West Texans probably felt their wallets being picked this week, as government-growers and tax-hikers went to Odessa in an effort to prop up the frail candidacy of Buddy West in a Republican run-off. West got kudos from anti-taxpayer lawmakers like Delwin Jones of Lubbock, Jim Pitts of Waxahachie, Jim Keffer of Eastland, and Edmund Kuempel of Seguin. Five Republicans, and not a fiscal conservative in their midst.
Buddy West is in a run-off against conservative Tryon Lewis, a former district judge who retired from the bench and is seeking to bring a little sense to the Texas Legislature.
West’s interest in being supported by that anti-taxpayer Jones-Pitts-Keffer-Kuempel gang raised a few eyebrows. These guys together have a combined Responsibility Index of 60.7. That’s kind of like asking to be tutored by the worst kid in math class. Not a recipe for success.
But then, West’s own score of a 71 doesn’t inspire much confidence. He’s been taking an increasing number of stinker votes, and is increasingly siding with the liberals in matters of policy.
Jim Keffer is quoted in the Odessa American as saying West is the reason Texas has a strong economy. Now that’s rich. Keffer gave us a massive new tax, with West nodding along like a bobblehead. Their new tax hasn’t yet kicked in.
By the way, this is the same Jim Keffer who proposed a payroll tax as a way to finance state government. You and I would recognize that as an income tax.
