What $400 Million Buys You in Texas, Daily Brief April 11, 2024

I spent some time this morning looking at house prices in Texas. I wanted to know what 400 million US dollars could buy you.

No, I’m not planning to move to Texas, and no, I don’t have 400 million lying around.

But that’s the amount of money – Texas taxpayers’ money – the Texas Military Department will reportedly be spending to construct a massive new “Forward Operating Base” near the town of Eagle Pass, on the border with Mexico.

The base is just one part of the US state’s anti-migrant program, called “Operation Lone Star.” We’ve talked about Operation Lone Star’s huge budget and deadly abuses in the Daily Brief before, and highlighted the ugly immorality at the core of the program.

We could also mention that it even hasn’t done what the authorities promised it would do. There is no evidence Operation Lone Star has slowed migration. However, it has cost Texas residents as much as US$ 10 billion.

The pointless new military base is expected to house up to 1,800 national guard members. Given average real estate prices in the area, 400 million dollars could buy every one of them an actual house.

Here’s the math. Divide 400 million by 1,800, and you get US$ 222,222. In Maverick County, where Eagle Pass is located, the median sale price of a home is US$ 258,000, which is a bit high, but in the neighboring counties of Dimmit, Kinney and Zavala, it’s 144,000, and 198,000, and 140,000, respectively. So, yes, 400 million could buy 1,800 nice houses in the area.

Or, you could use that money instead to send those 1,800 national guard members to full, four-year degree programs at Texas A&M University. That costs US$ 30,608 a year for in-state residents, including tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation, and other expenses. In fact, you could do that and still have nearly 180 million left over. [400,000,000 – (30,608 x 4 x 1,800)]

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not really suggesting these spending alternatives. I’m not saying these 1,800 people should be prioritized over others in the state.

I’m simply pointing out that 400 million dollars is a lot of taxpayer money. There are thousands of things authorities could be spending it on.

Can they really think of nothing better to do with that money than further militarize the border and plan to commit yet more human rights abuses under Operation Lone Star?