A tech worker who left Texas for Tennessee has revealed why he wishes he had moved sooner.
Jim Ward, 61, spent two decades moving around the Lone Star State, occupying four different homes in Houston and Dallas.
speaking to Business InsiderWard said he and his wife Donita ‘finally escaped to Tennessee’ in 2022.
“Over the years, I’ve developed a love-hate relationship with Texas,” Ward explained.
The 61-year-old, who works in cybersecurity, admitted that Dallas-Fort Worth was a haven for tech employees.
Jim Ward, 61, and wife Donita ‘escaped’ to Tennessee after two decades in Texas
Ward said his quality of life had improved dramatically since moving to Knoxville.
“Virtually every major corporation in the United States has a presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, all with their own internal technology needs,” he said.
However, Texas has seen an exodus of tech workers in recent years, particularly from the capital city of Austin.
Google leased Block 185, a sail-shaped skyscraper on the banks of the Colorado River, in 2019.
The company was supposed to move sometime this year, but the timeline is in play amid widespread layoffs.
Automaker Tesla opened its ‘Giga Texas’ factory east of Austin in April 2022, but now plans to lay off 2,688 workers starting in June.
Companies like Apple and Tesla were offered packages worth tens of millions of dollars in property and payroll tax refunds as incentives from the city. However, that may not be enough to make them stay.
After moving its corporate headquarters from the Bay Area to Austin, business software and services company Oracle plans to relocate.
The cybersecurity worker said he got tired of the extreme heat and unpredictable weather.
He acknowledged that the Lone Star State’s biggest draw is its lack of state income taxes, although this is more than made up for by some of the highest property taxes in the country.
Ward also acknowledged that the Lone Star State’s biggest draw is its lack of state income taxes, “although that is more than made up for by property taxes.”
Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the country, as they are essential to fund public services such as police, fire, and public schools.
The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, classified Last year the state property tax was the sixth highest in the United States.
Aside from costs, one of Ward’s biggest complaints centers on weather and climate.
“During the summer it is quite hot and throughout the year there is also strong ice and hailstorms,” he said.
“This can sometimes lead to periods of prolonged power outages during both the summer and winter months.”
Weather in Texas is expected to become more extreme, according to a report from Texas A&M University.
The report, published in April, relied on data from 1900 to 2023 to predict trends through 2036. It found a “significant increase” in the likelihood of droughts, wildfire conditions, urban flooding risks and high temperatures.
Ward praised Knoxville for its bustling downtown, which draws a stark comparison to Dallas-Fort Worth’s “lack of natural beauty” and “pleasant outdoor activities.”
Ward also noted “a lack of natural beauty” and “pleasant outdoor activities.” He and his wife are avid hikers, as evidenced by photos shared on social media.
“As far as geography goes, in the Dallas area the terrain is predominantly flat with few trees,” Ward explained.
“Consequently, outdoor activities are limited and there are few opportunities for hiking and camping.”
The only thing that aggravates the oppressive heat is the lack of foliage and minimal shade.
‘Even activities like running are affected by the relentless heat. I always had to go early in the morning or later at night,” Ward said.
The 61-year-old concluded that his quality of life has improved dramatically since moving to Tennessee.
‘I never really enjoyed downtown Houston or Dallas. But in Knoxville we go downtown almost every weekend; “There are a lot of things you can do without leaving the city,” he said.
“While there are some things about Texas I miss, like its abundance of air travel options and its restaurant scene, I wish we had moved to Tennessee a little sooner.”