www.star-telegram.com/2011/04/21/3017707/state-budget-with-smaller-cuts.html They want to tap the rainy day fund to the tune of 6.1 Billion and decrease cuts. What they should do is cut funding to local municipalaties and force them to slightly raise the property taxes. Also increase the gas tax.
As a property owner, I object. I'm sure there are fairly reliable estimates of the amount of waste and fraud that exists within each department or agency. Lower their budgets by this estimated amount and force the managers of those agencies to do their jobs and deliver their programs sans the waste. In 2009 my firm lowered all budgets by as much as 10% across the board. My team and I put our collective heads together and figured out how to deliver more with less. It was actually embarrassingly easy
I'm a property owner too Gecko. I have no problem with state or local entities considering increases to property tax levels. I want government to cut fluff and then increase revenue to the point that necessary services are adequately funded. Taxes are the price we pay to live in society. Paying taxes isn't fun but then neither is living in a third-world country.
What they should do is cut funding to local municipalaties and force them to slightly raise the property taxes. __________________________________________________ screw that, legalize gambling and cut administrative costs, not the labor.
The state has already made draconian cuts over the last eight years. We Texans just don't want to pay for what we get, many of us would rather believe the government does nothing useful or effective. Starving government makes that a self-fulfilling prophecy. The argument to assume waste and make cuts is not a foolish position. The problem is that the assumption has been made over and over. Another problem is that we are basically ignorant about state and local government because most of us (me, included) don't really participate much in it. If cuts are to be found and made, they must now be done with a scalpel, not a machete. Or we can just pay a little more.
Why should I pay more in property taxes for state services...? Am I going to get more state services...? Doubtful. Am I going to pay more in property taxes so a state workers can get the raises that people in the private sector aren't getting? Probably. My property valuation (received it last Saturday) in Montgomery County Texas went up 10%. Every home in my neighborhood saw the same increase. Does that make sense to anyone?
State workers are being let go and the ones that are still around have reduced benefits. As a conservative, the demonization of public employees has been truly disappointing. There has been so much misinformation being thrown around in the last year that it is starting to seem deliberate.
the gas tax should have been raised about a decade ago +. It's been the same forever. supposedly the state can barely maintain the roads as it is.
Just doesn't seem to that tapping the rainy day fund should be the answer when the problem is an accounting one and those in charge of balancing the books have done such a poor job. It isn't like the federal deficit issue in which spending is going out the roof. Texas just has made some bad choices in recent years that have led to decreased revenue and haven't done a good enough job in anticipating it or accounting for it.
Tapping the rainy day fund shouldnt have to be an option. But there's something in what the legislature is doing that's causing the state to lose money and that's what needs to be fixed. That being said, we should use the rainy day fund to soften the blow to the elderly and some teachers and other vital services people depend on to live. Gambling isnt the answer but it definitelty will generate revenue, create jobs and can help with the budget situation. So why dont we get involved and try and voice our ideas and concerns and try to influence the decisions the legislators are making? Gov. doesnt want to raise taxes so property tax increase is off the table. He doesnt want to use any more of the rainy day fund so thats off the table. He doesnt want to exapand legalizing gambling, so that's off the table. Some how the state is incurring most of the debt to pay for education so the Gov and can say he reduced property taxes. This is what we're faced with. And we need to get involved and not be backseat drivers!
If the state agency bosses would only return unused money at the end of their current budgets, instead of going on last minute shopping sprees to justify equal or more for their next budget.
The state just put up a few hundred thou to put decorative lights on the harbor bridge in Corpus, the city is matching it. A total waste of money. Our mayor and council say it helps brand the city and will bring the community together. Really, they said that. The problem with the state's revenue flow is that the business taxes they passed a few years ago to finance ad valorem tax cuts never matched what they said they would. Carole Keeton Rylander Whatever told them that at the time but they let their imaginations overrun reality and we got this mess. The dolts in charge are still in charge and have been joined by a new bunch of dolts who think the solution to every problem is a tax cut. This country as a whole is so out of touch with reality that it is stunning. I want to eat this steak and then have it for lunch again tomorrow. And I don[t want to pay for it even once. And I don[t want any animals to be harmed in producing it. And I want it right now.
With no corporate income tax and no individual income tax, Texas has one of the lowest tax burdens in the country. Texas friendly is the mantra and that translates into one of the best business climates in the United States. Income Tax/Franchise Tax Texas does not have a corporate income tax nor an individual income tax. However, our corporate franchise tax does have a component based on earned surplus. The tax is effectively the greater of 4.5% of earned surplus apportioned to the state under a single-factor gross receipts test or 0.25% of taxable capital. In 2008, Texas will replace its franchise tax with a Margins Tax, a tax of 1% on gross receipts less compensation or cost of goods sold. (retailers and wholesalers will have a rate of 0.5%) Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are exempt. Businesses with revenue under $300,000 are also exempt.
Certainly there are cuts that can be made . However most agencies trimmed their budgets in 03. It isn't quite as easy this go around and many of the savings moving things online have already been realized. Let the governor lead by example. Cuts across the board do not make sense as some boars and agencies are already run much more efficiently than others. It is a predicted shortfall and it could end up being less. There is time to compromise and increase some taxes to at least meet in the middle.
supposedly the state can barely maintain the roads as it is. __________________________________________________ that is because the state steals from the gas tax fund to pay for things out of the general fund. the administrative costs are the deal. it is corruption run rampant in the state and local areas. here is a little myth busting. the myth being that low income schools are failing because they lack the money of the wealthier schools. well, that is a bunch of bs, the truth is that the poor schools spend more per pupil than the wealthier schools..... When Houston school district leaders proposed bringing in new management teams for three of the city's lowest-performing high schools last month, some parents blamed the schools' plight on inferior resources and neglect. A review of Houston Independent School District financial records, however, shows the three schools spend more money per student than the city's top-performing campuses. This revelation caught at least one school board member off guard, leaving HISD decision makers to look at other factors, such as low community involvement and weak leadership, to explain why Yates, Kashmere and Sam Houston high schools have not reversed years of poor academic performance. "It's unfortunate that it takes a controversial issue to come up before our communities rally around the schools," said trustee Kevin Hoffman, whose northside district includes Kashmere. "Everybody will show up for a football or basketball game, but you can't find anyone to show up for a PTA meeting or a community meeting regarding academics." Superintendent Abe Saavedra cited the need to "fundamentally change the management" of the three schools in his call for leadership overhauls at the three campuses. He said the reform groups that take over must redesign management practices and engage parents in the improvement effort. Kashmere and Yates rank first and fourth, respectively, in terms of per-pupil funding among HISD's 23 traditional high schools. Sam Houston ranks 13th. "I was surprised that Kashmere is at the top of the list because I've always gotten a different story from school leadership," Hoffman said. In contrast, HISD will spend from $500 to nearly $2,000 less per student this year at three of the school district's highest-performing schools: Lamar, Bellaire and Westside. Those schools, where more than three quarters of all seniors score above 1,000 on the SAT, occupy the three lowest spots on HISD's per-pupil funding list. The Link __________________________________________________ i would imagine if they dug a little deeper they would find the administrative costs much higher, probably through corrupt hiring practices.
