Posted on 11/07/2009 7:14:29 PM PST by Saije
After trying out Pasadena, Atlanta and Miami, Lilian Junco decided this was the place to retire. Being near her son was the first attraction, but soon she was drawn in by the same combination of features that has lured tens of thousands of others from out of state: Gulf Coast living and super-low costs.
With some of the country's lowest prices for housing, gas and food, no state income tax and one of the most resilient economies in the nation, Galveston and other parts of the Lone Star State are emerging as the new Florida.
This week, Florida disclosed population figures that show a decline of 57,000 over the 12 months ended April 1, the first annual drop since the 1940s. Much of the loss has come in parts of southern Florida that long attracted retirees.
Meantime, other Sun Belt states such as Nevada and Arizona have been hit hard by the recession, and expensive California has long seen more people leave than move in, a domestic migration measure that doesn't include foreign immigration or births.
But Texas, which has weathered the current recession better than most parts of the country, is almost booming, in part because an earlier oil industry crash had left the state's banks too shaken to go on the home-mortgage binge that ended up crippling so many other states.
Texas' population, the nation's second largest at about 25 million, is expected to be boosted this year by net inflows of at least 150,000 people from other states, said Karl Eschbach, the state demographer. Seniors are a growing part of that trend, lured by aggressive campaigns from state officials and developers.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
How about an ultra-conservative from Pennsylvania?
‘Texas’ and ‘mecca’ should never be used in the same sentence.
Honestly, I wish we could close and lock the door,,,,too many and too fast and too many liberals headed this way.
You are right. Better, Texas = Heaven
Tell me about it. They turned florida blue last election. I hope our net loss this year is blue voters......
You know, Texans might right now be kind of sensitive about their state being described as a “mecca”....just sayin’.....
Give ‘em all free flights for their ‘Hajj’, then lock the doors.
No joke! It offended me. I live in Texas. Mecca and Texas should never be used in the same sentence. But then again, my emotions are pretty raw tonight with the tragic shooting and then this stupid healthcare vote.
When Texas secedes from the Union, I will head there myself!
Sounds like the place for me.
You and me both, FRiend.
We don’t need anymore.
Ha! Freeperville, Texas. I like it!
“You know, Texans might right now be kind of sensitive about their state being described as a “mecca”....just sayin’.....”
I didn’t write the headline but certainly didn’t mean to offend anyone by posting the article. Was interested in the article as a favorable reflection on Texas, especially in comparison to California, which is where it was published.
I suppose I need sensitivity training. It’s so hard these days to know what will offend other people.
You are not responsible for the wording of someone else’s headlines.
Shortly after my father retired, he and mom moved from New Jersey (then AT&T headquarters) to Fredericksburg TX. They found it good to get away from the northeastern liberals (although they lived in Morris County, which is a pocket of red in an otherwise blue state). They wonder how I can stand the loonies here in Minnestoopid.
Oh please, God! No!
This Texan thinks it’s time to close our borders!
Maybe a tourism ad that plays up the rattlesnakes, scorpions and fire ants would be helpful in setting the record straight. ;-)
Caption these beauties at the (anti-Bush) 'Million Musician March' (warning: language in one pic)
PLEASE tell me Austin, TX hasn't gone this far to the left, and that these moonbats are just outliers.
We may have to escape Connecticut for Texas someday soon... if Texas falls to the moonbats, there will be NO escape.
..I was born in Midland—so I got a birthright
Texas is a great place to work, but there are better choices for retirement because of the tax structure. (High real estate and sales taxes.)
Texas is a great place to work, but there are better choices for retirement because of the tax structure. (High real estate and sales taxes.)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Yes, I have a friend who looked into Austin as a possible retirement area, and she was really turned off by the property tax structure. Something to do with the taxed amount rising dramatically over time after purchase of property, not sure of the details.
She was surprised at how it was explained to her, since many people do assume it’s a tax (uh oh, here comes the “m” word) mecca.
We are planning on moving there from TOO LIBERAL ILLINOIS, within the next 2 years!!!
When they secede, they'll get plenty of conservatives heading their way!!!
Gee, that tax on a $400,000 house is cheaper than Illinois, I’m in!!!
Real estate taxes primarily go for education (small taxes for city and county government; some special taxing districts); sales tax pays for most everything else. Offsetting that are no personal income tax, and low car registration fees. Since retirees generally have lower income and nicer houses, the deck can be stacked against them.
It isn’t just Texans who need to watch out for liberal Californians fleeing to Texas,
Same thing is happening in Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Nevada and others.
Normally conservative places now have far too many expat californians.
Austin has always been full of ignorant geeky people. Many of them go around wearing “Keep Austin Weird” t-shirts. It always astounds me that people have no more pride in their city than to want to be known as weird.
With the big University of Texas in the heart of Austin, I suppose that there’s no way that the town could be conservative, although I’ve never figured out why our universities are peopled by so many strange people.
The good news is that the surrounding suburbs are by and large sensible and most often vote conservative. I’ve lived in a close suburb for 10 years now, and have figured out how to avoid going into Austin most of the time.
Texas a job mecca as well.
BTW, isn’t there another term we can use other than “mecca?”
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m sick to death of ANYTHING muslim.
Oasis....works.
Real estate taxes primarily go for education (small taxes for city and county government; some special taxing districts); sales tax pays for most everything else. <<<<<<<<<<<<
Thanks, seems like a nice place to live (except in the areas of high humidity, don’t think I’d ever adapt to that).
Austin does NOT represent the rest of Texas!!! They are the lone anti-Gob liberals, and yes they are that BAD. Don’t go there at all if I can help it.
Austin does NOT represent the rest of Texas!!! They are the lone anti-God liberals, and yes they are that BAD. Don’t go there at all if I can help it.
Humidity is only a problem near the coastal areas. Most of Texas ranges from semi-arid to desert.
Humidity is only a problem near the coastal areas. Most of Texas ranges from semi-arid to desert.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Glad to hear that, as I won’t soon forget Houston in July one year, first ever visit, my then-little kids just about fainted getting off the plane at the airport!
How can California be expensive if it was destroyed, and imploded with the illegal taking over?...lol
In any event, since the greedy developers totally over built parts of California, to the point where it choked off 12 lanes of freeways with people, I welcome anyone that wants to leave, to do so quickly. You honestly have my best wishes!
See ya!
After all the rain, we have Fire Ant mounds that need blinking lights to direct air traffic away. I’m just saying...you don’t want to come here. Unless you think Reagan should have been a little more right wing. Then, ok, we’ll clear out a few mounds for you. The rest of ya, stay home. For our southern brothers, No tienes mas casas!
Muleshoe here.
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