NEWS
March Lobbying Madness with Public Funds
The Center for Responsive Politics has a new bracket comparing the Sweet 16 universities by their federal lobbying expenditures. By this measure, UCLA ($560k) will play UNC ($31Ok) in the Finals – UT-Austin at $200k would be on the sidelines. The bracket is at: https://www.capitaleye.org/img/lobbying_16.gif.
Moore Conservative
One of the strongest voices for fiscal conservativism, and commonsense governance, is Steve Moore. He founded the Club for Growth, and now serves as senior economics writer at the Wall Street Journal, and a writer on the vaunted editorial page.
Survey Reveals Texas Cities Waste Money
Hot air has arrived before summer, as the City of Austin has paid $20,000 in public funds for a survey of the public on global warming, which asks questions such as “whether you will be affected by climate change.” It also asks respondents to say what the difference is between “global warming” and “climate change.”
Water To Nowhere
It is possible for a city to spend half-a-billion dollars over 25 years for an as-yet unbuilt facility. Just ask the Austin City Council, which seems intent on doing just that. In the mid-1980s, the city planned to spend $165 million to build a water treatment plant. So far they’ve expended $96 million without even construction plans anywhere close to finished, and the project cost has nearly tripled. apparently keeping Austin weird means making taxpayer broke.
More Self
Yesterday I had the privilidge of speaking in Collin County at an event hosted by the chambers of commerce. The real treat, though, was getting to hear County Judge Keith Self address economic policy and fiscal reform. We’ll have more on him in the coming days, but you might want to check out his website: www.keithself.com. Texas needs more county judges, and elected officials in general, like Keith Self.
Pork On Fat
It’s a delicious irony: Texas’ taxpayers are being forced to fork over $250,000 to “invest” in a miracle drug that will allegedly combat obesity. Sound like more high-calorie pork? It’d be cheaper to tell the lard-laden to put the candy-bar down and go for a brisk walk.
Heating Up Unemployment
It’s not just hot-air created by global warming proponents. Now they want your job and family income, too.
List of Texas Taxes Spans 85 Pages
A Houston television report has revealed that the list of fees imposed by Texas state government spans some 85 pages. The story notes that Governor Rick Perry and Rep. Mark Strama will work for legislation next session to ensure that these fees are either used for their intended purpose or abolished.
Union Dues Don’ts
Taxpayers have been picking up the tab for processing paycheck deductions to fund a liberal union’s political activities. Sound rotten? That’s why taxpayer hero Leo Berman is asking the Texas Attorney General to review the process.
Anti-Taxpayer League
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.
Policing The Books
Austin Police have been wrongly spending money seized during the course of investigations – violating state and federal laws governing the way those dollars can be used. Who called in the budget cops? Austin’s own chief of police.
Oh No Vo
State Rep. Herbert Vo is being accused of accepting illegal corporate campaign contributions. The Democratic state representative from Houston allegedly got a company to offer discount coupons on clothes when someone gave money to his campaign. Right about now Mr. Vo should be looking for a “15% off your next legal bill” coupon.