Wonder if all those high-tech companies still want to move to TX?

[LearnedHand]

I mean, don’t they sort of require a stable supply of electricity? Won’t their employees expect electrical service to be, you know, available?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. They're going to need good backup generators on site if they do.

[DBoon]

22. They are going to need employees who will accept living through this

High tech employees have options for employment. Relocating to a place where they might freeze to death in freezing weather might be more important to some than living in a place with low taxes and legal guns

[NameAlreadyTaken]

2. If I were them I would just generate my own

with solar and wind.

[Irish_Dem]

6. It's all the public services that may be lacking?

Not just the power grid. But what other infrastructure is lacking due to the conservative state legislature?

[LearnedHand]

12. Excellent point

Texas has some beautiful and even hip places, but the state government is still morally bankrupt, and by policy they despise the poor, the infirm, women, the elderly, and racial/ethnic diversity.

[Irish_Dem]

15. A big company depends upon public services. And an educated diverse workforce.

And pleasant surroundings to attract employees.

At a minimum, a stable power supply seems critical.

While a corrupt state legislature may seem like a good idea, in terms of bribes, etc.,
it doesn't guarantee a stable infrastructure.

[TwilightZone]

17. Power problems aren't limited to Texas.

I find the assertions that companies coming from California, where rolling outages are a way of life in much of the state, are going to suddenly reconsider because of this event, rather laughable.

[Irish_Dem]

20. True. CA is used to nature and acts of God.

And TX is a lot cheaper.

[TwilightZone]

13. They're not.

For decades, Texas was awash in gas/oil money and the infrastructure largely reflects that. It also has one of the largest tax loads in the country, contrary to popular belief. Infrastructure isn't really an issue (with the exception of horrible traffic due to insane growth and the power grid, of course), in spite of the mismanagement and corrupt GOP leadership.

This event is an exception, not the norm. Record cold for an unprecedented duration, combined with historic snow events, preceded by two days of freezing rain. Five separate winter storms came through in one week. Here in Austin, we can go three years without seeing even one. Had more snow in one day than we had in roughly the previous 15 years combined.

This wouldn't even be a blip on the radar of companies coming here.

[Irish_Dem]

18. A state that cannot set up warming stations for its citizens.

Cannot get food out to people.
People burning furniture to stay warm.
Mayors who write horrific nasty statements to citizens.
Corrupt and incompetent public services.

No thanks, I would never move to Texas for a job.
Never. In fact, after this, I would never even visit the state.

[dalton99a]

3. Corporations will use this as an opportunity to demand bigger tax rebates and other concessions

[Irish_Dem]

4. All of the public services they rely on but don't want to pay for.

Texas does not have a stable infrastructure in which to conduct business.

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Bean counters and bidness executroids make those decisions

Nobody bothers to consult the engineers or computer scientists on decisions that go past the next fiscal quarter. I kid, but not by much.

[Irish_Dem]

7. Bean counters work toward short term profit in corporations.

No you are not kidding.

[LearnedHand]

8. I'm so stealing "executroids"

[Cirque du So-What]

11. I stole it from WKRP in Cincinnati

Venus Flytrap took a job with a corporate radio chain (think Clear Channel) and Johnny Fever made a crack about the ‘rising young executroid.’

[TwilightZone]

9. Power issues aren't limited to Texas.

Many companies are coming from California, where rolling blackouts are a known issue.

[DBoon]

23. that's the third time you've posted this.

[qazplm135]

10. I mean 99 percent of the time it is stable

I've been here four separate times in my life totaling 11 years...this is by far the coldest I have ever seen it.

Doesn't mean things didn't get f-ed up but it's not the norm.

[LearnedHand]

14. I agree, it's not the norm

But I’m thinking it may not have been well known thing that TX power grid was not tied to the national power grid. I have multiple-generation Texan family members who didn’t know that, and they aren’t ignorant people.

[qazplm135]

16. I didn't either but if I'm a business

and it otherwise makes sense to come here, a week every generation or so of power issues probably doesn't enter my math.

[LearnedHand]

19. Yup you're probably right

And I’m not wishing business away from TX. I’m just wondering if any are rethinking their decisions. One entire side of my family is there and they all are suffering from this. I also don’t wish that on anyone there. I do wish the dumbass governor would fuck all the way off, however. And the Lt Governor as well, while we’re at it.

[blogslut]

21. Amazon needs bodies

Labor is cheap in Texas. Amazon will absolutely get tax breaks in every town where they set up a warehouse. I mean, Amazon may not be tech-tech but they are tech.