Comments on: Thanks to taxes, Zack Greinke’s money would go way farther in Texas than L.A.

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:25:57 +0000

If you’re gonna play in Texas…you gotta have a fiddle in the band.
That lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man.

By: coloradogolfcoupons

coloradogolfcoupons — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Money goes farther in Texas but so does the Baseball, with the wind tunnel blowing out to right field. The home/road splits for Texas hitters rival those of Coors Field in Denver and most elite pitchers shy away from both cities, Arlington and Denver.

By: lostsok

lostsok — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 01:39:14 +0000

Everything’s bigger in Texas. Including stupidity.

By: koufaxmitzvah

koufaxmitzvah — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:39:55 +0000

The fact that there’s a Galleria shopping mall in Dallas really chaps my Valley boy hide.

??? “Hoo doggies. Gag me with a spoon.” ????

I don’t think so.

By: jlovenotjlo

jlovenotjlo — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:00:05 +0000

I have read that the state income tax usually only factors into team success in the nba. Stars in the nba generally prefer warmth,” happening” huge cities, and/or the lack of an income tax. Look no further than the general success of Florida and Texas bball teams.

By: Marty

Marty — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:45:51 +0000

Actually, the smug self lovers get beat into a coma by LA gang bangers.

By: 1historian

1historian — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:14:29 +0000

“Personally, though, I would gladly pay $30 million to not have to play in the Texas heat.”

Doesn’t get much dumber than that, Craig.

Until, of course – your next column.

By: 78mu

78mu — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:10:42 +0000

The Marlins had to slash payroll because Loria feels obligated to pay back the tax money spent on his new stadium. He felt sorry for all the heat the public servants that shoveled him money were getting so it was either field a competitive team or fulfill a moral obligation to Florida taxpayers. He knows he is magnitudes richer than almost everyone else in Florida and it’s the right thing to do.

I may have to rethink this post after I come down from my crack and heroin high,

By: wlubake

wlubake — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:04:01 +0000

@angrycorgi

Absolutely. Here’s the genius of Sheetz: the ordering. You can customize the heck out of your food order, and it is all on a touch screen. I’m in favor of anything that minimizes my actual human contact, especially in a fast food context.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:47:07 +0000

You’re confusing cost of living and housing availability differences with tax rates.

By: ok9275

ok9275 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:31:16 +0000

No way, 5 guys is horrible. Had it in Cali and it was just disgusting. In N Out is better in every way. Whataburger doesn’t even come close to comparing to In N Out. In N Out is much better than these 2 joints… but reality is In N Out isn’t even that good itself…

By: ezthinking

ezthinking — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:11:23 +0000

Don’t you remember Jeter’s fight about his ‘condo’ in NY versus his ‘home’ in Florida?

The mental shortcuts offered by writers are that, shortcuts. The real substance is too detailed and too boring for most to handle.

Grienke will play where he wants to. Endorsements, lifestyle, taxes, winning, publicity, teammates, ownership, benefits, etc., likely all play a factor. To what level is up to him, not us.

By: kelshannon19

kelshannon19 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:39:28 +0000

If you want to play in Texas because of the taxes but heat is the issue, then come on down I-45 to Houston where you can play with a roof..hey, the new jerseys look cool at least!

By: raysfan1

raysfan1 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:35:10 +0000

5 Guys > In-N-Out, but Dallas has them too.

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:24:25 +0000

I think people get so hung up on the lack of state income tax in Texas they forget the property taxes are high.

By: texassportsfan2

texassportsfan2 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:00:10 +0000

It doesn’t really matter if a professional athlete’s home state has no individual income tax. They are taxed on income considered earned in other states (away games). It’s tricky, but alot of firms have made this a big business…..doing taxes for prof athletes.

By: angrycorgi

angrycorgi — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:49:38 +0000

@wlubake

You miss a gas station?

By: indaburg

indaburg — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:48:55 +0000

Didn’t Jeter do this? Claim Florida residency to avoid paying NY taxes?

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:48:25 +0000

Point being, while Texas doesn’t have a state income tax, they make up the revenues in other ways.

By: rathipon

rathipon — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:35:25 +0000

Tax discrepancies haven’t meant much in the past because the teams that play in higher tax states are usually also in bigger markets and could afford to pay more. Yankees are the best example of that. However, when we start talking about a de facto salary cap in the form of a severe luxury tax, then it becomes seriously problematic. The Yankee’s 189 million budget will buy less than the Rangers’ 189 million budget – and that is hardly fair at all. At some point they will have to consider adjusting the luxury tax threshold based upon local tax considerations.

By: wlubake

wlubake — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:22:41 +0000

But you have Sheetz. I miss that from my college days in VA. Having Whataburger softens the blow some.

By: wlubake

wlubake — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:19:44 +0000

Not really. There was a big push back from the Supreme Court of Texas against local governments jacking up property taxes. It was considered a back-door income tax, and a state income tax is prohibited by the Texas Constitution.

I’ve lived in 3 states, and Texas property taxes aren’t much more than they are elsewhere.

Gas, corporate taxes, luxuries, cigarettes, etc. That’s where they hit you in Texas.

By: hk62

hk62 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:19:36 +0000

Not true beefy – you earn it in Cali, you pay Cali taxes no matter where you live – same is true for Oregon only worse in that you can live in Texas, and get paid by a company based in Washington (no state income tax in either) but if you were actually in Oregon when the money was being made you still pay Oregon income taxes (I know this first hand!) – if there was a Pro team in Oregon, game checks for games played in Oregon would be subject to Oregon state income tax – that’s a fact.

The tax diff between Texas and Cali is very large and very real and there is no way around it – and I am NOT guessing about this.

By: angrycorgi

angrycorgi — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:16:34 +0000

This is true. Luckily property values are much, much lower in DFW (on average) than in most parts of California too. LA, for instance, has a median sale price on a 4-bedroom house at $365k, whereas the median sale price of the same size house in DFW is $145k.

By: whitdog23

whitdog23 — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:15:31 +0000

duh!!! athletes have been moving to states with no income taxes for decades

By: mybrunoblog

mybrunoblog — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:15:07 +0000

I disagree. My friend just moved from New Jersey to Texas. His property taxes went from $9k a year to $5k a year and his new property and home are almost double in size compared to what he had in New Jersey. Still a bargain.

By: angrycorgi

angrycorgi — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:12:40 +0000

I miss Whataburger too. Sadly, they will never make it to where I am now (Virginia), because there is already a “What-A-Burger” here, although this one really blows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What-A-Burger

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:05:21 +0000

There is a difference, but it’s more like 4-5% than the 20% that Wrong Hole Buster suggests.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-jock-tax/
I miss Whataburger.

By: Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:03:48 +0000

Texas sticks it to you on property taxes though

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:55:17 +0000

Were you looking for “tejano”?