Report: Poverty In Williamson County Tripled (Texas)

KEYE TV ^ | Aug 1, 2013 | Fred Cantu

[bgill]

The U.S. Census finds that the number of people in poverty in Austin's suburbs more than doubled in the last decade -- up a whopping 142 percent. Meanwhile, Williamson County started off with 11,735 people living in poverty in 2000 and ended up with 34,069 by 2010.

That figure includes a lot of working poor. People who perhaps accepted a limited time offer of a job and a place to live. And others lost their job altogether in the economic downturn of 2008.

[bgill]

Thanks to the open border and this administration's economy.

[GeronL]

I wonder how many section 8 vouchers have been sent to Williamson County?

[dragnet2]

Census finds that the number of people in poverty in Austin's suburbs more than doubled in the last decade

And here we're told the Texas economy was doing fantastic...

Had a friend move to Texas about 4 years ago, he can't find a full time job paying over 15 bucks an hour...He was making that in the late 90s...

[sarasmom]

How many Katrina refugees and non-citizens are accounted for in the population increase?

[Jim Robinson]

Isn’t Austin the liberal section of Texas?

[GeronL]

It is the San Fransicko of Texas, a small part extends into Williamson I guess, but that county was supposedly more conservative

... 2004 President George W. Bush won 68% of the vote in Williamson County while garnering only 42% in neighboring Travis County. John McCain received 55% of the vote to Barack Obama's 42% in the 2008 election. In 2012 Republican Mitt Romney defeated President Obama by a total of 59% to 38%.

[dragnet2]

Poverty on the rise in Houston suburbs

The number of poor people in Houston’s suburbs doubled between 2000 and 2011, surpassing the number in its urban area, researchers reported Monday.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Poverty-on-the-rise-in-Houston-suburbs-4529783.php

[HotKat]

I do believe that it is. My question: why haven’t these libs invited the poor into their homes?

[HotKat]

I do believe that it is. My question: why haven’t these libs invited the poor into their homes?

[Ditter]

Yes Austin is liberal. The suburbs are more conservative. Houston is booming. The construction going on is astounding, road building, strip centers, highrise buildings, houses of all price ranges. New stores and business everywhere you look. Amazing!

[af_vet_rr]

Isn’t Austin the liberal section of Texas?

Austin, Houston, and Dallas. All have Democratic mayors and went for Obama, although Houston has a lesbian mayor, so they are apparently a little more "progressive" than the rest.

[Popman]

How much did the poverty line benchmark move from 2000 to 2010...

Considering wages have not risen much in the last 10 years...

Pretty easy to see a huge increase

[roadcat]

Had a friend move to Texas about 4 years ago, he can't find a full time job paying over 15 bucks an hour...He was making that in the late 90s...

I was in Austin all last week. Surprised me to see a lot of "Help Wanted" signs in front of restaurants and fast-food places along the roads. Many with the pay posted on the signs. However, they were $10 to $12 per hour. Restaurants in the better areas all busy with customers, doing great. Malls seem busy enough.

[mylife]

It is wicked hot here too.
My advise to people from other states is to stay out.

[laplata]

I have a cousin in Lubbock who is politically astute and he says Texas could become a Blue State in 20 years or less.

[af_vet_rr]

The suburbs are more conservative. Houston is booming. The construction going on is astounding, road building, strip centers, highrise buildings, houses of all price ranges. New stores and business everywhere you look. Amazing!

I can't speak for the other large cities, but Austin is definitely booming - 80-90% hotel occupancy rate year-round, constructions business is going crazy, real estate business is going crazy. A major event or two basically every weekend. I keep thinking everything is a bubble, but well over a thousand people are moving into the area every week. I'm not complaining too much, the houses I own keep going up in value, and realtors are constantly bugging me to sell them (with their assistance of course).

And it helps that we just had a $400 million racetrack for auto and motorcycle racing put in, which has an impact of well over $300 million every year.

The only thing I don't like is they are turning Central Texas into another Houston/Dallas, with lots of the same old strip malls and boring highrises, and horrible traffic.

[dragnet2]

Suburban Poverty Growing in Greater Houston

May 21, 2013 HOUSTON (FOX 26) -

Amid perhaps the most economically vibrant major metropolitan area in America, there remains persistent need and personal hardship that’s migrated steadily from the inner city to Houston’s affluent suburbs.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/22380722/2013/05/21/suburban-poverty-growing-in-greater-houston

[dragnet2]

It is wicked hot here too.

Yeah, but it's a wet heat right?

[JCBreckenridge]

The guy getting 15 an hour in 1992 probably came from the north east or california.

[Popman]

Poverty line: Two adults with two persons under age 18
2000: $17,603
2010: $22,314
Percent increase: 26.7%