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As you drive Austin area roadways and watch the falling prices on gas station reader boards, you probably wonder how long the lowering gasoline price situation will continue. One seasoned observer sees a cautiously optimistic outlook. Austin area sales tax collections – a measure of retail vitality – were up in June, compared to the year before. But not by much. Speaking of taxes, a recent report ranks Texas 43rd on the list of state-by-state tax environments. Hey, not to worry. Number One is the worst. Count your lucky tax stars. After all, you could be living and working in California, where the governor is proposing a sales tax increase. Often overlooked when economic vitality is measured is an analysis of non-essential spending by residents of the Austin area. One anecdote reveals an interesting result. Over the past three decades, Austin has made smart, strategic decisions about creating an economic and social climate where technology companies flourish and the people who work for them can enjoy a high quality of life – so reports an out-of-state journalist. Want more? Subscribe to the Austin Letter and get the whole story.

"As a longtime subscriber to the NEAL SPELCE AUSTIN LETTER, I am happy to say that Spelce's product just keeps getting better and better. Always well reported, written, and edited, it has somehow found a way to improve in all of these categories. Neal has more experience reporting from and about Austin than anyone I know, and the depth and range of his contacts is amazing. What's more, he has a real 'feel' for the city. He's so good at scooping out trends and future developments, in fact, that I sometimes suspect he uses some secret Austin Ouija board, to which he alone is privy." -- Dan Rather, CBS News

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