The schools are good here. No complaints. My property tax is about 5k per year also. The other tax we have here that isn't publicized is our speeding tax. We write more traffic tickets per capita than just about anywhere else in TX. They have a dedicated group that does nothing but ambush people in speed traps. They will get you for anything; 1 mile over in a school zone, out of date inspection sticker, out of date registration, talking on your cell phone in a school zone, you name it, they will get you. No one is immune. Revenue from tickets makes up 6% of the city's budget.
You are right. As times get tough, the fed. govt. can print money, not so far city and county govt. All they can do is ramp up the "ticket writing machine"! :shock:
from what i can tell from the drives i make back and forth from okc to br/nola, most of the little bitty towns in texas spent their stimulus money on new radar guns for that very reason.
youd think the article would have mentioned a $3 billion + budget shortfall. others are in worse shape but Tx is being hit in 2010. 2009 had $0 budget deficit. tennessee has no state income taxes too and they are in worse shape.
i know this is a jab at red, but there is a big difference between federal and state, and a one year deficit and ten year projection.
Interesting link for making various comparisons between states.. Demographics & the Economy - Kaiser State Health Facts For the record, Louisiana isn't doing all that bad either, even though we have a budget shortfall too.
The business climate is probably the most conducive to Tx success. That and it's corporate diversity. Headquartered in Tx: American Airlines AT&T Baylor Medical Bell Helicopter Blockbuster Brinker Centerpoint Energy Clear Channel Continental Airlines Dean Foods Dell Dow D.R.Horton Gamestop Haliburton Hewlett-Packard J.C. Penney Michaels Rent-a-Center Southwest Airlines SYSCO Texas Instruments Waste Management Whole Foods Zales And we have a few other guys involved in something called oil...
