I recently caught a program on TV about how Austin, Texas, is dealing with considerable growth. This raised my curiosity about how St. Paul and Austin compared since 1940.
In 1940 St. Paul had a population of 287,736. In 2010 St. Paul’s population was 285,000, a decrease of 2,000. That includes an influx of 20,000 Asians after the Vietnam War.
Austin’s population in 1940 was 87,930. In 2010 its population was 790,390, an approximate nine fold increase.
The next question is why did one city drop by 2,000 while the other increased nine fold? Could it be that one is high tax, anti-business while the other is low tax and pro-business?
How about one has been under liberal control for years while the other has been managed conservatively for years?
Some may remember when the CEO of 3M told then governor Rudy Perpich that if the state didn’t improve its corporate tax rates they would expand elsewhere. The state didn’t. 3M did. Where did they go? Austin, Texas.
Gov. Dayton’s new sales tax plan will reduce our sales tax to 5 1/2 percent and increase the business to business tax along with additional retail service taxes such as haircuts and others. This will raise an additional $2 billion but to paraphrase Gov. Dayton, “it won’t increase what we actually pay in state taxes.”
The state will take in $2 billion more but no one will actually pay more? After that statement how in the world can you believe anything he says?
If you would like to see what the Twin Cities will look like in 20 or 30 years (maybe less) just take a drive through Detroit, another city under liberal management.
Joseph Bruhn
Brainerd
Comments (4)
Add commentHmmmm
I don't suppose any of this was the result of the window air conditioning unit being invented in 1945? Or all the gas and oil discovered in Texas, or its proximity to Mexico, would it Joe?
Do you think all the growth going on in North Dakota right now is because of low taxes? Is everyone dying to move to South Dakota because of its taxes?
I'd say there is a little more to it than taxes. Go spend the summer in Austin without air......
Hilarious!
You gots to find less humorous examples, Joseph. Austin is easily the most LIBERAL city in the whole dang state!
Could just as well make the case that it's population grew due to it being a refuge for more moderate folks!
By the way--the local sales tax in Austin is 8 1/4%!
A true tax picture needs to look at all taxes and services rendered for those taxes. Seems to me like Austin thinks that the high property taxes and lower sales tax we have here is the wrong way to go. From your population increase info, it would appear a lot of people might agree!
If you like the continuing high property taxes--which hit you just as hard if you are poor as if you are rich--then by all means keep stumping for the Krinkie/Republican crowd. They claim to be concerned about taxes yet repeatedly support shifting tax burdens onto property owners from corporate and individual tax rates.
The most liberal city in Texas...
for now. Texas is turning blue. Mayor Castro of San Antonio will be leading the Democrats in the near future. Gov. Castro? Pres. Castro?
I saw at the newsstand on the cover of a highly reliable publication, that GW Bush has Alzheimer's. It must be true, it was in a magazine.
proud
Are you telling me that property taxes are going to go down?
This I have to see to believe.
Texas is Texas and Mn is Mn. Actually, I think there are many MN people who have moved to TX.
I have two members of my family that moved there a few years ago and between the two families that totals 7 people. Also,
a friend has 6 family member that moved to the Houston area.
I kinda like TX and yes it is hot in the summer and beyond
but, the weather recently has been on the cooler side.