NEWS
A Clear Vision For Texas
One of the worst Republicans in the Texas Legislature is Fort Worth’s Charlie Geren. He scored an abysmal 45% on the TFR Index. He consistently votes against taxpayers, and in opposition to conservative principles, every chance he gets.
Scouting Principles
Last night I attended a dinner benefiting the Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. As an Eagle Scout, I’ll be forever in scouting’s debt for the values, principles and skills they tried to instill me – how successfully it took is perhaps a different question.
Flag This Play
No issue is too small, apparently, for legislative intervention. That’s about the only conclusion you can draw from lawmakers wanting to insert themselves’ in the dust-up between the NFL and the cable industry. One thing’s is for sure, if the Legislature does get involved, taxpayers will end being sacked, tackled and fouled.
Maybe We Can Just Walk To Work?
A friend of Empower Texans and TFR today passed along the "newsletter" that accompanies his water bill in the City of Taylor. The newsletter brags about a $574,000 grant from the Texas Transportation Commission to the Taylor Independent School District for the construction of new sidewalks "in several neighborhoods." What?
Harris County Republicans Oppose De Facto City of Houston Tax Increase
Houston Mayor Bill White has proposed a mere 1/8 of one percent tax rate decrease, but this would actually result in a large tax increase due to rising appraisal vaues, leading Harris County Republican leaders and activists to demand real relief.
TPPF Commentary – Schools Can’t Break Addiction to Higher Taxes
Remember the big school property tax cut you were supposed to get? Your local school district might be about to take it away.
Last year, the Legislature passed a plan that used the state’s new business tax and part of the state’s $14 billion budget surplus to buy down the property tax rates for day-to-day operations to $1.00.
Constitutional Propositions
My friends at the Plano-based Free Market Foundation have produced a fantastic summary of the statewide constitutional ballot, with "pro" and "con" arguments for each. (You can view their work here.) Remember, your local ballot will probably have additional questions — school districts seeking to raise taxes, county bonds, etc. Check your county’s website to see the full ballot for your area.
The Right Man
One of the taxpayers’ best friends in the Texas Legislature is Bill Zedler, R-Arlington. And that means the grow-government crowd has painted a target on his forehead.
Republicans In Name
House Speaker Tom Craddick put voice this week to what conservative voters have been depressed about for several years: there are some Republican legislators who work against the conservative agenda. Here’s what Speaker Craddick said in the Midland Reporter-Telegram: "Even though we’ve got this Republican majority, we have several Republicans who don’t vote with the rest of us."
Running Right
While in Temple this week to guest-host a radio show, I had the opportunity to meet Michael Pearce. Hopefully you’ll get to know him, too. A Marine veteran and former classroom teacher, Pearce is running for the open House District 55 seat in the Texas Legislature. Not only does he appear to be right on the issues, he is running a campaign in the right way.
Dallas ISD Trims Central Office Staff, Gets Blowback from Big Spenders
Kudos to Dallas ISD for trimming its central office staff by 163, freeing up money either for classroom instruction or taxpayers.
Is Lege’s School Rate Cut Driving Higher School Taxes?
It’s an inconvenient truth, but not only did the legislature’s effort to buy-down school property tax rates not result in lower tax bills (because they left the appraisal process untouched), but it has lead to higher school taxes. At least one elected official is calling it right.