ABSTRACT
The economy of Austin reveals extraordinary success by virtually every economic measure expansion of jobs, growth in per capita income, increases in businesses, population growth, and improvement in average salaries. Many view Austin as a political and social anomaly. Tension between environmental preservationists and advocates of unrestricted growth permeates Austin’s contemporary political scene. The city of Austin operates within the broader social context of the state of Texas, a state commonly characterized by values such as individualism, economic conservatism, moral conservatism, and distrust of large entities. Dominant views of the state include faith in the market economy, traditional values, and promoting the rights of ordinary people. These perspectives are consistent with public policies of low taxes, minimal government services, and support for business. Many Texans openly disparage the thinking of liberals in general and the policies of specific politicians such as native son Lyndon Johnson. Liberalism, for many Texans, is associated with lawlessness, disorder, paternalism, and dependency.
