Austinite who always votes for raising taxes can’t afford to live there anymore

How much do you want to bet this person is a liberal Democrat?

On a recent evening, more than 300 homeowners who are worried about their rising property tax bills filled First Unitarian Universalist Church in North Austin for a town hall meeting. If something doesn’t change, many said, they will soon be priced out of their homes.

Two nights later, a similar discussion played out in South Austin, where homeowners gathered at Grace United Methodist Church in Travis Heights to talk about what can be done to slow escalating residential tax values.

“I’m at the breaking point,” said Gretchen Gardner, an Austin artist who bought a 1930s bungalow in the Bouldin neighborhood just south of downtown in 1991 and has watched her property tax bill soar to $8,500 this year.

“It’s not because I don’t like paying taxes,” said Gardner, who attended both meetings. “I have voted for every park, every library, all the school improvements, for light rail, for anything that will make this city better. But now I can’t afford to live here anymore. I’ll protest my appraisal notice, but that’s not enough. Someone needs to step in and address the big picture.”

These are the same types of people who, when faced with similar situations, move to other cities or states with lower taxes and then turn around and try to do the same d*mn thing there!   Then, they move again. And again, not understanding that they put themselves into their own over-taxed predicament time and time again. I have zero sympathy for them. Zilch, nada. They made their beds – now they get to lay in them.   And while we’re on the subject, I hope they stay the hell out of my state. Their attitudes and hypocritical stances on taxes and government intrusion into my wallet are not welcomed.