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I'm seeing a lot of "ifs" and "shoulds". As an outsider looking in, it appears there's nothing in place to prevent the SV problems from arising in Austin. Do t

I'm seeing a lot of "ifs" and "shoulds". As an outsider looking in, it appears there's nothing in place to prevent the SV problems from arising in Austin. Do these tech companies realise what's going to happen, or is it going to be wrapped up as part of the cost of doing business, before they move on to someplace else. I'm now imagining a tornado of tech companies travelling across the country ravaging economies in its wake, with a periodic exodus of tech folk travelling in a procession of Teslas slowly making their way in Boring tunnels. Maybe all that is just extrapolation and there are examples of tech friendly cities which haven't been affected in the same way.

rossdavidh 6y ago
Not sure if Austin will do what's needed, but one thing I can say is it is a big topic of discussion, by old residents and new. So, this doesn't by any means guarantee effective action, but it's certainly on everyone's radar.
spaced-out 6y ago
>I'm now imagining a tornado of tech companies travelling across the country ravaging economies in its wake, with a periodic exodus of tech folk travelling in a procession of Teslas slowly making their way in Boring tunnels. You know, a lot of us are just people in their late 20s/early 30s, looking for a place to settle down and raise a family.
- aYsY4dDQ2NrcNzA 6y ago
  Just what a modern-day Viking would say, looting and pillaging mid-sized cities in your electric-powered longboat!
throwaway6734 6y ago
>travelling across the country ravaging economies in its wake What ravaging is happening?
- jasonladuke0311 6y ago
  Chewing up hipster free trade coffee shops and defecating Starbucks, or something.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  The meme is that California is full of Karens who vote Dem. and fetishize new taxes (new tax bill daily.) Sadly, it's true.
- mavelikara 6y ago
  > What ravaging is happening? The current landlords and property owners get massive revenue from the young people moving in, while grumbling about loss of culture.
01100011 6y ago
Are tech companies responsible? It seems to me that we blame them because they're the only competent party thanks to the current state of local government. Deciding growth and development seems like the domain of local government, not corporations. I think that's the problem we need to fix, because it's a problem we, the citizens, can fix, since we're able to vote and participate in government. The problems in SV, Austin, Seattle, etc are caused by failures of local governments. The success of big tech certainly fuels the problems, but it is the poor decisions of local citizens and their governments that resulted in the traffic, housing and cultural isssues.
vmception 6y ago
> Do these tech companies realise what's going to happen lol everyone realises what's going to happen why would a tech company care at all or more than any other entity a quarter of these tech companies are just real estate plays any way
koheripbal 6y ago
I think you're missing an important element here. Big mature tech doesn't want to be in the STATE of California for financial reasons. Arizona is far more advantageous. The issues with Austin developing many of the same housing/diversity issues as SF, isn't going to be solved, and I don't think they expect it to.
- blaser-waffle 6y ago
  Bingo. Texas has no state income tax and has offered a lot of incentives to bring in more business. It's the 2nd largest state in the Union, has a decent set of universities, warm (hot) weather, and several large, wealthy cities, like Dallas and Austin. Houston is set to overtake Chicago as the USA's 3rd largest city before too long.
helen___keller 6y ago
If it happens across the entire country, it just gets called inflation (by definition, CPI averages prices for a basket of goods across the whole country). Which is to say, averaging demand over a larger number of cities is what we should all be cheering for, because it means the next generation won't have to choose between getting a job and being able to afford a home; the high paying jobs (well, average-paying after counting inflation) will be in every nearly every state in the union.

rossdavidh 6y ago

Not sure if Austin will do what's needed, but one thing I can say is it is a big topic of discussion, by old residents and new. So, this doesn't by any means guarantee effective action, but it's certainly on everyone's radar.

spaced-out 6y ago

>I'm now imagining a tornado of tech companies travelling across the country ravaging economies in its wake, with a periodic exodus of tech folk travelling in a procession of Teslas slowly making their way in Boring tunnels. You know, a lot of us are just people in their late 20s/early 30s, looking for a place to settle down and raise a family.

aYsY4dDQ2NrcNzA 6y ago
Just what a modern-day Viking would say, looting and pillaging mid-sized cities in your electric-powered longboat!

throwaway6734 6y ago

>travelling across the country ravaging economies in its wake What ravaging is happening?

jasonladuke0311 6y ago
Chewing up hipster free trade coffee shops and defecating Starbucks, or something.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
redis_mlc 6y ago
The meme is that California is full of Karens who vote Dem. and fetishize new taxes (new tax bill daily.) Sadly, it's true.
mavelikara 6y ago
> What ravaging is happening? The current landlords and property owners get massive revenue from the young people moving in, while grumbling about loss of culture.

01100011 6y ago

Are tech companies responsible? It seems to me that we blame them because they're the only competent party thanks to the current state of local government. Deciding growth and development seems like the domain of local government, not corporations. I think that's the problem we need to fix, because it's a problem we, the citizens, can fix, since we're able to vote and participate in government. The problems in SV, Austin, Seattle, etc are caused by failures of local governments. The success of big tech certainly fuels the problems, but it is the poor decisions of local citizens and their governments that resulted in the traffic, housing and cultural isssues.

vmception 6y ago

> Do these tech companies realise what's going to happen lol everyone realises what's going to happen why would a tech company care at all or more than any other entity a quarter of these tech companies are just real estate plays any way

koheripbal 6y ago

I think you're missing an important element here. Big mature tech doesn't want to be in the STATE of California for financial reasons. Arizona is far more advantageous. The issues with Austin developing many of the same housing/diversity issues as SF, isn't going to be solved, and I don't think they expect it to.

blaser-waffle 6y ago
Bingo. Texas has no state income tax and has offered a lot of incentives to bring in more business. It's the 2nd largest state in the Union, has a decent set of universities, warm (hot) weather, and several large, wealthy cities, like Dallas and Austin. Houston is set to overtake Chicago as the USA's 3rd largest city before too long.

helen___keller 6y ago

If it happens across the entire country, it just gets called inflation (by definition, CPI averages prices for a basket of goods across the whole country). Which is to say, averaging demand over a larger number of cities is what we should all be cheering for, because it means the next generation won't have to choose between getting a job and being able to afford a home; the high paying jobs (well, average-paying after counting inflation) will be in every nearly every state in the union.