Tony G, Tulsa (10/24/2009 6:18:25 AM)

Obviously--Mr. Agee, doesn't LIVE here. Doesn't see the bad streets, the high crime rate, doesn't understand the financial MESS made by queen Taylor.

Dr_Doom, Latveria (10/24/2009 8:36:14 PM)

We'll you gotta start somewhere I suppose and latch on to whatever you can.

Mar, Tulsa (10/24/2009 11:19:59 AM)

Congratulations to Tulsa and OKC!

Well, sweet tea, I'm glad you are in Dallas. We need positive people here in Tulsa to counter act all the griping and complaining all the time about Tulsa on these boards, we don't need another complainer.

Cherylann states: "Property taxes are really high in Dallas. ..." There you go, see different cities and states get their revenues from different sources. Dallas, etc. have high property taxes, Oklahoma/Tulsa doesn't, as they have sales tax which TX doesn't. If Oklahoma didn't have sales tax then the property tax would be higher.

A lot of you people complain about the high taxes here in Tulsa, OK, and I agree some of the taxes are too high. But there are higher taxes elsewhere. Kansas for instance has higher taxes on vehicles. I bought a Honda Civic in 2008, my tag and taxes here in Oklahoma were around $450. Had I tagged and paid taxes in Kansas (I use to live there), I would have had to pay $1,100.

Few Clothes, America (10/23/2009 8:34:57 PM)

Oklahoma and Texas cities dominated the top ten. We're both doing something right.

Few Clothes, America (10/24/2009 10:39:17 AM)

Centrist, property tax here is more costly than in Oklahoma creating some revenue for the state. I know that Austin continued new construction during the recession, and I imagine DFW, San Antonio, and Houston did also.

Few Clothes, America (10/24/2009 11:33:42 AM)

Cherylann. The tax rate in Dallas is $19.15 per thousand, which is higher than Austin at $18.00. Tulsa's rate is $10.53 to OKC's $10.53. The research I did concluded that it depends largly on what counties the city is located in. Examples would be Columbus, TX at $10.22 and Cordell, OK at $6.25. Texas property tax is higher, but you get basically a 7% raise in salary due to no state tax. The last groceries I purchased was 4 bags for $24.89 and there was no tax on any of them.

I will be interested in hearing about your first cold winter in Tulsa. Keep in touch.

irwindale, Tulsa (10/23/2009 1:17:54 PM)

Watch the Tulsa Chamber will take credit for the ranking as well as baked bread!

Jc214, Tulsa (10/24/2009 2:04:08 AM)

#5 Dallas my homewtown! I miss that place.

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 12:16:20 AM)

It's hard to agree when Benham, an oil company no less, laid off both my girlfriend and myself plus 39 others. It is hard for a drafter when Texas oil company's fail and Bartlesville's flooded with people

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 12:18:35 AM)

I think I might have some buried issues

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 2:16:42 AM)

I hate to be cynical but intellegence always nags at me, though it does nothing for my spelling. What good is list anyways? To encourage more people to move here and find that there aren't any jobs? To bolster the encomies of failing cities with competition? Think about it, and hopefully someone proves me wrong, how many people would flock to Tulsa, just for say, because of a magazine article? Tulsa isn't that big and it wouldn't take many to upset the balance, if there is one. Strange how a few people at a magizine company can change so many peoples lives. Sorry for my banter

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 2:19:24 AM)

Reminds me of a Bill Hicks qoute. 'I hate to sound like an @ssh0le, but I am, so thats how it comes out.'

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 2:30:58 PM)

I've lived in Denver and Dallas, and one problem I can see for the actual city of Tulsa is that it is very condensed compared to those two. You have alot of people coming into the city from outside cities, which isn't very far, and the majority of their taxes stay close to home, hence and so forth the city of Tulsa misses out on alot of that. I will say traffic in Denver is alot worse than Dallas, but Denver isn't on the list so not point in that I guess.

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 5:18:55 PM)

Most illegal immagrants from Mexico live in the southern states. Strange that Pres. Bush claimed that they are what would hurt our economy, yet look who is on this stronget cities list.

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 5:22:24 PM)

My friend is making me put this conspiracy on this board for your amusement I guess. 'Maybe the list isn't real. Maybe it is just propaganda to try and calm everyone. Maybe every area of the states got a list of their own.'

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 5:25:00 PM)

'Either way, close the gates San Antonio!!!'

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 7:48:36 PM)

"Tulsa is open for business and we are thriving despite the national recession."

This guy must have already retired.

you'rekidding, tulsa (10/24/2009 7:50:35 PM)

All this talk of how we are doing instead of doing it makes me repressed.

Groove Monster, San Antonio (10/24/2009 11:38:39 AM)

I'm being demoted from #1 to #7... calling my bosses to tell them I quit, they can't make me move from San Antonio to Tulsa!

San Antonio doesn't have the highest crime rate in Texas, but we do have a high amount of violent crime here. Traffic flow is atrocious at best, very poor planning of the roads.

My wife and I bought our house in 2001 for about $97K, now it's value is $124K. But the taxes here are killer especially in the NISD. For 1697 sq ft, I pay $3081 in taxes (with the Homestead exemption). The school taxes alone from that are $1458. The growth here is the same as it is in Tulsa, everyone is moving out of the city limits, but the city keeps growing and annexing new areas. They have recently begun projects to "revitalize" the downtown area, but most of the major employers here aren't even downtown, so it's not going so well.

My wife and I are looking forward to getting away from the "big city" environment. We will be looking at homes in some of the smaller towns around Tulsa.

Also, the gas here in TX is more expensive, it's part of the reason we don't have a state tax. It's so darn big here you have to drive a day to get anywhere, so they know you'll be buying plenty of gas.

aint missbehavin, no thanks (10/24/2009 5:08:46 PM)

since everyone is missing the lone star state,Im hopin that it really is a strong feelin and makes some want to ge there.Ya know they are havin a one day sale down that way.

yep, Tulsa County (10/24/2009 9:43:15 AM)

What does a "strong city" mean? Obviously they didn't look at streets, or the number of regulations/hoops it takes to deal with for a small business to open. We also were rated as a "bicycle friendly" city too... Uhhh...

SS_Hippy, Tulsa (10/26/2009 8:17:04 AM)

would you rather commute to work in Tulsa, or in Austin? or Dallas? or Houston?

Centrist, the burbs (10/24/2009 1:29:58 AM)

We also have that nasty tax and title tax on vehicles too Cherylann. I bought a vehicle in TX a few years back and they said if I lived there I wouldn't have to pay that. I guess each state gets it somehow. How did TX get their revenue?

I'm glad OK made the list.

Corvetteguy, Tulsa (10/23/2009 1:02:07 PM)

Tulsa has a lot going for it, but hasn't had good leadership at the top in many decades. During the boom years of the 1980s, we had a "ribbon cutter" for a Mayor that never provided one day of true leadership.
The proof of the poor leadership, is that virtually all the surrounding communities prospered and grew, while Tulsa suffered an exodous of taxpayers to those surrounding towns that had their act together.
Now it's time that we desparately need strong leadership. Someone who can make tough financial decisions, AND, even more importantly, can get a handle on this crime problem we have.
Who is that leader?...............

DaBirdman, (10/24/2009 11:30:03 AM)

OK y'all---I am originally from Tulsa but currently living in Austin.......but......I have family in T-Town and want to come back! If anyone would like to hire a good salesman----