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Strayhorn: Shut down the topless bars (Texas)
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF ^ | Thursday, April 22, 2004 | By Ken Herman and Michelle M. Martinez

Posted on 04/22/2004 5:59:52 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952

Another day, another squabble as Perry-Strayhorn fight continues.

By Ken Herman and Michelle M. Martinez

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Thursday, April 22, 2004

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, dabbling in subject matter a tad sexier than the usual daily number crunching, said Wednesday that the state should shut down all topless bars by prohibiting them from selling alcoholic drinks.

The proposal is the latest in what have become daily Strayhorn attacks on Gov. Rick Perry's proposed school finance package. The Perry plan, aimed at drumming up more money for public schools while reducing property taxes, includes a proposed $5 admission surcharge at adult entertainment venues.

What kind of state, Strayhorn said, would depend on that kind of money to pay for schools? What kind of governor, Strayhorn asked, would propose such a thing?

"I don't want my five granddaughters growing up in a state where the governor says partnering with sexually oriented nightclubs is an acceptable way to finance their education," she said.

Strayhorn is considering challenging Perry when he seeks re-election in 2006. Both are Republicans.

Perry defended the proposed fee, noting it aligns with his goal of increasing taxes on "unhealthy" behavior. He also wants a dollar-per-pack hike in cigarette taxes.

"There are a lot of activities that are legal in the state of Texas that some individuals find to be distasteful and not appropriate," he said.

Perry noted that "the question has come up: Why don't you raise the liquor tax?

"The fact of the matter is, drinking a glass of wine is not necessarily an unhealthy activity," he said.

Perry also wants to legalize slot-machine-like devices at the state's pari-mutuel tracks. He declined to categorize gambling as an unhealthy activity.

"The state has said clearly that it is going to accept gambling as a form of entertainment to be legal in the state of Texas," he said, pointing to popular votes that legalized the state lottery and pari-mutuel gambling at horse and dog tracks.

Strayhorn was adamant in her call for legislation barring alcohol at "sexually oriented nightclubs."

"If these clubs can stay in business selling lemonade and iced tea, at least I will feel better about the safety of the dancers," she said. "Alcohol can make the meek violent, the quiet loud and the passive aggressive. People can and do get hurt in these clubs."

Strayhorn, branding Perry's proposal as a "sleaze tax," said the true goal would be to put the clubs out of business.

Perry and Strayhorn have been going at it all week, beginning Monday, when, in numbers vehemently challenged by Perry, she said his plan would produce a $10 billion deficit after five years, provide little meaningful property tax relief and do little to help schools.

Perry on Wednesday criticized Strayhorn's analysis as a "shoddy, fly-by-night" effort based on "eye-popping miscalculations."

"It is an astonishing fact that the top number cruncher in this state could be so wrong on the numbers and the facts about my plan," he said.

Said Strayhorn, "How dare this governor question the integrity of this office?"

But Perry was not alone in questioning Strayhorn's operation.

Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Round Rock and a Perry ally, admonished her staff during a meeting of the House Select Committee on Public School Finance and questioned the comptroller's estimates of how much new money each school district would receive under Perry's plan.

Krusee put Perry's plan on the table Wednesday as a starting point for the committee, which can use any part of Perry's plan -- or none of it -- as it crafts the House's school finance bill.

Strayhorn's numbers, which showed many districts would get no additional money under Perry's plan, differed substantially from a similar report issued by Perry's office.

Krusee said the report inaccurately puts the Lexington school district in his district.

"You said you had a real high degree of confidence in your numbers. You got the school districts wrong," Krusee told James LeBas, the comptroller's chief revenue estimator. "You still have a high degree of confidence in your numbers?"

LeBas stood by his numbers and defended his boss: "I'm sure the comptroller had every intention, and still does, on being helpful to the Legislature."

Strayhorn's office said it plans to release new estimates, and House Appropriations Chairman Talmadge Heflin, R-Houston, said work will be needed to reconcile any differences between the two sets of numbers.

"We don't know right now whether it's apples and oranges, pears and oranges, kumquats and bananas or whatever," Heflin said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Political Humor/Cartoons; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: adultentertainment; backstabber; carole; exmayor; keeton; mclellan; oneharpygrandmother; rylander; schoolfinance; selfocrat; strayhorn; tax; youradhere
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To: Vision
There was a advertisement in today's Wash Post sports page for a Hustler club in B-More, never heard of it before...
121 posted on 04/22/2004 12:29:41 PM PDT by dakine
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To: hopespringseternal
"Wrong. That is what the manager of the strip club claims will happen. If it does, where are all the rich strippers? Why limit it to one night a week if it is such a wholesome activity?"

Actually strippers can make quite a bit of money. Why do you think they do it? It isn't because they enjoy taking off their clothes. There are rich strippers, if by rich you mean, own their own homes, etc. Of course there are also strippers who spend all their money on drugs.

I didn't say stripping was a wholesome activity. I don't buy your premise that all strippers become prostitutes and die young either though. Personally I wouldn't do it unless I had no other options.

Finally, the reason to limit it to one night a week in the case of the widowed mother, is so that she could spend more time with her child.
122 posted on 04/22/2004 12:30:58 PM PDT by monday
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To: King Prout
And that it does
123 posted on 04/22/2004 12:35:01 PM PDT by Vision (Always Faithful)
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To: dakine
I assume it's Larry Flint's new club. Fantastic cultural addition to a crumbling city.
124 posted on 04/22/2004 12:36:12 PM PDT by Vision (Always Faithful)
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To: monday
"Sexual feelings and a loving relationship are two different things."

Correct.

"It takes both to produce children."

Incorrect.

125 posted on 04/22/2004 12:39:02 PM PDT by Hat-Trick (Do you trust a government that does not trust you with guns?)
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To: Arrowhead1952
I don't know if she knows that in Texas if you run an all nude bar you cannot sell alchohol. Thats why they sell ice and Cokes and allow people to BYOB. No booze in the toppless bars will probably boost attendence.

I just heard on WBAP that she is challenging Perry on allowing video slots at Lone Star Park. You can bet on the horses and bet on races in other cities but no video slots? It doesn't make sense, this gambling in this building is ok, but this gambling in the same building is not.

126 posted on 04/22/2004 12:43:28 PM PDT by normy ("I also want the Americans out of Iraq." John Kerry)
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To: Hat-Trick
"Incorrect."

Vision meant raise and nurture, not just conceive children.
127 posted on 04/22/2004 12:47:41 PM PDT by monday
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To: monday
Thats what the Taliban say too.

So you equate "Don't get involved with a self-destructive lifestyle" with a regime that supported killing three thousand people?

And you call me unreasonable?

128 posted on 04/22/2004 12:50:01 PM PDT by hopespringseternal (People should be banned for sophistry.)
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To: Just another Joe
My experience versus your reading. I'll take my experience, with these particular women, over your reading.

Anecdotes are nice, but when they fly in the face of overwhelming evidence and basic human psychology...

129 posted on 04/22/2004 12:51:37 PM PDT by hopespringseternal (People should be banned for sophistry.)
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To: Freebird Forever
Last time I was in Dallas I was amazed that we had to walk 3 blocks to buy a bottle, but it was fine to bring it back to the hotel. I wonder if "wholly dry" includes bars and pool halls.
130 posted on 04/22/2004 12:52:56 PM PDT by BJClinton (This is how one should do a sarcasm tag: </sarcasm>)
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To: monday
Finally, the reason to limit it to one night a week in the case of the widowed mother, is so that she could spend more time with her child.

I guess "widowed" just sounds a lot better than "single"?

I just love it when people provide anecdotes strait off the TV or a movie.

131 posted on 04/22/2004 12:53:57 PM PDT by hopespringseternal (People should be banned for sophistry.)
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To: hopespringseternal
Anecdotes are nice, but when they fly in the face of overwhelming evidence and basic human psychology...

Like I said, with these particular women I'll go with my experience and not your reading.
I've known several of them for 15 years and more. I met a couple of them when they were still stripping more than 15 years ago.
You can say what you will but I know better with these particular women.

132 posted on 04/22/2004 12:58:10 PM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: hopespringseternal
"So you equate "Don't get involved with a self-destructive lifestyle" with a regime that supported killing three thousand people?"

Your tag-line is ironic since your argument is sophistic. I equated your "moralistic self-rightousness" to the "moralistic self-rightousness" of the Taliban. Nowhere did I suggest you had supported killing three thousand people.
133 posted on 04/22/2004 1:03:08 PM PDT by monday
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To: Vision
"You all believe topless bars are good for a culture. They produce positive rolls for young men and women and their relationships?"

They have about the same negative effect on culture as politicians, lawyers and corporate executives!

134 posted on 04/22/2004 1:04:27 PM PDT by 100%FEDUP
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To: Arrowhead1952
What kind of state, Strayhorn said, would depend on that kind of money to pay for schools? What kind of governor, Strayhorn asked, would propose such a thing?

Here's an idea. Why don't we let people keep their own money and educate their own kids? Then there'd be no stupid issues like this one and big mouth politicians would have to find some other way to steal from us.

135 posted on 04/22/2004 1:06:49 PM PDT by timm22
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To: monday
I equated your "moralistic self-rightousness" to the "moralistic self-rightousness" of the Taliban.

Leaving unspoken the convenient fact that the Taliban were a bunch of murdering thugs? Meaning that anyone who believes in moral absolutes is 1) self-righteous and 2) a murdering thug?

And you claim that I am engaging in sophistry?

136 posted on 04/22/2004 1:08:58 PM PDT by hopespringseternal (People should be banned for sophistry.)
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To: BJClinton
I wonder if "wholly dry" includes bars and pool halls.

Feel free to do the reconnaissance and then report back to us.

: )

137 posted on 04/22/2004 1:09:21 PM PDT by Freebird Forever
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To: hopespringseternal
"Meaning that anyone who believes in moral absolutes is 1) self-righteous and 2) a murdering thug? "

No. I simply pointed out that you have in common with the Taliban, the conviction that your moral beliefs are the absolute truth.

Your morals are, I expect, somewhat different from the Taliban, so it would not follow that you would also be a murdering thug.
138 posted on 04/22/2004 1:17:28 PM PDT by monday
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To: talleyman
Should I decide to go to one, will my wife believe me when I tell her "it's for the children".
139 posted on 04/22/2004 1:21:05 PM PDT by nomorelurker (wetraginhell)
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To: Freebird Forever
You mean..actually research something myself? Puh-lease.
140 posted on 04/22/2004 1:21:42 PM PDT by BJClinton (This is how one should do a sarcasm tag: </sarcasm>)
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