foolmenot.comYou’ve probably all heard that American Van Lines has reported more people, in 2005, were moving out of Michigan than moving in… Interestingly, the article identifies big loser states as California, New York, New Jersey, and Michigan. What do they all have in common? They hold the distinction of levying the highest tax on business, highest teacher pay and benefits, and the highest paid government salaries… Not that any of this is bad; it’s just that more and more folks don’t want to be a part of it any longer.
Oh yeah, one more thing they have in common; they each have a coast line- so I guess that shoots any argument I might have that the fault belongs to a Liberal influence… Oh hummm
Full article follows…
Texas is tops in attracting new
residents, according to moving company
By Mike Copeland Waco Tribune-Herald business editor
Friday, February 03, 2006
Texas is America's most “magnetic” state in terms of attracting new residents, narrowly edging out North Carolina, according to a report by Chicago-based moving company Allied Van Lines.
Texas earned that distinction for 2005, when Allied moved 8,629 households to Texas and 6,638 households from the state. That gave Texas a net relocation gain of 1,991 households.
“Four major cities, a solid economy and a temperate climate make Texas a very attractive place to live,” says Mike McMahon, an executive with Allied's parent company, SIRVA Inc.
Locally, Allied brought 11 households from outside Texas to the Waco area last year, while moving eight households from the Waco area to outside Texas.
People are moving to Texas because the state is creating jobs, say several experts.
“We're growing and poised for even more growth,” said Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business. “By building a better business climate through legislative and regulatory reform, Texas has put out the welcome mat for those who want to live, work or do business in the state.”
Ray Perryman, a Waco-based consultant who has prepared economic development reports for the state, said he's not surprised families are moving to Texas.
The perception that Texas has a good business climate and plenty of job opportunities “has been a pattern for decades.” Still, said Perryman, the state had suffered in recent years as other states worked harder at economic development and left Texas behind.
That changed with creation of the Texas Enterprise Fund in 2003, said Perryman.
“That's done very well,” said Perryman, “literally taken us from the bottom third (among states) in creating new job locations to No. 1 in new investments.”
Lawmakers during the 78th Legislature created the Texas Enterprise Fund as a “deal-closing fund” to attract businesses to Texas and to encourage existing businesses to expand here. It was allocated $295 million.
The fund received an additional $180 million last year. As of Thursday, there was $146 million in it, said Rachael Novier in the governor's press office.
Sanderson Farms, which makes chicken products, will receive $500,000 from the fund. It has announced it will build a chicken processing plant and hatchery in Waco, creating about 1,300 new jobs locally.
“Since its inception,” said Novier, “the TEF has planted the seeds for 130,000 new jobs coming to Texas in the next few years.”
Last year, the Texas Legislature created yet another fund, the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, which received $200 million.
The money will be used by partners that include the state, institutions of higher learning and private industry.
While Texas is attracting workers, other states are losing them, according to Allied.
California “earned the dubious distinction of being America's No. 1 outbound state in 2005,” the company reported. Allied moved 11,387 households out of the Golden State and 8,564 to it.
That's a net relocation loss of 2,823 households.
Other big “losers” include Michigan, New York and New Jersey.
mcopeland@wacotrib.com