Irving ISD taxpayers are going to be voted on a $250 million bond in 
November that includes replacing laptop computers for every high school student. This is an example of mission creep – in years past parents were in charge of buying supplies for their students. In another example of mission creep, the Corpus Christi City Council has set aside $100,000 for hiring an education director.
Mlevin
If Conroe ISD Can Cut Taxes, Why Can’t Your School District?
While we often pass along bad news for Texas taxpayers, it gives us pleasure to recognize the exceptional government entities that exercise fiscal 
responsibility. A newspaper report reveals that Conroe ISD "is among a very select group of Texas school districts to lower its tax rate by more than 50 cents since the 79th Legislature passed House Bill 1 in May 2006, which required districts across the state to lower taxes." Moreover, 64 percent of Conroe ISD campuses are exemplary or recognized so being fiscally responsible and educationally effective are not mutually exclusive.
A Strike Against Taxpayer Waste at the Ballpark in Houston
KTRK News in H
ouston reports that the Harris County Sports Authority has been dining at the taxpayer trough at a 36-person suite at Minute Maid Park, the home of the Houston Astros. Sports authority board members and their guests racked up $20,000 in food costs, including $440 for beef tenderloin. Most shockingly, the report notes that $145,000 in tickets were simply unused by the Authority, i.e. thrown away. Now, at least some are being donated to non-profits, though they are non-profits that have some connection with a sports authority board member.Â
Texas School Districts Plotting Property Tax Rate Increases
The San Antonio Express-News reports that numerous school districts in San 
Antonio and around the state are preparing to ask their voters to approve tax rate increases. One such district is San Antonio ISD which is on the verge of seeking a tax rate increase even though its superintendent admits it "has been running inefficiently, with one-third of its available facility space going unused."Â
Costly Proposed New Bond Would Push Denton ISD Toward State Cap
The Dento
n ISD school board has announced it will ask voters to approve a $282 million new bond initiative in November. Interestingly, $2 million of the proposal has nothing to do with students – it is to build a child care center for district employees. If this bond measure is approved, the tax bill of a $150,000 home would rise an estimated $48 to $75 a year, according to the district.
Austin Apparatchiks Have Waste and Nepotism in Store for Taxpayers
For those outside Austin, there have been a flurry of reports lately illustrating 
why Austin is known as the People's Republic of Travis County. The City Council is considering banning plastic bags from stores and they gave a $750,000 forgivable loan to a politically connected Mexican restaurant, Las Manitas. Now here's another big enchilada on the taxpayer dime – the latest report is that the City has been running a souvenier store in City Hall at a loss of $250,000 per year to taxpayers.Â
Property Tax Appraisals Skyrocket from Metroplex to Killeen
In Dallas County, total property values are up 16 percent, with about half of that attributable to increases on existing properties, according to a Dallas Morning News report.
Although Collin County has not posted 2007 average home values yet, the Dallas Morning News reports that total appraisals are up 47 percent in Celina , 38.9 percent in Prosper, and 30.3 percent in Melissa, all of which are in the northern part of the county. Assuming half is due to new construction, that is still 15 to 24 percent increases in average home value.
Tainted Performance Measures at the Department of Agriculture
Today, the State Auditor released a report certifying that the Department of Agriculture met only 60 percent (3 of 5 with one of the three certified with qualification) of its performance measures. That's the same Department of Agriculture that, as noted in this post , earlier this month sponsored a swanky gourmet dinner in Austin.
Hitchcock and Galveston Engulfed by Rising Tide of Property Taxes
If you've ever been to Hitchcock, which is situated in the shadows of Texas 
City and its effusive refineries, despite the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, you might be forgiven for not having thought you were in Palm Beach. Hitchcock may not seem like a ritzy resort rolling in money, but don't tell that to the Galveston County Tax Appraiser. It turns out that property values in Hitchcock are increasing by 27.41 percent this year, according to a Galveston Daily News report.
Small Businesses Bracing for Burdensome Business Tax
The San Antonio Express-News reports that many small business owners around th
e state are facing huge bills due under the new state gross receipts tax which starts in 2007, with the first payment to the state due by May 2008. The article notes that many firms are seeing a tenfold increase in tax due as compared with the franchise tax, which it replaces.