Why Texas?

Kinda depends though, the south isn't hotter or drier really.. in fact a lot wetter than most places, lots of rice farming there, more tropical. Houston for example gets about 50 inches of rain a year and floods quite often, whereas say Amarillo is closer to only 20 inches but they are 600 miles apart.

East is all dense forest, west is desert, south is tropical, lots of citrus grown there, north is flat windy plains. Central is kinda the melding point of the other 4, which is just where I like it. Mexicans are no trouble.. Most of the ones I know and have worked with are just as good of folks as anyone else I know.

Only issue I have is property taxes, the no income tax is great during your working years, but it's made up for somewhat by property taxes and I'm a bit worried about that hitting me hard as I get older and income goes down..

But yeah folks are friendly and people are pretty free, I had every neighbor within a few miles of me come by when I bought my place and was down cleaning it up the first time. Every one saying holler if ya need anything, and a couple taking my phone number so they could call me if they saw someone doing something untoward at my place..

40 years ago, Texas was a great place. That is before all the whineing yuppies and U.S. bashers moved there. We get a few of them here in N.E. Az. also, but the severe winters usually send em' home come first spring. We have open concealed carry in the entire state of Az. No permits required. Up here in Apache county where I live, unless you are located in one of the small towns around here, we build pretty much want we like. Nobody bothers us for the most part. You bother people in AZ. and you will find just about everybody either has or can borrow a back hoe. Got the picture ?

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www.arizonapetrifiedwood.com

Hell yes, all of you move to Texas! {laughing}

I'm up in Dallas and I garden year round. Cool weather crops do just fine, they may not grow much in January, but we were pulling lettuce and broccoli even after getting snow for a couple days last winter.
I just planted my fall garden in early Oct and we're still getting peppers from spring planting.

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Apocalyptic and Survival Fiction - Readers and writers welcome

No doubt you've seen plenty of taxes if you've been in Ohio.

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Jen
If my typo's bother you, come on over and take a chair. We can discuss it over some "ham and swill calzones"
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OhioDreamer, I sent you a p.m.

Less taxes *overall* is correct. We don't have state income taxes, sales tax is generally 7.25 or 8.25% depending on the county around here. No sales tax on food (I've been in a couple of states where there was sales tax on food, which I thought was strange) and property taxes aren't too terribly bad unless you live in an affulent area or 'yuppie' haven like Austin and parts of the Hill Country. The 'poorer' or less desirable counties usually have lower tax rates. We pay a bit over $600.00/year for large wood frame house and several acres here, and we're not even ag exempt (I need to figure out a plan and start filing for exemption one of these days because it takes multiple years of filing before being granted exemption on our county--I'm thinking orchard...)

And unlike Ohio, we didn't just vote to spend billions supporting Public Employee Union people for the remainder of their natural lives. We didn't vote to allow Public Employee Union people to be paid at twice the same job pays in the private sector. we didn't vote to have the unions get in bed with the Liberal State Legislators, and buy increases in their pay and retirement by donating union dues to politicians. Nope, most Texans are too smart for that stuff. It shows in the health of the Texas economy. In 10 years Ohio will look like Michigan - A financial wasteland.

I totally agree about OPEN CARRY of firearms. Why Texas doesn't have this is beyond comprehension.

As a 100% disabled Texas/Military Veteran, I am exempt from ALL Property Taxes on my principal residence, and the state just approved the same exemption for my wife if she outlives me.

I'm thinking there should be some sort of advertising campaign--Move to Texas --instead of Florida. From now on when I hear people complaining about FL (transplants mostly)--I'm going to say, "I heard Texas is wonderful, low cost of living, great prices on land, lots of jobs and great climate. Why don't you move there."

Don't need an ad campaign, I'm seeing more out of state plates here these days than I ever have.

Well, how well you like Texas will depend on what you expect and where you go. As mentioned, there is no state income tax but we do have a high sales tax, 8.25%. Some might not like that but, personally, I'd rather have that than the SIT, especially since regular food isn't taxed. If I buy a big screen tv, that's my choice and the tax is part of the package, YKWIM?

If you move to one of the metro areas, chances are you won't find the freedom you might be expecting. Law enforcement is going to be as big a presence as in the major cities of any other state, city ordinances will restrict what you do with your property, etc. But the Castle Law IS the law of the land here.

Economically, I believe we are in better shape than many other states. Not giving credit for that to Perry, it's because of a combination of other reasons. We have almost any geographic region you could be interested in except mountains and those are just a few hours west of us. Having a long coastline gives us independent access to the rest of the world and a big seafood industry.

Still, most people who have grown up in other areas of the country would probably not care for it down here. It is different from any other part of the country. I used to think that I'd move to another state when I retire because I do love the mountains and I wanted a place with enough rain to keep things green all the time. I considered so many different locations and finally realized that the reason I couldn't decide on any of them was because they weren't in Texas. So, I'll be here the rest of my life.

I remember as a kid in school, asking my teachers why the early Texas settlers wanted to join the United States. Even as a nine year old, I couldn't fathom giving up the freedom of having your own country. Guess that's why, when they joined up, it was written into the State constitution that if we didn't like it, we could dump them like a bad date. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened someday.

Me too, Txrider me too.

I'm NOT use to seeing SouthCarolina, Maine, Indiana, California, Washington.

I am use to seeing Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Louisiana, Kansas and even Minnesota plates.

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"If you tickle the earth with a hoe she laughs with a harvest."
- Douglas William Jerrold

Real is Beautiful -Sherry in Maine

I am 47

For those over a certain age, there was a massive influx of 'yankees' into the state in the early 80's. And then back in the mid-70's as well, so people from other states moving to Texas during bad economic times is nothing new.

Nope nothing new, Every recession seems to bring a new influx.. Ahh well we do still have lots of room...

Actually thats a big misconception, We don't have that right. What we do have is the right to divide Texas into (up to) 5 states if we want to.

http://www.texassecede.com/faq.htm

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/texas.asp

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Apocalyptic and Survival Fiction - Readers and writers welcome

Oh, no! Shot through the heart!! The language shown on the TexasSecede site does show how the interpretation could be made though. Very informative website. Well, I'm going to stick with the idea that we can secede if we want to. Leave me my last few illusions.

I agree, all you folks looking for a place to move to go to Texas and leave Ky the help alone. Matter fact, Ky should probably sent a bunch of folks down like the did years ago to that ala mode for the big scuffle. Not sure if Tennesseesese needs to unload any agin but it might be worth askin. If me and the Mrs. had to go somewhere I might think to Texas. They like football and a good roll in the dirt fight! And guns. Gotta love a place like that.

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"Only the rocks [and really embarassing moments] live forever"

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands..." tick-tick-tick

Friend of mine posted this on facebook today - thought it fit this discussion

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Wags Ranch Nigerians


"The Constitution says to promote the general welfare, not to provide welfare!" ~ Lt. Col Allen West

FTR, I'm evidently one of the few in Ohio, who voted YES. My husband is a Computer Programmer/App Builder and a Gub employee, but he makes about half what he would in the private sector... He's not Union.

-scrt crk

Texas has almost NO federal lands compared to other western states, and thus is less susceptible to govt meddling like the US forests & BLM lands.

Also provides a decent tax base all around.

But TX is big on it's sales tax, and even thrift stores charge state sales tax. Internet is your friend for non-food purchases.

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We will meet in the golden city, called the New Jerusalem,
All our pain and all our tears will be no more.....