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That ticking sound from Austin

With just 10 days left in the legislative session, time is running out. On the one hand, that is a good thing – less time for bad things to get done. On the other, it’s less time for good things to be accomplished. Either way, the clock is ticking. Here are some important items pending in the Senate…

Your Tax Relief On Life Support

It's hard to believe I'm even having to write this: but your only shot at getting even a little bit of honest property tax relief is on life support, and hours away from death. Please call your legislator today and ask them to demand that House Bill 2785 come up for a vote right now!
 
Due to the rules of the Legislature, H.B. 2785 must be heard essentially now, or it is dead.

Thousands of Texans Demand Budget Reform

Real Spending Limits, Budget Transparency Highlighted In Letters

AUSTIN, Texas – By the thousands, Texans are demanding that the legislature act now on significant budget reforms that will provide for a strong spending limit and real spending transparency.

Thousands of postcards and letters from Texas voters to their legislators were presented at a Capitol press conference this morning. They were then hand-delivered to the legislators’ offices. (Sign the letter online!)

More Taxes, Courtesy of Republican Fred Hill

There was once a time when Republicans were known as the tax-cutters; people who – if nothing else – would work to make sure the taxpayers’ money stayed in the taxpayers’ wallet (as State Rep. Rob Eissler likes to say).

That was then, this is now. State Rep. Fred Hill (R-Richardson) wants to raise your local taxes. Sure, he wants to start with the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But don’t worry; this new tax will spread like a virus to every city in Texas. He is pushing a bill to let those cities raise their sales tax to fund mass transit. (Never mind that mass transit is usually spelled “B-O-O-N-D-O-G-G-L-E.” or, in the original French, “P-O-R-K”)

House Votes to Stop Appraisal Districts from Suing Taxpayers

While little has been accomplished this session for taxpayers so far, some good news came todwharton countyay when the House unanimously  passed HB3490 which will prevent appraisal districts from suing property taxpayers when they win their appeal before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB).  This common sense measure, which was triggered by a recent Wharton County case, that protects taxpayers from government-funded lawsuits when they have already won their case will now go to the Senate.  The bill only applies if the value of the property is less than $1 million.

House Passes an Appraisal Relief Bill – Will the Senate Follow?

Last week, the Texas House finally passed a piece of property tax relief taxeslegislation, voting in favor of HB216 by Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton) by a margin of 87-53.  This bill allows appraisal districts a margin of error of 10 percent, instead of the current 5 percent, in appraising properties.  While the Texas Constitution prohibits a statewide appraisal, the Comptroller's Property Value Study (PVS) is used to reduce school equalization funds to districts taht are below 5 percent in the sample of properties evaluated by the PVS.

Super-Subsidize Me

 

It's getting increasingly easy to get on the government gravy train. From movie studio execs to Ph.D. families, the hand-outs just don't end in this Republican-controlled legislature. Small government. Right…

This week, the Texas Senate's Finance Committee is considering a hand-out to mega-rich movie moguls threatening to take their latte's and go shoot their TV shows somewhere else.

Pauken Tries to Push Property Tax Relief Up the Hill

The Tyler Morning Telegraph has a revealing story today (see link or below) in hillwhich Tom Pauken, the chair of the Governor's Property Tax Reform Task Force, is quoted stating how disappointed he is with the lack of progress so far.  He speaks candidly about what he sees as the primary obstacle to significant protections to control skyrocketing appraisals: Representative Fred Hill, Chairman of the House Local Ways and Means Committee.  Referring to Hill as "hard-headed," Pauken notes that Hill has so far blocked all but the most cosmetic reforms. 

Senator Patrick Goes to Bat for Taxpayers – Identifies Nearly $3 Billion in Spending Cuts to Save Taxpayers’ Money

Senator Dan Patrick has once again demonstrated that he is not afraid to patrickrock the boat in order to stand up for taxpayers.   He not only voted against a $152 billion Senate budget ($2 billion more than the House version) but further listed over $2.9 billion in specific cuts he would make.   This is a gutsy move on behalf of taxpayers.  His proposed cuts appear below.  Of course, there are arguments that some of these programs are within the legitimate role of government and deserve funding, but Senator Patrick is right on target and, at the very least, these cuts should have been debated.  

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