[MarkAmerica]

Let's stick to the basics. 1. I maintain Perry has less in common with we ordinary Texans than with Wall Street types. Who constitutes his staff? Ordinary Texans or corporate types? He sure did didn't seem to give a damn as he sidled up to Cintra and the TTC. Or did I miss something? 2. Fine. The governor proposed property tax relief. How much has he been able to see adopted? 3. When I say he 'talks tough,' I was referring particularly to his views on the border and illegal immigration. 4. A whole million on border security? What's that cover? Ten salaries? 5. Rick Perry's book "Fed Up" was written in preparation for this very campaign. We can dispense with it on that basis alone as relatively recent policy positions, so let's not get too excited about anything he or the Newt said there, k? 6. The governor cares so much about first responders that he diverted funds intended for 9-1-1 to balancing the budget, rather than to the ear-marked statutory requirements for which all phone subscribers are charged a fee.s See page 4 of this document, under the heading "Commission on State Emergency Communications": Document In short, funds collected for a specific purpose are being diverted to other uses. This is much like what's happened with the so-called Social Security trust Fund in DC, isn't it? 7. In the end, in a tepid concession to the facts, you admit not all of his 'experiments' have succeeded. Wow. Thanks.

[hocndoc]

Thanks for pointing out a typo. Have you noticed how those seem to appear *only* after you hit “submit?”

That number on Texas tax dollars spent on border control should be “about a 100 million dollars” a year.

1. The staff I’ve met are definitely average Texans - unfortunately too often lawyers and too darned young to have had much life experience. I’ve often joked that what they need, if anything, in Austin (and Washington) is to begin a new program for middle aged and geriatric ‘interns’ rather than the 22-26 year olds!

2. While looking up some information that TheWriterTX posted, I found this site on Texas Debt and Budgeting. http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/rep_bios.php?rep_id=56615334&category=views&id=20110719150503

Property taxes for school were cut from $1.50 to $1. Now,I’m not a tax expert, but that’s a pretty big cut, at least nominally. It’s disturbing how many of the local school districts have actually voted to increase their local rates right up to the limit.

3. and 4. see typo note, above, and the comments about 2001 and driver’s licenses (we did restrict them this year) and 2005 funding for border control. We’ve noted on this Forum that the Governor has also sent in the Texas Ranger Recon Team and the rest of the DPS border effort. (it wasn’t a new program, even when the Governor demonstrated it for Greta.)

5. There you go again pretending to know motives. The Governor notes that his book is probably not the best thing he could have done if he’d been planning to run for President.

6. Have you any evidence that the 911 system is being underfunded to its detriment? That would be a better question.

We the people of Texas demanded that the budget be balanced without new taxes. Every segment of the State’s budget has felt the result of that demand.

This http://www.texaslsg.org/82nd/fr05282011budget is a report by the rabid left (Coleman, Burnham, Anchia and Naishtat)in the Texas House of Representatives. They never met a budget cut they liked. In fact, it’s about HB 1 from the regular session. The filibuster in the Senate on the last night necessitated a Special Session and a completely new start on the budget building process.

It is true that the 911 fees are put into the general fund, and funneled through the Comptroller’s office. Many fees - like the physician’s license permit - are divided between State agencies and the general fund. 75% of the Emergency fund is spent

In fact, the 911 fees are better compared to the many ways that the Feds force statist policies on States by coercing us to tax and spend their way or lose Federal funds.