fro, virginia postrel's blog... "Why (Legal or Illegal) Immigrants Are Better for Texas than California "It's the political economy, stupid. (Nasty phrase, that.) Texas has no income tax, which means public services are funded by sales and property taxes. Everyone, regardless of income or legal status, pays sales and property taxes, either directly or indirectly through rent. California, by contrast, relies heavily on a very progressive income tax that doesn't fall on people who are paid off the books or who don't earn much money in the first place. Liberals who support immigration should rethink their love of progressive income taxes"
I heard the property taxes are brutal in Texas. California taxes discourage productive people from moving there, and Texas property taxes discourage rich people from retiring there. You'd think a state would want to do the opposite.
I had basically committed (mentally) to build a home in Dallas this year. I'm having a hard time justifying the coming tax hit as opposed to the rental unit that I'm in now. My auto insurance rates are crazy also. And that's with an excellent driving record. No tickets or accidents in over 15 years. Fortunately, building new is not in stone yet. Maybe I'll move to another state and start my own town (giggle). Solar and hydro power for the new city. Design the city around a public transportation component. I'd probably develop a tech plant concept to be the main industrial center's base. Hmm, maybe cater to homes starting at $500,000 as a city minimum. But that's just a thought.