Hey GT. Again I am not suggesting where one lives is better than where another lives. I see that Hays County has one of the highest property tax rates in the country, Cooke County where I reside is a little lower but not much. We are ranked at 494th in the country, while Hays is ranked at 118th in the entire country. There's 3143 counties in USA. I see that Calhoun County MS is ranked at 2370. I guess that's the price that we pay for living in a state with no state income tax. As far as sales tax goes, that depends on a lot of factors in Texas. The Texas state sales and use tax rate is 6.25 percent, but local taxing jurisdictions (cities, counties, special-purpose districts and transit authorities) also may impose sales and use tax up to 2 percent for a total maximum combined rate of 8.25 percent. So you're getting a break at 8.125%. Here I pay the full 8.25%.
I am fully aware of that, I did not intend to infer otherwise. By the way, the UT system supports 14 institutions while the A&M system supports 11 institutions, so they money is spread out.
At five acres in Texas, you do not qualify for an ag exemption. That's too bad considering how much you have to dole out.
I see that you are lucky to have income off the property in Mississippi, albeit having to pay income tax on it to both state and federal governments. I am assuming that you have to pay to both.
The figures that I have show that your estimate of property tax to be too high, but they may not be comparing apples to apples. Their sales tax is 7% according to Google. Mississippi is definitely about 66% lower using the numbers that I have looked at for property tax. By the way, I like the state of Mississippi, but not enough to move there. Too much invested here and all of my grand kids are within 70 miles.
So on a slightly different subject. Is that timber used for dimensional lumber or pulpwood?
This has been an educational conversation.
Its probably 6.25 - 8.25% here . Usually its 1 to 2 above the base . The only time I buy locally is HEB and an ocassional trip to Home Depot ,Target,TSC. And it varies depending on the taxing authority , I have about 4 HD within 45 minutes all in different tax areas , some rural some incorporated , some with mass transit , some without.
Its inherited property so this time around theres not enough to over run the value at the time of inheritance (timber prices have slipped). The next round the money will likely be significant .
If its 7 its gone up , when I lived there it was around 5- 6 state . thats been 30 years.
My taxes in Hays have gone up 10 % per year for last 2 years and thats with a new pipeline being built with in half mile. Here we just have no industry to support the kind of spending thats been going on at the county and school districts , it was ok a few years ago because the state passed tax relief under Perry? it dropped from $4400 down to $3500 , but there hasn't been any relief in about 15 years ? I don't how much longer ( this part of Hays is or was largely retired people) it can continue.
The main thing over there , land prices are much more reasonable , $1000/acre vs $20,000 /acre here. Although thats changing because a lot of people are moving in from out of state , Low land prices and cheap property tax is whats pulling them in . After a long period of stagnation , Jackson has really exploded growth wise on the east side all the way to Brandon ,MS. I have also heard that Meridian
In my case 20 year old Lobloly plantation pine , state supplied trees (non genetic or select) , the loads ran right at 50% pulp (less than 10") 50 % chip'n saw( 12"-14") . pulp prices are pathethic at $5.00/ton C and S was $14/ton , ~3600 tons total , I think . @ roughly 30 tons to the truck.
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Chip'n Saw is mixed , small saw 2x4 2x6 , the excess is chipped for chip board / pulp / or cellulose (saw dust/NDF , non digestable fiber ) , Not that much is used for paper . Cellulose is used as a food additive for primates . If you dont get paper bags at the grocery store , they drop the price and it goes in the food you eat , either way you walk out of grocery store with it.
Fully grown timber 35 - 40 year (18"-24") will go for plywood , large dimensional , or if its straight power poles. Right now ply ~$25 /ton poles $40+ /ton .Full grow harvest @ 180 - 250 trees/acre.
We lost a paper plant in LA due to low demand a couple of years ago but recently gained a decking mill within 25mi. The main consumer is GP and a few ma and pa specialty mills.
Between prescribed burns,fire lanes and thinning techniques , most of the fire towers are gone.
The biggest enemy now for trees is beetles and environmentalist.
Due to low paper demand, some parts of the state pulp is ~ $3 /ton so its hard get anybody to cut it especially on sub 100 acre tracts. Thats causing a lot of landowners to either reduce the number they plant , or not plant at all ( chicken houses) .
Our biggest ally is California environmentalist , they're saving the forest in California from the saw , so it can burn to the ground and take the towns and subdivisions with it . We sell them the lumber to rebuild.