Early Voting Trends

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

2 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

64, tread softly. Cell phones are next as basic right for all individuals. You are just an old geezer

Becoming a necessity at work though unfortunately, yet majority of companies won't pay for the bills.

My last job expected me to have a cell phone, with a texting plan, and use certain applications for communication involving work. They did not offer to pay for anything, in fact said they would not, and they did not have a tie in with a cell provider that provided discounts for employees. I was also asked to move from location to location at times throughout the day. I was expected to use my own vehicle and was not reimbursed for any travel costs.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

4 hours ago, AU64 said:

Yep...times have really changed as have expectations.  

Back in the 50s or so, the typical house might have 1000  SF or less, basic heat, no AC and your favorite car (one per family) had stick shift and no radio or AC. …...speaking from personal experience as a kid.      Now, people expect more luxuries in their lives right from the start which is made easier with the ever present credit card.      Many of today's young people had it all when they were living at home and are not very willing to dial back the life-style they had in their parent's home.   For example,   I'm stunned how much some young people and families pay for their cell phone bills alone and I don't know how the labor market can keep up in a competitive world.   

In fairness. I know many young kids (20's) that have full time jobs. They have cheap IKEA furniture. They don't own stereo's, they don't own TV's. They don't have a home phone, they don't have cable, and they don't have home internet. They don't own music, they don't own movies. The majority of their money goes to pay the really high rent prices here in Austin to live in a safe area. They usually have a laptop and stream (so Netflix and Spotify = $22.00 a month?). They get their money out of those phone's cause that how they take pictures, how they use the net, how they listen to music, how they watch shows etc. They also still eat like a broke college student.

[AU64 10,122]

9 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Becoming a necessity at work though unfortunately, yet majority of companies won't pay for the bills.

My last job expected me to have a cell phone, with a texting plan, and use certain applications for communication involving work. They did not offer to pay for anything, in fact said they would not, and they did not have a tie in with a cell provider that provided discounts for employees. I was also asked to move from location to location at times throughout the day. I was expected to use my own vehicle and was not reimbursed for any travel costs.

Go to a HS football game and find a teenager who is not texting or talking on a smart phone....and consider the amenities in those expensive apartments....not just bare rooms like in old days.  I'm a geezer and admit it, but that does not alter the facts ….I've got kids and nearly adult grand kids and the later  are middle class but each has their own phone and also an I-Pad and old car.....and look at the AU dorms now and what Mag Hall was like back in the day.     I don't begrudge them anything but I also am not that sympathetic about what it costs to live today.  

As for your job requirements.... JMO but.you have a crappy employer....I ran a small company before retirement...a dozen people and provided phones, car use, health care and a free stocked snack fridge was offered.   The companies my kids work for are at least that generous too.   Maybe time for you to look around.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

7 hours ago, AU64 said:

Go to a HS football game and find a teenager who is not texting or talking on a smart phone....and consider the amenities in those expensive apartments....not just bare rooms like in old days.  I'm a geezer and admit it, but that does not alter the facts ….I've got kids and nearly adult grand kids and the later  are middle class but each has their own phone and also an I-Pad and old car.....and look at the AU dorms now and what Mag Hall was like back in the day.     I don't begrudge them anything but I also am not that sympathetic about what it costs to live today.  

As for your job requirements.... JMO but.you have a crappy employer....I ran a small company before retirement...a dozen people and provided phones, car use, health care and a free stocked snack fridge was offered.   The companies my kids work for are at least that generous too.   Maybe time for you to look around.

Agreed here.  If the company expects you to use a personal cell as part of your job, they need to at least give you a stipend.  I get $75 a month for my phone use.  Travel reimbursement should absolutely be part of it too.

[AU64 10,122]

8 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Agreed here.  If the company expects you to use a personal cell as part of your job, they need to at least give you a stipend.  I get $75 a month for my phone use.  Travel reimbursement should absolutely be part of it too.

Of course you can claim unreimbursed business expenses but its a pain and higher standard deductions mean that many people would not be able to benefit and it takes time to create and maintain such a comprehensive expenses log.   Time for a new job.   ..

[SaltyTiger 7,761]

38 minutes ago, Brad_ATX said:

Agreed here.  If the company expects you to use a personal cell as part of your job, they need to at least give you a stipend.  I get $75 a month for my phone use.  Travel reimbursement should absolutely be part of it too.

IMO, the company and from my "old geezer" experience should provide phone and all travel expenses including vehicle. The $.535/mile is not adequate.  There are many unaccountable expenses incurred when you travel.   

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

7 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

IMO, the company and from my "old geezer" experience should provide phone and all travel expenses including vehicle. The $.535/mile is not adequate.  There are many unaccountable expenses incurred when you travel.   

Most of my travel is by plane, so I don't worry about mileage anymore.  But if I do drive somewhere, I get the option of mileage or a rental car.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

14 hours ago, AU64 said:

Go to a HS football game and find a teenager who is not texting or talking on a smart phone....and consider the amenities in those expensive apartments....not just bare rooms like in old days.  I'm a geezer and admit it, but that does not alter the facts ….I've got kids and nearly adult grand kids and the later  are middle class but each has their own phone and also an I-Pad and old car.....and look at the AU dorms now and what Mag Hall was like back in the day.     I don't begrudge them anything but I also am not that sympathetic about what it costs to live today.  

As for your job requirements.... JMO but.you have a crappy employer....I ran a small company before retirement...a dozen people and provided phones, car use, health care and a free stocked snack fridge was offered.   The companies my kids work for are at least that generous too.   Maybe time for you to look around.

Guess you missed that my "last" job bit lol.

While it most likely isn't now (their management screwed up big time), at the time I took the job to move here and finish my MBA it was considered by places like Business Insider, Forbes etc as a best place to work.

I'm aware of what it cost in Auburn, I went to school there recently. Family has gone to Auburn since the 50's, know how things have changed. Also know I can get the same stuff in Auburn rent wise for less than half of what I get in Austin (rent here is what is killing many). Also got washer/dryer included in Auburn. Had to buy my own here.

Also think you missed my point with the Smart Phone. Yes they are paying $100 dollars for that (what mine is from ATT about). But they are not paying for cable, or home internet service, or have a landline. They also don't buy and own many things.

I've no desire to go to a HS game lol. Can't we play that game with every generation though? Find a kid in the 80's that didn't have a Walkman, find a kid in the 90's that didn't have a discman, find a kid in the early 2000's that didn't have a Ipod. Don't forget some of these amenities become standards. Hell, 2018 version of my car I bought in 2016 is less expensive with more features cause they are now standard for competition purposes.

I also worked with a career coach out here that is pretty well tied into the Austin job scene. They wouldn't be in business if they were not. Lot of corporations that are crappy and preying on employees just needing work. Course with the recent uptick here they are gonna have to start changing tactics. I'm a perfect example, left one job for another and the week before I started that one got a even better offer. So told them I no longer accept and took the later.

I salute your treatment of your employees.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

7 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Agreed here.  If the company expects you to use a personal cell as part of your job, they need to at least give you a stipend.  I get $75 a month for my phone use.  Travel reimbursement should absolutely be part of it too.

Totally on board with this. The travel was local also, not out of Austin. Still agree if they want you to use your phone for business and personal vehicle to travel. Should be reimbursement. There is one level that was provided with travel expenses.

[AU64 10,122]

7 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Guess you missed that my "last" job bit lol.

In deed I did....and glad things are on the upswing for you....   Most college towns are expensive and I hear that goes double for Austin...but  a good place to live if you can afford it.  My kids are in Charlotte and Greensboro....both very nice cities, good job markets and reasonable housing.   NC is a pretty good place to live.....and pretty affordable so that's my measuring stick.  . 

[GiveEmElle 1,559]

On 11/2/2018 at 10:30 PM, SaltyTiger said:

You could have said you hate Trump in three words Civ.

What he said was he hates hypocrisy. But it was smart of you to make the connection from hypocrisy to Trump. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 hour ago, AU64 said:

In deed I did....and glad things are on the upswing for you....   Most college towns are expensive and I hear that goes double for Austin...but  a good place to live if you can afford it.  My kids are in Charlotte and Greensboro....both very nice cities, good job markets and reasonable housing.   NC is a pretty good place to live.....and pretty affordable so that's my measuring stick.  . 

I wouldn't call Austin a "college town".  Our metro area has nearly 2 million people.  We're a big ass, spread out city.   Largely expensive here because there's been a ton of folks moving to Austin over the last 10-15 years, largely to work in pretty well paying tech jobs.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

3 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

I wouldn't call Austin a "college town".  Our metro area has nearly 2 million people.  We're a big ass, spread out city.   Largely expensive here because there's been a ton of folks moving to Austin over the last 10-15 years, largely to work in pretty well paying tech jobs.

I have always wanted to visit Austin. I am going to try to very soon. We can grab a brew or play a round if it is convenient. Don't worry, we won't discuss politics, unless the subject is Kasich of course 😎

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

33 minutes ago, NolaAuTiger said:

I have always wanted to visit Austin. I am going to try to very soon. We can grab a brew or play a round if it is convenient. Don't worry, we won't discuss politics, unless the subject is Kasich of course 😎

If you make it in, let me know.  I'll make the tee time and then take you to some seriously good BBQ.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

8 hours ago, AU64 said:

In deed I did....and glad things are on the upswing for you....   Most college towns are expensive and I hear that goes double for Austin...but  a good place to live if you can afford it.  My kids are in Charlotte and Greensboro....both very nice cities, good job markets and reasonable housing.   NC is a pretty good place to live.....and pretty affordable so that's my measuring stick.  . 

Thanks, it took a bit and probably 150 resumes and a year but I finally got into my field.

Like Brad said, Austin really isn't a college town anymore. Here is a article from Forbes showing how fast cost here are going up:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2018/10/12/2018-cities-cost-of-living-rising-fastest/#2dd5fa0e3d40

Also like Brad said it has to do with the tech industry. Also you have a large number of people coming from California now where everything in Texas looks inexpensive to them. The rent and the housing is being geared toward these individuals. Also heard about several other places starting to move their HQ's here in other industries now though.

Many of those individuals I was referring to are in tech sales, which when they start they are getting like $32k salaries, and while they do get commission, it takes couple years to build the accounts to make money though. Good friend of mine got his degree in finance and to get into the company he had to start off as a teller at around $35 or so. Might of been less. Same issue for younger teachers (think 39-42K). It is the rent that is getting the majority of them.

[AU64 10,122]

2 hours ago, Texan4Auburn said:

Thanks, it took a bit and probably 150 resumes and a year but I finally got into my field.

Like Brad said, Austin really isn't a college town anymore. Here is a article from Forbes showing how fast cost here are going up:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewdepietro/2018/10/12/2018-cities-cost-of-living-rising-fastest/#2dd5fa0e3d40

Also like Brad said it has to do with the tech industry. Also you have a large number of people coming from California now where everything in Texas looks inexpensive to them. The rent and the housing is being geared toward these individuals. Also heard about several other places starting to move their HQ's here in other industries now though.

Many of those individuals I was referring to are in tech sales, which when they start they are getting like $32k salaries, and while they do get commission, it takes couple years to build the accounts to make money though. Good friend of mine got his degree in finance and to get into the company he had to start off as a teller at around $35 or so. Might of been less. Same issue for younger teachers (think 39-42K). It is the rent that is getting the majority of them.

interesting.....and surprised at the salary rates.....would have expected higher...even starting......  but glad you are heading in the direction you want. 

I knew Austin wasn't a college town but U of Texas is huge and even in a city that large, it probably has an influence on the economy, maybe including a lot of students who will work for next to nothing... and former students who will take a low paying job to stay in the area.  

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

42 minutes ago, AU64 said:

interesting.....and surprised at the salary rates.....would have expected higher...even starting......  but glad you are heading in the direction you want. 

I knew Austin wasn't a college town but U of Texas is huge and even in a city that large, it probably has an influence on the economy, maybe including a lot of students who will work for next to nothing... and former students who will take a low paying job to stay in the area.  

UT certainly has an economic influence here, but not as big of one as you may think.  Besides being the home for brands like Dell, AMD, Texas Instruments, and Home Away, Austin has many other large corporate offices (Google, Apple, and Electronic Arts are great examples).  We also get some really large festivals/events that draw people from around the world like South-by-Southwest, ACL Music Festival, and the only Formula One race in the U.S. (try flying in or out of here during one of those weekends....yikes).  I think Austin is now something like the 11th largest metro area in the country.

To T4A's housing comment, here's a couple of great examples.  The first apartment I lived in here in 2011 was about $800 per month and was a solid 20 minutes from downtown.  That same place now rents for $1,300.  I then bought my house in the suburbs in 2014.  Because of scarcity here thanks to the population boom, it's worth nearly 40% more than what I paid just four years ago.  And there are very few signs of those trends slowing down around here.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

2 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

UT certainly has an economic influence here, but not as big of one as you may think.  Besides being the home for brands like Dell, AMD, Texas Instruments, and Home Away, Austin has many other large corporate offices (Google, Apple, and Electronic Arts are great examples).  We also get some really large festivals/events that draw people from around the world like South-by-Southwest, ACL Music Festival, and the only Formula One race in the U.S. (try flying in or out of here during one of those weekends....yikes).  I think Austin is now something like the 11th largest metro area in the country.

To T4A's housing comment, here's a couple of great examples.  The first apartment I lived in here in 2011 was about $800 per month and was a solid 20 minutes from downtown.  That same place now rents for $1,300.  I then bought my house in the suburbs in 2014.  Because of scarcity here thanks to the population boom, it's worth nearly 40% more than what I paid just four years ago.  And there are very few signs of those trends slowing down around here.

Yup, I'm about 15-20 minutes usually (lol depending on 35) out and I'm at $1290 on my rent. Had to sign a 14 month lease to get that rate also. I know a guy who went to resign and his rent literally went up $100 dollars a month with nothing new.

Dallas is getting this way also. Housing there and population influx. My sisters little house she bought is now worth about $350,000 more due to the neighborhood. They live in Dallas, but the kids are in the Richardson school district and not Dallas. That shot that neighborhood up.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

3 hours ago, AU64 said:

interesting.....and surprised at the salary rates.....would have expected higher...even starting......  but glad you are heading in the direction you want. 

I knew Austin wasn't a college town but U of Texas is huge and even in a city that large, it probably has an influence on the economy, maybe including a lot of students who will work for next to nothing... and former students who will take a low paying job to stay in the area.  

Yup, you do get many students that want to stay here. Austin also tops the lists on best cities, job availability, etc so you get alot of people wanting to move here also. Don't forget it is the Capital, so there are alot of government jobs available in Austin also.

A good example for salaries is believe or not, teachers in Austin actually make less than the state average for teacher pay in Texas.

If your coming here for tech jobs from California, the salaries and the housing costs are great. Salaries in other industries aren't comparable though yet. But, with the unemployment rate people are starting to have retention issues so will be interesting to see how that impacts salaries.

[homersapien 11,352]

On 11/1/2018 at 7:30 PM, SaltyTiger said:

I agree, a lot of people are fed up with the dems/leftist reaction to the Trump election and everything he has accomplished. Real time life has been pretty good lately.

Not as many as are disgusted with Trump.

Speaking of which,  how are you feeling about that "Chinese hoax" thing?

[SaltyTiger 7,761]

3 hours ago, homersapien said:

Speaking of which,  how are you feeling about that "Chinese hoax" thing?

I know nothing about the "Chinese hoax" thing. Been to busy with a few local problems. How  is Russia the thing going? 

[homersapien 11,352]

18 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

I know nothing about the "Chinese hoax" thing. Been to busy with a few local problems. How  is Russia the thing going? 

All quiet on the Eastern Front.

[SaltyTiger 7,761]

5 hours ago, homersapien said:

All quiet on the Eastern Front.

Thank you for the update without 32 pages of Vox Brother Homer. 

With that said I trust Nola and PT are keeping you in check.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

On 11/1/2018 at 8:38 PM, SaltyTiger said:

The Kavanaugh deal caught a lot of attention.

Yes it did! Every democratic senator in a competitive race, who did not vote for Kavanaugh, lost. 

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

2 minutes ago, NolaAuTiger said:

Yes it did! Every democratic senator in a competitive race, who did not vote for Kavanaugh, lost. 

Weren't they also in states that Trump won in 2016?  If so, I wouldn't call those losses too surprising.