In another example of a failing bureaucracy, a federal audit found that the Dallas Housing Authority cannot account for some $3.8 million dollars in taxpayer funds. While they still haven’t found the missing money, yesterday they found time to debate a proposal to ban staffers religious expressions in e-mails – though the agency could probably use divine intervention at this point.
Mlevin
New Margins Tax Battering Texas Businesses
On June 15th, Texas business will have to fork over a big of chunk of change to fill state coffers. Some 84 percent of Texas small businesses will see their tax burdens increase by more than 100 percent over their previous franchise tax bill, with more than 40 percent seeing a spike of over 500 perccent.
Apple IPods for Texas Students Take a Bite Out of Taxpayers
It probably sounds too good to be a true to most Texas headbanging middle school students, but they may be getting an iPod on taxpayers’ dime. This past week New Summerfield ISD announced it had received a $17,000 grant from the state to give IPods to 85 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. The money comes the Texas Education Agency’s Rural Technology grant program.
Only an Appraisal District Bureaucrat Could Say a 10% Tax Increase is “Relatively Flat”
The Dallas Morning News has a feature today on appraisal growth in the Metroplex. Here’s a shocker: “Denton County recorded a 14.5 percent jump in preliminary appraisals, though appraisers say the final numbers should drop below 10 percent and into what they’re labeling relatively flat growth.”
Big Government’s Raid on the Banks
It is not surprising that Texas cities restrict strip clubs, but now the City of West Lake Hills near Austin has banned new banks and nearby Lakeway has required them to obtain a unique permit. Why? Because they do not generate sales tax revenue.
City of Dallas Entering Hotel Business with $500 Million in Tax Dollars
Even as local governments like the City of Dallas can barely keep the potholes filled and their jails running properly, they are none too eager to indulge in mission creep. On May 15, the Dallas City Council approved spending $42 million to purchase land to create a city-owned convention center hotel that all told could cost taxpayers $520 million.
Abbott Sides with Taxpayers: No New Property Taxes Without a Constitutional Amendment
Kudos to Attorney General Greg Abbott for an outstanding AG’s opinion released yesterday that concludes the Legislature may not impose new property taxes without a constitutional amendment approved by the voters. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility had submitted a letter brief in February to the AG Opinions Committee and our position, and more importantly Texas taxpayers, prevailed.
State Rep. Smithee, Beaumont Enterprise Say Give It Back
Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) told a local TV station, “The government doesn’t need to be taxing or collecting anymore money than is absolutely necessary. We can either find some place to spend that money or give it back to the tax payers and from my standpoint, it’s the taxpayers money. I’m for anything that will help homeowners and their tax burden.
Texas Schools & Colleges Ask for Additional Tax Dollars Rather Than Control Costs
At an interim hearing this week in McAllen, Texas school districts and colleges demanded yet more tax money. The tag team approach may have backfired though, as South Texas College justified their request on the grounds that two-thirds of their students need remedial classes. What does that say about the job the school districts are doing?
New Business Tax Too Taxing
Many business are bracing for the worst when they file their new gross margins tax report on June 15. Consider Mesquite-based Alco Glass, which reported a loss of $18,000 in 2007, but will owe $6,000 in margin taxes, which will require them to take out a loan. All told, the business tax is expected to forcibly transfer 6.1 billion from the private sector into government coffers.