Living in the Texas capital takes a lot of capital, especially for those at the lower end of the wage spectrum. A new study from Move.org ranks Austin as the most expensive city in America for minimum wage earners. At the same time, city leaders are defunding the police and proposing a major tax increase to go on the ballot this fall.
George Seay, CEO of Dallas-based Annandale Capital, tells KTRH liberal cities like Austin continue to get it backwards when it comes to helping those in lower income brackets. "It's ironic how super left-wing policies end up harming the most vulnerable in society," he says. "They tend to be really regressive because they can't help themselves, they want to tax everybody and raise revenue for government."
Seay believes both Democrats and Republicans tend to focus too much on those who contribute to their campaigns rather than the little guy. "The wealth inequality has just soared, and that creates all this class warfare and envy," he says. "There's been a lack of generosity and a lack of emphasis on lifting up small business and small business employees."
The solution, he argues, is a tried and true one. "Supply side economics and pro-business policies do improve the station of the least fortunate in society, there's no question about it."
"I would say to government leaders get out of the way...cut red tape and stop increasing taxes," says Seay. "But good luck with that in Austin, Texas. They're trying to emulate Seattle and San Francisco."