People respond to leadership, especially when it is leadership driven by principles. It's always good to see people recognize a good thing when they've got it.
Michael Quinn Sullivan
And How Much For The Photocopier?
Legislators failed to return the $14.3 billion surplus, giving Texans some much-needed property tax relief. But, as a consolation, now comes word that your state government is spending your money to buy a letter many experts say is a fake.
Pigs Squeal When You Stick ‘Em
How do you know you've got a pig cornered? When it starts squealing.
A reporter stopped by unannounced on Wednesday. It appears several Republican lawmakers are angry that you are paying attention. They don't like the fact taxpayers and voters are now asking questions about how they voted in Austin.
Beaumont To El Paso, Taxes Going Up
Reports keep filtering in from cities and counties across the state: local officials are jacking up property taxes. When the Legislature "bought down" school property taxes, the inevitable result was other taxing entities filing the gap created and raising their rates. Now comes word from Beaumont that Jefferson County is joining the city fathers in El Paso, Dallas, San Antonio, and elsewhere in raising taxes.
In Jefferson County, the tax hike is meant to fund a 9-percent increase in the salaries of elected officials, and a 7-percent raise for the bureaucrats (funny how that works, eh?).
Faster Than A Speeding Bullet
If you woke up this morning feeling like your pocket was being picked, you shouldn't be surprised — the new state fiscal year arrived with a roar. The budget approved by the Legislature is spending your money at the rate of $2,417.18 per second. Just 8 hours and 40 minutes into the budget year, Texas' legislators have spent more than $75 million.
Lege to Taxpayers: Shut Up
Kudos to Gov. Rick Perry for an unheralded veto that saved one of Texas' few local taxpayer protections. He stopped legislation that would not only have allowed unchecked tax increases, but would have effectively disenfranchised Texas' voting taxpayers. The Legislature, city councils, school districts and county commissioners just wanted taxpayers to shut-up… and pay-up.
During the Session, House and Senate members passed legislation to severely restrict taxpayers and voters from petitioning local government for rollback elections.
El Paso Taxpayers: Pay Up
Same song, different verse. Like taxpayers around the state, the people of El Paso are getting hit hard by their city council with an 8.4 percent increase in property taxes. The reason? “We don't have enough police officers,†according to the El Paso Times. Translation: Pay higher taxes, or the rapists will be dropped off in your neighborhood.
Energy Taxes Today Hurt Us Tomorrow
What do you do when the price of an essential commodity has risen so high that it fuels inflation, devastates family budgets and threatens the economy? Obviously, you raise taxes on it, causing its price to go up even more!
At least, that’s what you do if the commodity is energy and you’re a politician.
Advertising Government
When government resorts to advertising its programs and services, that’s a sure sign government has gotten just a little too big.Â
Texas bureaucrats spend millions every year advertising the Children’s Health Insurance Program and other welfare assistance activities. They literally beg people to feed at the government trough.Â
State Rep. Tells Court: I Know Nothing
In what is either a rare act of political honesty or an unbelievable admission of dereliction of duty, or both, State Rep. Fred Hill (R-Richardson) swore under oath that he doesn’t know anything about the state’s existing spending limit.
Odd, considering he has served for years on the extremely powerful Legislative Budget Board – the 10 appointed members of which are specifically charged by the Legislature to “Adopt a constitutional spending limit.†In fact, that is the first responsibility listed on the LBB web site!
“I do not have any involvement in the development or calculation of the State spending limit,†swore Mr. Hill on August 7, 2007.  (Taxpayers and voters would be excused if they break into a little swearing of their own at this point.)