can not be named, and at a local level, this group votes 95% for the Welfare Party.
It sounds like you'd be happier living in one of those "conservative's" home-made fire bases in the mountains of Idaho. :roll eyes:
God knows living with fellow American's must be quite a strain on the nerves.
Aspen Co, Jackson Hole Wyoming and Seattle also come to mind as towns that fit this criteria.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Barton Springs is also a cool swimming spot that offers a nice respite from the heat.
