State Legislator (Texas) Proposes State Income Tax

Houston Comical ^ | 24 October 2003 | Associated Press

[PetroniDE]

Legislator proposes state income tax

Says plan is a fair way to fund schools

EL PASO -- The only fair way to reform school financing is to create a state income tax, lower property taxes and write an ironclad law that ensures the money is spent on education, a senator told a Texas House caucus on Thursday.

However, Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, who spoke at a Mexican American Legislative Caucus hearing in El Paso, said he didn't believe the current method of financing, called "Robin Hood," is broken.

The Texas Legislature is expected to be called to a special session next year to replace the current method of school financing, which redistributes some property tax money from property-rich districts to poor ones.

Shapleigh said a plan promoted by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst that would increase and expand the state's sales tax doesn't raise enough money, shifts taxes from wealthy to lower-income taxpayers and increases the gap between wealthy and poor school districts.

"You can feel it in your bones that (lawmakers) are moving toward a sales tax," Shapleigh said. "This is going to be the default position unless we mobilize our base, our people, and encourage others to do the same."

Dewhurst spokesman Mark Miner said the lieutenant governor has just begun the process of finding another way to fund public schools and will use the proposal as a starting point.

"There needs to be tax reform to address school finance," Miner said. "We need to ensure that urban and rural, small and large schools have adequate funding."

Shapleigh, who represents an area that has relied heavily on Robin Hood money, gave a presentation showing how few revenue sources are available to replace that money and to pay for new students.

His proposal calls for implementing a provision in the state constitution.

That provision says legislators must put a state income tax to a statewide vote. If passed, two-thirds of the tax would be dedicated to property tax relief and the remaining revenue would be distributed equitably among the state's school districts.

It requires any future increase in the income tax to be approved by another statewide vote.

Shapleigh said the proposal would raise $34.6 billion in income tax revenue, reduce property taxes by $23.1 billion and provide $11.5 billion in new revenue for education.

He said the $11.5 billion would supplement state funding for education and make up for the loss of Robin Hood money but wouldn't quite put Texas at the national average for school spending.

[PetroniDE]

Here we go again. I am categorically AGAINST a state income tax. CUT THE DAMN BUDGETS.

Keep an eye on this issue at the next special session.

[Pedantic_Lady]

Oh hell, I'm FROM Texas and I know they'll never pass that. Please...state income tax in Texas. That'll be the day!

[goldstategop]

Its not going to happen. But with liberals, class warfare is always a perennial favorite.

[PetroniDE]

Major Texas Ping Lists.

HANG ON TO YOUR WALLET/PURSE !!!

[oldtimer]

If they keep pouring over the border like they have in Kalifornistan don't bet the farm.

It would take a Constitutional Amendment vote, but ... illegal aliens and illegal voters ... add up to big time trouble for the future.

I was a happy camper when we had a Poll Tax.

Thanks again LBJ for destroying this Country with your "Great Society", and the young ones think Xlinton was bad.

[Boss_Jim_Gettys]

A 'rat proposing to raise your taxes?

Are you sure the source for this wasn't "The Onion" or some other spoof site?

[Pedantic_Lady]

Trust me, the Californicators don't have enough power in Texas to do ANYTHING. Plus, the lege has swung to the right and they'll never pass that. Ever. I've seen the lege in session. In Texas we have politicians who introduced bills to make 12 year-olds eligible for execution. They'll never pass a state income tax.

[45Auto]

More nonsense from the socialists. I don't know what the state of public education is in Texas, but here in California the damn commie legislature has been whining about "not enough money for schools" for decades. And the morons go right into the voting booth and vote to force the already over-burdened taxpayers into forking over yet more billions of dollars for a system that get worse every year. On top of that they conned the good (but stupid) California voter into letting them set up a state lottery, the proceeds of which are supposed to go to education. No, I say no more money down the rat-hole of publik edjakashun until there is real education reform. And that means, first of all, getting rid of the teacher's unions - the Guardians of Failure.

[deport]

Just a 'stalking horse' that has been thrown out by both sides so that they can back away from it and proceed with raising other taxes such as the sales tax, fees, etc. and then report how they kept the state income tax at bay one more time...

I don't think the people of Texas will vote for a state income tax.....

[PetroniDE]

Houston Chronicle article..... Unlikely, but with TX democrats, you can never be certain.

They might flee to Oklahoma again if they don't get their way.

[lonestar]

LBJ

Go to your room! Without supper!

[deport]

• Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association he hopes a joint House-Senate panel studying school funding reaches recommendations by March 15 in time for a special session in April. Dewhurst and Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said tax options under study include a state personal income tax, expansion of the state sales tax and a...

• State Sen. Florence Shapiro told potential voters on Monday that everything will be on the table during a special session on school finance to be conducted in the spring, including a state income tax. "Nobody said we won't consider a state income tax," said Shapiro, R-Plano. "It will be on the table."

[PetroniDE]

I don't think the people of Texas will vote for a state income tax.....

One would think so, but with the growing problem with "illegals" and the declining education of the voter, anything could happen.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Let them go to Oklahoma- they deserve it...


Sorry, Okie FReepers, I just had to get that in.;-)

[mathluv]

over ten years ago, the Chronicle (or maybe the Post) did an investigation of the budgets of the Houston Area schools. Over 50% of the budget for personnel went to people who had no interaction with students. I doubt it has gotten better.

About the same time, Dallas ISD was going to 'have to' lay off about 200 teachers due to budget shortfalls. They were about 1/3 the size of HISD. Turns out DISD had MORE on the administrative staff than HISD - who had way too many (those 12 area districts, each with its own area super).

So much time and money is spent 'developing' local curriculum, making district teaching plans, etc. I hate to think how much teaching time is spent getting ready for the TAKS test. (That was one of the reasons it was moved to October one year - just 6 weeks to 'review' what should have been taught the previous year - now it is most of the year getting ready for the test - forget about teaching content.)

[CindyDawg]

Lower property taxes? Yeah right. We would get stuck with both. Do away with property tax and have a sales tax so everyone pays.

[mathluv]

Well, this guy is not only a dim, he also spent a lot of time in NM earlier this year. I can not see an income tax passing. If it did, we would have a LOT of NEW people in Austin the next election.

[Flyer]

Quit building $50 million schools and cut spending *PING*

As always, a FReep mail will get you on or off this Houston topics ping list.

[PetroniDE]

Lower property taxes? Yeah right. We would get stuck with both.

EXACTLY. A state income tax will NOT reduce property taxes. Just more money for the state to spend. Let's not give the state another source of revenue. Time to have the state start cutting spending.

[neb52]

On the table my butt!. Throw that junk to the garbage heap. My school districts budget next year is $414 Million with a expected loss of $40 Million. I think reforming the school districts to find out were all this money is going, would be a good start. I bet we could save billions state wide. Then we can talk of raising the Sales Tax or property tax.

Also the Robinhood plan is a farce. Most Rural towns are actually the richer districts since they are primarily farming and ranching communities. So the State takes money away from them and in many cases TO MUCH!. I know one town that is the county seat, that is in this situation. Instead of the State doing the right thing and lowering the amount it takes. They told the school district to shut down and send their kids on a 2-3 hour bus ride to the bigger town in the county.