Elon Musk moves to Texas • Hacker News Board

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#261

Post by egsmi » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:39 PM UTC

nouveaux wrote: post #146

perryizgr8 wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't those federal subsidies though?

California subsidized every Tesla sold. I'm not complaining about it but it should be on record that California helped to give Tesla a boost. It was definitely the right move. I can't think of another state in this country where Tesla would have thrived nearly as well as California. Do you think Tesla would have done well in Texas back in 2003? All those oil guzzlers would have laughed Elon Musk out of the state.

Technically that was an "electric car" subsidy, not a Tesla subsidy. But I am pretty sure the lion share of those 200,000 cars were Teslas judging by whose driving in the carpool lane with single occupancy, so it's probably fair to say it was a de facto Tesla subsidy. But do we really blame Tesla for other manufacturers not being able to take advantage? That seems a bit unfair too.

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-stock-price-california...

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#262

Post by WillPostForFood » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:39 PM UTC

chadlavi wrote: post #168

S_A_P wrote: post #158

Pretty interesting to see this move makes people so salty. There does seem to be a trend of people fleeing California, I dont know enough about the situation out there to comment on whether or not its valid. I suspect something must be going on for several high profile folks moving out. And before you bash Texas, its not perfect. But its pretty diverse, and it seems that folks with opposing viewpoints can still coexi…

It's a tax dodge.

If you want to do things, it is easier in Texas. That's a general statement, and I mean it generally. It isn't just taxes. There is friction on everything you try to do in California. Life is easier and happier without it.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#263

Post by toomuchcabbage2 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:39 PM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #253

techsupporter wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My birth certificate says "Texas" across the top and people have been "fleeing California" to Texas for as long as I've been alive. There's nothing special about Musk; he just happens to be high-profile about it and managed to extract more from California before decamping to a "cheap" state than several of those who came before him. I disagree with your assessment that Texas has wide acceptance for opposing viewpoint…

> For example, to this day I do not recommend being openly gay and living near Tyler. > If someone moved to Texas, they made a choice to accept it and I will not knock people for their individual choices. Sucks if you're gay and are born near Tyler. In case others will knock you for something that wasn't even a choice to begin with.

Sucks to be white and born in Detroit.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#264

Post by Animats » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:39 PM UTC

It's all about the tax evasion: "If he remained in California, he’d be facing income taxes on the profits when he exercises (stock options). In Texas, there is no income tax."

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#265

Post by djcooley » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

I am from Texas and currently live in Austin, but I also had the opportunity to live in many places in the world (Bay Area, China, Singapore, and Norway) spread out over a decade.

As much as I have admired and enjoyed many of those places, I always knew I would come back to Austin. The quality of life you get here, all things considered, simply cannot be beat.

After I graduated from school in the Bay Area (circa 2005), I recommended to many friends in high-tech to move to Austin. Most said no, for many reasons. Fast forward to today, and many of those individuals have made the move or are thinking to do so at this point. It is for the same reasons: cost of living, raising a family, space to build, etc. I welcome their arrival and hope they take the time to learn about the city and what makes it special.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#266

Post by gradys » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

InitialLastName wrote: post #150

gradys wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does taking private loans against his private assets count as socializing risk? The banks he gets these loans from understand the risk and do not represent "society".

As we've seen, when banks' habits of making bad loans catch up with them they tend to get bailed out by the federal government.

If you mean 2008, yeah, you're right, but those were mostly loans to relatively low income people buying homes, not loans against billionaires' unrealized capital gains.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#267

Post by wnevets » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

Elon Musk also thinks covid is a hoax. I'm really sick of seeing musk spam everywhere.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#268

Post by maxharris » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #187

pyrrhotech wrote: post #181

Moving out of CA was the best decision I ever made. Now I can drive on the roads without traffic, pay 0 state income tax and live my life peacefully without being surrounded by bums and social justice warriors. Downvote away SJWs!

>pay 0 state income tax Do you see this as a good thing? How does your state fund itself?

What if the cool new thing to do is to set up charitable organizations to voluntarily solve social problems? Example: https://massliberation.net/

The old model of ever-increasing taxes and regulations only furthers the interests of large businesses. They have the scale and reach to use those things as tools to prevent fair competition at the expense of everyone else.

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#269

Post by gautamcgoel » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

cheese_van wrote: post #218

I too moved to a less onerous tax state so I can't fault Mr. Musk. I so enjoy living in a country where that is possible, and that, if you have the means, you can follow the jobs from state to state, or if you will, follow the capital. Capital moves where it feels comfortable and so do people. It's not much of a story really, except for Mr. Musk's celebrity.

I'm curious, from which state to which state did you move? How much did you save?

Re: Elon Musk moves to Texas

#270

Post by eplanit » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

boringg wrote: post #95

It's unfortunate that Elon is leaving California given that the state has really lifted him to the pedestal he is on - through the talent network (highly talented employees, VCs), and the progressive policies that CA built for clean technology (Solar, EVs, Energy Storage). That was paid for on the backs of the people. Funny how short his memory is. Elon is a talented man - I absolutely respect what he's done. However…

I see it the other way around. Musk's success and impact are of of truly historic proportions, and his being in California helped lift its credibility and reputation. It's sad for California to lose him (and the loss of his businesses to the extent that will happen).

It's odd to me to be so aligned with the State to claim it is responsible for one's success, without accounting for the jobs he created, and the related industries he energized. California benefits from people like Musk. As more companies and thought leaders leave (as they should given the direction of CA's policies), the state will suffer.