A Texas/California comparison.

Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 644

I ran across this opinion piece in the LA Times, contrasting California and Texas.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-voegli1-2009nov01,0,825554.story

Texas comes off looking pretty good.

Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 1400 Location: Morgantown, WV

That's because Texas is pretty good. hehehe

Living within your means is an old-fashioned virtue that many are just now discovering.

Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 926 Location: Leeds WY

It's too early for me to draw comparisons, but I do know there are considerable differences. While I agree with the article in the LA Times, there are instances which I would disagree with.

The road system in the big cities is comparable, but in outlying areas, SoCal has TX beat hands down. I don't see any difference either between traffic conjestion in the big cities, although in TX it seems to tail off during the night, which is not the case in SoCal.

I don't know much about taxation, but in terms of state sales tax, I get cheesed off at the high percentage charged in CA and NV. If I had a shipping address in TX, I would avoid most of the sales tax, but I have to leave that one for the future. TX wins hands down on this one as do they with the price of property, which is considerably cheaper. I notice that there are more mobile homes in SoCal than TX.

In terms of income, I did do a comparison a few years back for some types of employment. Did'nt notice any great difference. I cannot compare pensions, as I do not know anyone in TX drawing a pension, but pensions in SoCal, especially within state run institutions is considerable and I was shocked at the level "some" are paid.

In terms of schooling, I think that SoCal has a good university system, but for local secondary schools TX is better, and TX has a better teacher to pupil ratio. Cannot comment on out of school activities.

I am used to their being a large number of grocery stores in SoCal, wherever I go, which is not mirrored in TX. If Burkburnett were in SoCal, then there would be at least 4 large grocery stores in that town. Same is true of stores such as Best Buy and Frys where you are virtually falling over them wherever you go. Restaurants and take aways are similar in number and choice.

Vehicles are cheaper in SoCal and there is more choice, but the fuel prices are more expensive.

Both states have snakes and spiders, with TX having tornadoes and SoCal having earthquakes. There is also an abundance of "gated communities" and areas that are princpally for the retired, where a community charge is levied, which is not something that I see mirroerd in TX, but I suppose theses areas are there to safeguard all the extra cash that SoCal residents supposedly make but I have no proof of.

And as regards public transportation, forget it, both states are poor. Now NV, that's a different story.

Just adding my two pennyworth, and as usual, this is my opinion

Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 716

I've never understood how real estate prices in California could be so high. $750,000 to $1,000,000 for a house that is comparable to my own house that I paid less than 1/10 of that amount for. I know the middle class out there isn't making 10 times what our middle class is making. It just boggles the mind.

I do want to visit someday, but there is now way I would ever live there.

Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 1400 Location: Morgantown, WV

We have better cheerleaders in Texas, and our largest city has an NFL team. Unlike some cities whose initials start with "LA."

Joined: 26 Feb 2008 Posts: 926 Location: Leeds WY

Prodigal Son wrote:

We have better cheerleaders in Texas, and our largest city has an NFL team. Unlike some cities whose initials start with "LA."

Cannot comment on the cheerleader issue, and won't argue the point. I also don't know ANYTHING about the NFL (as it relates to non soccer), or the game itself. So LA Grange and LA Porte in TX don't have an NFL team or did you mean LAncaster ? Just kidding LOL