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Growing Pains For Marfa

Marfa's rise as a hip and cultural mecca has made the quirky small Texas town not so picture-perfect for many residents living there.

The San Antonio Express-News reported Sunday that reappraisals this summer of all homes and businesses in rural Presidio County this summer instantly doubled the tax base to $1.14 billion.

The skyrocketing property values are the result of Marfa becoming a darling getaway spot for well-heeled arts lovers and tourists from around the country.

Concerns about longtime residents being priced out are now escalating. Presidio County Judge Paul Hunt says "people with relatives in the cemetery are getting squeezed."

Classroom enrollment is also in long-term decline. Andrew Peters, superintendent of Marfa schools, says there are no jobs or affordable housing for families to move into the district.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.