In a place like Texas where they haven’t done the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, you probably have poor, working-class, 5th-generation Texas natives without Health coverage, let alone Dental. Good things are possible if you use science and arithmetic to inform State policy decisions. And WA State’s property taxes are half or less of what Texans pay.
intercst
Having moved from TX to WA in 2012, I can provide a specific example showing that TX property taxes are significantly more than twice what I pay in WA based on property value. My house in TX sold for about 70% of what I purchased my house in WA for, and now, Redfin estimates are that my TX house is still worth about 72% of what my WA is. Yet, here are the property taxes paid by year for the last 6 years (what’s easily available):
The Texas legislature did pass a statewide property tax cut, that will now have to be approved by voters. That said, I doubt that it will bring the property taxes on my particular houses down to where the value based taxes in TX are less than twice what I pay in WA.
AJ
Depends on where you live. In the Houston area property taxes run from a low of 1.98% of value to a high of 3.02%. And of course, in Texas poor neighborhoods tend to be taxed more heavily.
intercst
Yea but you get to live in Texas where it is always hot and muggy, except when it is Winter time and it is cold and Icy. Oh and once in a while you might get hit by a Tornado or Hurricane. That has to be worth something right?
Andy
There are reasons I no longer live in Texas.
AJ
Exactly AJ, my Dad came from Texas and I still have a lot of family down there but The Northwest has that all beat.
Andy
I will point out that Houston is one of the few areas in TX that probably uses math and science. Plano, where I lived, didn’t seem to. They’re more worried about cultural issues.
AJ
Right! I liked Houston. It was the crazy, uneconomic policy coming out of the State House in Austin that caused me to move.
intercst
