The mess in Texas.

[CPA]

The answer is the same for any state, the economy took a shit and everyone's budget is in a hole.

Texas has the worst air quality, worst or close to the worst water quality, and one of the lowest literacy and high school graduation rates in the country. None of those are even remotely true to NJ/NY/CA.

So in the end the extremes of both sides of the political spectrum are dealing with deficits, at least one ideological paradigm has something to show for it.

Air quality - wrong - California leads by a lot based on current health risk

Water quality - I find that hard to believe when some of the best tap water is located in Texas large cities (except Houston)

Literacy - like to know where you got your fact from since there hasn't been a comprehensive review of that for years, but what I did find was 89% of Texans are literate. Would be very surprised if that put Texas close to the bottom.

High School graduation - Hey, you finally got one. A blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Texas is pretty low but not much lower than California.

 

[manimal]

Geez, krugman's such a politcal hack.

Texas' sales tax revenue is down and Medicare/Medicaid (a federally madanated program btw) costs are up, and somehow this is damning of modern conservative theory?

face/palm.

Fern

Funny that your argument goes well for the entire budget deficit were are in at large and thus can be applied to Obama and the rest of the country. Kinda makes the outrage of the budget deficit and amounts that the Obama administration has added to the deficit rather false and hollow..

that would be like saying he wasn't born in this country anyways even though there is documentation otherwise so....guess that doesnt apply to Obama then..

 

[Throckmorton]

Truth comes out. Paul "big government spending" Krugman hit piece.

lol

What truth??

 

[nick1985]

What truth??

You selectively read, I cant help you.

 

[Throckmorton]

You selectively read, I cant help you.

I didn't selectively read, I accidentally scrolled past that National Review article.

I just read it and it seems legit. Which is good because I want to move back to Texas this year.

 

[soccerballtux]

Ever roll down your windows or turn off the A/C recirculator?

To answer your question, I lived there for 23 years and I visit fairly often. Been just about everywhere in the state.

big bend national park is beautiful. Nothing like the border at that cliff-- feels like standing in front of Mordor. Loved it.
edit: this is the one I'm talking about-- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...76,-103.531036&spn=0.278068,0.477219&t=h&z=12

 

[Wreckem]

Texas does have a surplus. Its called the Rainy Day Fund. Theres about $10billion in there. For the current budget, thanks to a 5% cut to all state agencies, Texas isn't in the red for the current budget(last I checked).

For the next budget to be passed by June 1, Texas has a budget shortfall, not a deficit. A deficit is something spent. Texas will slash and burn, just like they did in 2003. Higher education will take a huge hit and after working for a University. I am all for it considering how much money is wasted. Texas will not pull a California and issue IOU's or take on debt.

Texas will slash and burn. Other states will take on debt. When the economy picks up Texas won't have the debt to pay back, and will be in much better shape and can resume spending more.

Now if you want to get into the issue of municipal bonds in the state of Texas. Thats a legit issue. Texas municipalities have way to much in outstanding bonds.

 

[JD50]

I'm surprised Craig420 hasn't posted yet, he's usually all over Krugmans balls.

 

[Wreckem]

Would you rather pay a 2-3% tax on a $200,000 mini McMansion or pay a 1% tax for the same house selling for $750,000 to $1+ million in California or New York?

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx

How is paying a 1% property tax on a house worth $600,000 any different from paying 2-3% on the same exact house worth $200,000 in Texas?

Texas also doesn't have any income tax.

The problem in Texas isn't property taxes per se. It is shady appraisal districts bumping up house appraisals the max amount they can by law each and every year.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

The schools my children attend requested printer paper, art supplies, hand sanitizer, tissues as well as other common needed items be brought by the students at the start of the school year.

It's been like that since the early 80's around here when I went to school. Here's a shocker. Kids/parents responsible for the school supplies that student is going to use in class.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I didn't selectively read, I accidentally scrolled past that National Review article.

I just read it and it seems legit. Which is good because I want to move back to Texas this year.

We welcome all. Though if you come here and keep voting like aliberal you can kindly get the fuck back out.

 

[spacejamz]

Ever driven through Channelview, Baytown, LaPorte, LaMarque or Texas City?

So all of California is like Compton and Watts???

 

[spacejamz]

Spacejamz, that opinion laden partisan piece just goes to show what the rest of the country knows: Texas should start it's own Olympics...vertical bullshit stacking.

Pretty sad that you don't see the spin in the OP's article... Partisan piece indeed...

 

[her209]

How is paying a 1% property tax on a house worth $600,000 any different from paying 2-3% on the same exact house worth $200,000 in Texas?

The difference is that the house with the 1% tax rate has a limit on how much taxes the property can increase in the subsequent years. That's great for the seniors and all but it also increases the housing prices because the future tax savings are being priced in.

I had a co-worker who was from Texas (West Point graduate, former Marine captain, worked in the Pentagon, the whole nine) and he'd tell us how people would cheat the property tax appraisers when the time came. What they'd do is move most of their property to another location so that the it'd be appraised for much less because in Texas, property means land + house + the other shit that's on the land. There was a name for the practice, but can't remember what it is right now.

 

[nick1985]

(West Point graduate, former Marine captain, worked in the Pentagon, the whole nine)

West Point graduates are commissioned into the Army, not the Marine Corps.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Ever roll down your windows or turn off the A/C recirculator?

To answer your question, I lived there for 23 years and I visit fairly often. Been just about everywhere in the state.

I've worked in just about every refinery and chemical plants in those cities. Granted on certain days of the year the air quality is not good but then there are days like today that it's not an issue.

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html

 

[Londo_Jowo]

West Point graduates are commissioned into the Army, not the Marine Corps.

Correct select personnel graduate from the Naval Academy and become commissioned officers in the Marine Corps.

 

[dmcowen674]

Quote:
Originally Posted by nick1985
Republicans and Democrats both can't govern. Neither party can run a state, let alone a country. Everything they touch gets fucked up. I can see it. senseamp and his buddies only think its the Republicans.

So why do you vote R?

Because people like him enjoy being a hypocrite and hating the country.

Why else would they stay here?

 

[matt0611]

Quote:
Originally Posted by nick1985
Republicans and Democrats both can't govern. Neither party can run a state, let alone a country. Everything they touch gets fucked up. I can see it. senseamp and his buddies only think its the Republicans.




Because people like him enjoy being a hypocrite and hating the country.

Why else would they stay here?

Didn't you vote for Bush (R) twice?

 

[her209]

West Point graduates are commissioned into the Army, not the Marine Corps.

Correct select personnel graduate from the Naval Academy and become commissioned officers in the Marine Corps.

It may not be the norm, but that's what he told us.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Didn't you vote for Bush (R) twice?

So Dave is really an American hater by his own standards.

 

[spacejamz]

It may not be the norm, but that's what he told us.

For what it is worth....

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7403923_can-joined-after-west-point.html

West Point is the United States Army's military academy. It is a highly competitive school where cadets simultaneously earn college degrees and train to be commissioned as Army officers when they graduate. However, it is possible, though highly unlikely, that you can be commissioned into the Marine Corps after graduating from West Point.

 

[nick1985]

It may not be the norm, but that's what he told us.

I call bs on that big time. There are 2 ways to become an officer in the marines. Ocs or the naval academy.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

So Dave is really an American hater by his own standards.

Yes he is. He once told us he would like for America to become like Somalia:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=29545927&postcount=47

He is a pathological liar (http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=30899675&postcount=31 for just one example) and a coward who runs screaming when his assertions are challenged. I, however, will continue exposing him for what he is.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Because people like him enjoy being a hypocrite and hating the country.

Why else would they stay here?

So then what's your excuse for voting for Bush twice?