Texas tops list of worst places to live and work in America

[Chuckie Finster 23040]

On 8/1/2023 at 12:58 PM, Patricio Swayze said:

My youngest is 6, so in theory, I also have 12 years until she is in college (assuming that is the path she takes). So I don’t see myself being able to retire for another 16 years at a minimum. However, financially that would be impossible here in Texas (or anywhere in the US) because this is a second career and didn’t start planning until I was 31. So, there is a better than 50% chance, especially if I want retire sooner than later, it will be to Brazil. Which is fine by me. There is a lot I love about Texas, but there is a lot I don’t like. People like johnny sack-o-shit for instance. His type of people run this state from a place of hate and bigotry. I see he has already stopped by to comment on diversity. If we are such and amazing state, why can’t we get education and healthcare (I know the latter is more federal than state)? Why does a state with so many resources have to suck?

Regarding Houston and cost of living, I have brought that up many times on this site and people always argue that Houston is “affordable”. Our household income is north of $250k a year. I know that is not Surly 1%, but if I recall correctly, that is in the top 5-6% of income for Houston. We are considering moving to Cypress because of schools. I can’t afford private school. I don’t think it is financially responsible to buy a half a million dollar home either. But the alternative is $400k house in the burbs and public school. And that market for a house and good schools and not 2 fucking hours in traffic from work for my wife and I is razor thin.

It’s a shitty feeling to be educated (I have two bachelors, my wife has a masters), have good jobs and still feel stuck.

From someone currently looking, you aren't getting a decent 2 story in Katy for under $500k.

The affordability argument for Houston is rapidly deteriorating.  Better than the coasts?  Sure.  But the savings are no longer a no brainer worth dealing with all the other shit that comes with it.

[Captainant 28530]

33 minutes ago, Brew said:

We’re talking to new hires now that can’t afford apartments/rentals locally which is a strange discussion where we are located, but it’s a real issue.

[Laughs in market rent rate collaboration through 3rd parties]

[Captainant 28530]

5 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

From someone currently looking, you aren't getting a decent 2 story in Katy for under $500k.

The affordability argument for Houston is rapidly deteriorating.  Better than the coasts?  Sure.  But the savings are no longer a no brainer worth dealing with all the other shit that comes with it.

Also yeah it's absolutely ridiculous - homes in the area my wife and I would like to be in were literally 50-60% of their current prices as recently as 2019, some even in 2021! It's just blatant consumer and homeowner exploitation via investment buyers artificially shrinking inventory

[Chuckie Finster 23040]

4 minutes ago, Captainant said:

Also yeah it's absolutely ridiculous - homes in the area my wife and I would like to be in were literally 50-60% of their current prices as recently as 2019, some even in 2021! It's just blatant consumer and homeowner exploitation via investment buyers artificially shrinking inventory

In January we put in an offer on a house ($15k over asking) and lost out to a cash buyer.  The SAME FUCKING HOUSE came back on the market 6 months later (with zero improvements) at $70k higher than the previous list price.  We put in another offer ($20k over asking this time) and lost out again.  House was on the market less than 72 hours both times.  This is in FUCKING KATY.  Shit ain't sustainable.  

Edited August 3, 2023 by Chuckie Finster

[closetohumping 17810]

5 minutes ago, Captainant said:

Also yeah it's absolutely ridiculous - homes in the area my wife and I would like to be in were literally 50-60% of their current prices as recently as 2019, some even in 2021! It's just blatant consumer and homeowner exploitation via investment buyers artificially shrinking inventory

Maybe.  But Texas cities are growing like crazy.   Lots of coastal types moving in

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

From someone currently looking, you aren't getting a decent 2 story in Katy for under $500k.
The affordability argument for Houston is rapidly deteriorating.  Better than the coasts?  Sure.  But the savings are no longer a no brainer worth dealing with all the other shit that comes with it.

Also yeah it's absolutely ridiculous - homes in the area my wife and I would like to be in were literally 50-60% of their current prices as recently as 2019, some even in 2021! It's just blatant consumer and homeowner exploitation via investment buyers artificially shrinking inventory

Exactly. And inside the loop or desirable parts inside the beltway haven’t been “affordable” in the Houston sense in a decade.

We are about to start looking in Cypress. Sounds like I am going to develop an ulcer. Great.

[tomahawk dunk 375]

26 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

In January we put in an offer on a house ($15k over asking) and lost out to a cash buyer.  The SAME FUCKING HOUSE came back on the market 6 months later (with zero improvements) at $70k higher than the previous list price.  We put in another offer ($20k over asking this time) and lost out again.  House was on the market less than 72 hours both times.  This is in FUCKING KATY.  Shit ain't sustainable.  

Sounds like Big Money Ag Conspiracy to me.

[Beau Vine 55863]

5 hours ago, SydneyCarton said:

I mean I’m not worried about Death, I’m worried about the eventual ballooning of insurance.

The hazard insurance quotes I've gotten in New Mexico are lower than what I'm currently paying in San Marcos.

(No, I'm not in a flood plain.)

 

[BabaYaga 15623]

38 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

In January we put in an offer on a house ($15k over asking) and lost out to a cash buyer.  The SAME FUCKING HOUSE came back on the market 6 months later (with zero improvements) at $70k higher than the previous list price.  We put in another offer ($20k over asking this time) and lost out again.  House was on the market less than 72 hours both times.  This is in FUCKING KATY.  Shit ain't sustainable.  

Supply & demand is a bitch

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

We have some assets in Brazil that we want to sell. It would be a big help towards buying another house here. But with inflation/economy and what not, we are fucked with the exchange rate. Can’t win for losing. 1st world/emerging world problem.

[SydneyCarton 49477]

28 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Supply & demand is a bitch

The housing thread is probably more approparite, but you don't think it's a problem that corporate interests are buying up single family home when there is zero plan on the horizens for home companies to increase inventories to compensate to the needs of people? Because I think it's a problem. 

[royiv 9782]

1 hour ago, Chuckie Finster said:

From someone currently looking, you aren't getting a decent 2 story in Katy for under $500k.

The affordability argument for Houston is rapidly deteriorating.  Better than the coasts?  Sure.  But the savings are no longer a no brainer worth dealing with all the other shit that comes with it.

 

1 hour ago, Chuckie Finster said:

In January we put in an offer on a house ($15k over asking) and lost out to a cash buyer.  The SAME FUCKING HOUSE came back on the market 6 months later (with zero improvements) at $70k higher than the previous list price.  We put in another offer ($20k over asking this time) and lost out again.  House was on the market less than 72 hours both times.  This is in FUCKING KATY.  Shit ain't sustainable.  

What bad life choices did you make that you're looking to voluntarily live in Katy? Or do you just hate yourself and get off to being miserable?

[Chuckie Finster 23040]

3 minutes ago, royiv said:

 

What bad life choices did you make that you're looking to voluntarily live in Katy? Or do you just hate yourself and get off to being miserable?

These are the questions that keep me up at night.

[Texzilla58 4790]

50th in adult dental visits. We have become the slack-jawed yokels. SEC ready!
I think some of those stats highlight just how bad we've let healthcare become in rural areas of the state. Houston is home to the world's largest medical center and boasts MD Anderson, Texas Children’s and world class transplant programs at several other institutions among others. Imagine how bad it would be if we didn't have that to help prop up our stats.

Yeah it’s a shame that for the majority in most places health care is awful, though many have shining pillars of excellence. St Jude and Campbell Clinic in the third world cesspool of Memphis, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, on and on.

It’s now so bad in Memphis that it’s rumored St Jude will move because they can’t attract the doctors they need. Memphis is a combat zone unlike any in the country as the crime has bled into all the suburbs and highend neighborhoods.

[BabaYaga 15623]

28 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

The housing thread is probably more approparite, but you don't think it's a problem that corporate interests are buying up single family home when there is zero plan on the horizens for home companies to increase inventories to compensate to the needs of people? Because I think it's a problem. 

It's a mess.  More on the builder side.  They are also in a pickle because the construction costs and demand engender a higher price point than many can afford.  Layer in higher rates and it's a problem.  

ex.  I've been working with a developer in CA that is converting apartments into "affordable" condos.  The city is rejecting bids left and right because the price point for conversion places the units around $600K.  For the current tenants to be able to stay and/or attract the demographic they want, the units need to be closer to $400-$450k.  The developers can't make the numbers work at this lower amount, so it's a problem

1 minute ago, Texzilla58 said:

It’s now so bad in Memphis that it’s rumored St Jude will move because they can’t attract the doctors they need

What have you heard?  Is this public yet?

[closetohumping 17810]

1 hour ago, Chuckie Finster said:

From someone currently looking, you aren't getting a decent 2 story in Katy for under $500k.

The affordability argument for Houston is rapidly deteriorating.  Better than the coasts?  Sure.  But the savings are no longer a no brainer worth dealing with all the other shit that comes with it.

I think it depends on what you mean by decent:

5 BR/3.5 3600 sq feet  It's not perfect, but you should see how much that would be elsewhere, even Dallas.  And you don't want to see how much that costs in the northeast or west coast.  

 

This is the point where we have to understand that we can't get exactly what we want.

 

 

[royiv 9782]

2 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

I think it depends on what you mean by decent:

5 BR/3.5 3600 sq feet  It's not perfect, but you should see how much that would be elsewhere, even Dallas.  And you don't want to see how much that costs in the northeast or west coast.  

 

This is the point where we have to understand that we can't get exactly what we want.

 

 

That house is hideous.

[closetohumping 17810]

2 minutes ago, royiv said:

That house is hideous.

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/16-Clearbrook-92614/unit-72/home/5641015

 

Yes the above California condo has more character.  I always chuckle when Texans complain about COL.  

[SydneyCarton 49477]

3 minutes ago, royiv said:

That house is hideous.

Dont worry, it doesn't stand out in Katy at all. 

[Texzilla58 4790]

This came from a doctor friend in Memphis who is leaving asap after the recent murder of a Campbell Clinic renowned pediatric orthopedic surgeon in the office in Collierville. He said UTCHS has no grads wanting to stay in Memphis, that all the hospitals are struggling finding doctors to relocate, and that their are rumors that St Jude is in a panic over the horrific increase in crime, challenges recruiting talent, and keeping parents and staff safe. Who knows what their charter allows and so forth, it’s certainly not a public official discussion. A damn shame that place is impacted by the collapse of Memphis; I have several friends thru the years whose children have lived thru the miracles that hospital does for sick kids. They get almost all our charitable donations.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Awesome backyard and trees.


Edit: talking about that listing posted above.

[royiv 9782]

1 minute ago, closetohumping said:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/16-Clearbrook-92614/unit-72/home/5641015

 

Yes the above California condo has more character.  I always chuckle when Texans complain about COL.  

Making a comparison to a shitty condo in Irvine doesn't make that shitty tract home in Katy any less hideous.

[Js1 87178]

I will honestly say when people whine about “the increase in crime,” I know not to listen to them 

[Aqua Buddha 14806]

4 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/16-Clearbrook-92614/unit-72/home/5641015

 

Yes the above California condo has more character.  I always chuckle when Texans complain about COL.  

 

9 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

I think it depends on what you mean by decent:

5 BR/3.5 3600 sq feet  It's not perfect, but you should see how much that would be elsewhere, even Dallas.  And you don't want to see how much that costs in the northeast or west coast.  

 

This is the point where we have to understand that we can't get exactly what we want.

 

 

Both of these.  That house is $135/SF.  That's cheaper than a random subdivision in Northwest Arkansas, let alone a coastal market.

It's also 3,600 SF for God's sake.  No one really needs that much space.

[Chuckie Finster 23040]

2 minutes ago, royiv said:

That house is hideous.

It's also not even in KISD, which is basically the only reason to live here.

The fact that we are now trying to justify paying $500k for a 30+ minute commute and a high school that isn't ranked in the top 500 in state is kind of the point.  Sure, it's cheaper than living many other places, but those other places also have a lot of things going for them that Houston doesn't (weather/geography/etc).  There were real benefits to living in the Houston suburbs a decade+ ago.  Those are eroding by the day.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Both of these.  That house is $135/SF.  That's cheaper than a random subdivision in Northwest Arkansas, let alone a coastal market.
It's also 3,600 SF for God's sake.  No one really needs that much space.

We don’t. And we are a family of 4. I just need a goddamn study/office.

[tomahawk dunk 375]

1 minute ago, Patricio Swayze said:

We don’t. And we are a family of 4. I just need a goddamn study/office.

Can you put an ADU in your back yard like this?  https://www.kangaroomsystems.com/studio-sheds/modern-studio-luxe

[SydneyCarton 49477]

5 minutes ago, Js1 said:

I will honestly say when people whine about “the increase in crime,” I know not to listen to them 

I'll play devil's advocate. Should you ignore it when a renowned hospital shuts down and relocates, literally citing crime? 

Do you ignore it when Houston has trouble attracting teachers becuase of low salaries and "other" issues that exist in the classroom? Do you ignore it when the Houston Med Center cites outside issues as to why they are struggling to recruit GYNOs and other specialties to work in the medical capital of the world? Maybe being dimssive out of hand is just a bad policy, albeit it's one I'm as prone to as anyone else. 

2 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

It's also not even in KISD, which is basically the only reason to live here.

The fact that we are now trying to justify paying $500k for a 30+ minute commute and a high school that isn't ranked in the top 500 in state is kind of the point.  Sure, it's cheaper than living many other places, but those other places also have a lot of things going for them that Houston doesn't (weather/geography/etc).  There were real benefits to living in the Houston suburbs a decade+ ago.  Those are eroding by the day.

Fulshear is on the come up, and that house looks zoned to Cy Fair district, which also has schools comparable to Katy. 

[closetohumping 17810]

10 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

 

Both of these.  That house is $135/SF.  That's cheaper than a random subdivision in Northwest Arkansas, let alone a coastal market.

It's also 3,600 SF for God's sake.  No one really needs that much space.

We live on 1600 sq feet out here in CA.  Just three of us though.  I'm sure it's possible to find a 2200 sq foot place in Katy or The Woodlands?  Point being, Houston isn't expensive compared to other metros.   

Edited August 3, 2023 by closetohumping

[Chuckie Finster 23040]

14 minutes ago, Aqua Buddha said:

 

Both of these.  That house is $135/SF.  That's cheaper than a random subdivision in Northwest Arkansas, let alone a coastal market.

It's also 3,600 SF for God's sake.  No one really needs that much space.

Northwest Arkansas

Katy 

Can't imagine why!

7 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

Fulshear is on the come up, and that house looks zoned to Cy Fair district, which also has schools comparable to Katy. 

Sure, but Cy Park ain't one of them.  Put that same house in a neighborhood zoned to Cy Woods or Cy Ranch and you can add $100k, at least.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Chuckie Finster

[closetohumping 17810]

3 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Northwest Arkansas

Katy

Can't imagine why!

Hey!!  Houston is a top 10 GDP city.  Economic opportunities.  Plus it's a stones throw from Galveston

[Js1 87178]

7 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

I'll play devil's advocate. Should you ignore it when a renowned hospital shuts down and relocates, literally citing crime? 

Do you ignore it when Houston has trouble attracting teachers becuase of low salaries and "other" issues that exist in the classroom? Do you ignore it when the Houston Med Center cites outside issues as to why they are struggling to recruit GYNOs and other specialties to work in the medical capital of the world? Maybe being dimssive out of hand is just a bad policy, albeit it's one I'm as prone to as anyone else. 

Fulshear is on the come up, and that house looks zoned to Cy Fair district, which also has schools comparable to Katy. 

He “heard from a doctor friend.” So it’s an anecdote from someone we don’t know who could have a political ax to grind 

Houston has trouble attracting teachers and GYNOs? Why, it must be crime only and not regressive and repressive state policies towards education and women’s healthcare! Or being near the bottom nationally in both categories  

Tennessee also has similar regressive and repressive politics towards those fields. 

[Aqua Buddha 14806]

15 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Northwest Arkansas

Katy 

Can't imagine why!

Sure, but Cy Park ain't one of them.  Put that same house in a neighborhood zoned to Cy Woods or Cy Ranch and you can add $100k, at least.

Yeah, Texas is great if you want a big, cheap house that you can sit in for 6 months of the year for the AC.  Awesome.

I saw that as someone who lived in Texas for 10-15 years and miss that period sometimes.

Texas whatever.....

[SydneyCarton 49477]

22 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Northwest Arkansas

Katy 

Can't imagine why!

Sure, but Cy Park ain't one of them.  Put that same house in a neighborhood zoned to Cy Woods or Cy Ranch and you can add $100k, at least.

Then why the fuck is it named Cy?!?!

18 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Hey!!  Houston is a top 10 GDP city.  Economic opportunities.  Plus it's a stones throw from Galveston

Is this supposed to be a flex or a fucking demerit? I can't tell. 

13 minutes ago, Js1 said:

He “heard from a doctor friend.” So it’s an anecdote from someone we don’t know who could have a political ax to grind 

Houston has trouble attracting teachers and GYNOs? Why, it must be crime only and not regressive and repressive state policies towards education and women’s healthcare! Or being near the bottom nationally in both categories  

Tennessee also has similar regressive and repressive politics towards those fields. 

And if it turns out to be accurate? Will you take it seriously then? Or find another reason to dismiss it out of hand?

You're getting into the minutia, and ignoring the fact that my point was comparing the general nature of Cause and Effect. Not the actual fucking reasons. You're a smart guy and I know that, so IMO this is getting really close to straight up shitposting.

No one is talking about politics but you. But Cause and Effect is a real thing. 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by SydneyCarton

[Js1 87178]

LOL you got repped by Baba.  You're in the wrong.

BUT CRIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're ignoring the actual statistics that crime is down.  But keep ignoring what we all know.  You're actively burying your head in the sand if you think politics has nothing to do with it.  Sorry you are so triggered that state policies towards healthcare, especially women's healthcare, and education, might have adverse effects on the quality of life somewhere.  But we can't talk about it because your feelings might get hurt. 

Also YGIFS brought it up well before me.  We are nearly dead last in things like healthcare and education.  Maybe that's why Texas is high on the list of terrible places to work and live.  We also discussed things 8 pages ago about worker's rights - more politics! 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Js1

[SydneyCarton 49477]

1 minute ago, Js1 said:

LOL you got repped by Baba.  You're in the wrong.

BUT CRIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're ignoring the actual statistics that crime is down.  But keep ignoring what we all know. 

Way to ignore my entire post completely and resorting to "Guy I hate agrees with your post" as your only defense. Shitposting.

Yes, Crime is down. Crime is down in Houston, and yet I sure as shit don't hear about that, in fact, from what I hear it's a nightmare hellscape. If you want to show me statistics that crime in Memphis is way fucking down, then by all means, correct his fucking ass and call him a fucking liar and cite your sources. I'm guessing you're too lazy to do that and will resort to another lame defense. 

You're a better poster than this, man. 

[Zepol87 9341]

50 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:

Yeah it’s a shame that for the majority in most places health care is awful, though many have shining pillars of excellence. St Jude and Campbell Clinic in the third world cesspool of Memphis, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, on and on.

It’s now so bad in Memphis that it’s rumored St Jude will move because they can’t attract the doctors they need. Memphis is a combat zone unlike any in the country as the crime has bled into all the suburbs and highend neighborhoods.

A combat zone? Gtfo with that dumb shit

Going to DMV in Cali tomorrow to make it official. I am not living next to the beach but I’m about 40 minutes  away and it costs the same as my place in Addison

[Brew 3049]

36 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:

This came from a doctor friend in Memphis who is leaving asap after the recent murder of a Campbell Clinic renowned pediatric orthopedic surgeon in the office in Collierville. He said UTCHS has no grads wanting to stay in Memphis, that all the hospitals are struggling finding doctors to relocate, and that their are rumors that St Jude is in a panic over the horrific increase in crime, challenges recruiting talent, and keeping parents and staff safe. Who knows what their charter allows and so forth, it’s certainly not a public official discussion. A damn shame that place is impacted by the collapse of Memphis; I have several friends thru the years whose children have lived thru the miracles that hospital does for sick kids. They get almost all our charitable donations.

Having a large office in Memphis, spending a lot of time in Memphis, working with a large number of medical clients, and living not far from Memphis, your last two posts are a little bit over the top. I’m not saying Memphis is great, hell not even good, but the sky isn’t falling quite as fast as you are saying.

The problems Memphis is having  as it relates to medicine are playing out across the state in the way we have dealt with Medicare, certain political topics that don’t need to be discussed here, shutting down of rural hospitals which are putting immense pressure on the larger hospitals which trickles down to quality of life issues for doctors that take call, etc. 

[closetohumping 17810]

2 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

A combat zone? Gtfo with that dumb shit

Going to DMV in Cali tomorrow to make it official. I am not living next to the beach but I’m about 40 minutes  away and it costs the same as my place in Addison

Welcome!

[royiv 9782]

This is beginning to read like a Nextdoor thread where the Karens in Katy think they live in Fallujah.

[Biff Tannen 46163]

1 hour ago, Zepol87 said:

A combat zone? Gtfo with that dumb shit

Going to DMV in Cali tomorrow to make it official. I am not living next to the beach but I’m about 40 minutes  away and it costs the same as my place in Addison

Where are you moving?

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Can you put an ADU in your back yard like this?  https://www.kangaroomsystems.com/studio-sheds/modern-studio-luxe

Nice. But I don’t think my HOA allows it. Plus, the primary reason for the move is schools.

[Zepol87 9341]

Whittier/South El Monte 

[HenryJames 67330]

19 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

I am not living next to the beach but I’m about 40 minutes

So five miles away?

[Zepol87 9341]

19 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

So five miles away?

Yea it’s like 635 here

[RDCanecutter 26880]

1 hour ago, closetohumping said:

https://www.redfin.com/CA/Irvine/16-Clearbrook-92614/unit-72/home/5641015

 

Yes the above California condo has more character.  I always chuckle when Texans complain about COL.  

Gotta love those special realtor cameras that make every room look 47 feet deep.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Gotta love those special realtor cameras that make every room look 47 feet deep.

Use a 12mm lens then correct distortion in photoshop. Make a closet look like a game room.

[Homercles 10206]

14 hours ago, GoPokes83 said:

I haven’t read all this, but then stop fucking moving here!

As usual, your takes often piss me off despite being a fellow Poke.  There’s a lot of valid nuance being discussed here.  

DEFCON: LOBO warning

I moved to Austin metro from Stillwater in ‘02.  Since then I’ve bought two houses, gotten married and have two kids.  If it weren’t for my parents living in GTown, our entrenchment with friends/schools and my employer suddenly backtracking on remote work…we’d have left already.  

There’s early markers my 9yo son may be gay, based on my wife’s 20 years as an educator.  Jury is obviously way out, but if that’s the case and nothing changes in Texas…I want him the hell out of here when he’s old enough.  

My 6yo daughter has a vagina, if nothing changes in Texas I want her the hell out of here.  

My property taxes equal my mortgage payment…yet schools are being deprived of funding, we are only building toll roads and public infrastructure is literally falling apart.  

Local PDs are receiving record funding in some areas, yet they fail to respond a vast majority of the time and actively lie on Props.    

Schools are getting shot up…yet folks bring rifles to the Capitol to protest and pistols to HEB.  

It’s getting hotter due to climate change and we live in Frontier Days during winter storms…yet we spend budget surplus on fucking floating balls in a river and lawyers to defend the practice against federal lawmakers.  Oh and they’re finding bodies in them.  

Our AG has a web of fraud accusations I can’t keep track of.  Criticizing the Lt Gov gets you suspended.  These clowns are generally fucking with nationally-recognized universities down to calling special sessions to further cripple public school systems.  

Voting rights are being systematically disabled / made harder, disproportionately affecting ‘liberal’ cities and their diverse population.  Districts are ass backward as fuck to keep it that way.  

/Lobo warning
 

TLDR:  There’s so much going wrong in this state that waving a ‘quit moving here’ hand is fucking embarrassing…and I’m one of the lucky ones who is a white, straight, upper middle class male who built a house in 2012 back when it was reasonably affordable.  I’m allowed to be pissed about things that don’t directly affect me, because I generally care about other people (except The Darrel, fuck that guy)

[texasdago 7770]

Yeah, I can't say I disagree with a lot of what's written above.

BTW, if you're forced to live in Katy, why wouldn't you pick a house with this backyard oasis?

[Foosters 18276]

14 minutes ago, Homercles said:

As usual, your takes often piss me off despite being a fellow Poke.  There’s a lot of valid nuance being discussed here.  

DEFCON: LOBO warning

I moved to Austin metro from Stillwater in ‘02.  Since then I’ve bought two houses, gotten married and have two kids.  If it weren’t for my parents living in GTown, our entrenchment with friends/schools and my employer suddenly backtracking on remote work…we’d have left already.  

There’s early markers my 9yo son may be gay, based on my wife’s 20 years as an educator.  Jury is obviously way out, but if that’s the case and nothing changes in Texas…I want him the hell out of here when he’s old enough.  

My 6yo daughter has a vagina, if nothing changes in Texas I want her the hell out of here.  

My property taxes equal my mortgage payment…yet schools are being deprived of funding, we are only building toll roads and public infrastructure is literally falling apart.  

Local PDs are receiving record funding in some areas, yet they fail to respond a vast majority of the time and actively lie on Props.    

Schools are getting shot up…yet folks bring rifles to the Capitol to protest and pistols to HEB.  

It’s getting hotter due to climate change and we live in Frontier Days during winter storms…yet we spend budget surplus on fucking floating balls in a river and lawyers to defend the practice against federal lawmakers.  Oh and they’re finding bodies in them.  

Our AG has a web of fraud accusations I can’t keep track of.  Criticizing the Lt Gov gets you suspended.  These clowns are generally fucking with nationally-recognized universities down to calling special sessions to further cripple public school systems.  

Voting rights are being systematically disabled / made harder, disproportionately affecting ‘liberal’ cities and their diverse population.  Districts are ass backward as fuck to keep it that way.  

/Lobo warning
 

TLDR:  There’s so much going wrong in this state that waving a ‘quit moving here’ hand is fucking embarrassing…and I’m one of the lucky ones who is a white, straight, upper middle class male who built a house in 2012 back when it was reasonably affordable.  I’m allowed to be pissed about things that don’t directly affect me, because I generally care about other people (except The Darrel, fuck that guy)

It's also quite remarkable to tell a group of native Texans that the solution to the issues in the state is to "stop moving there"