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.
Anyone?
I'm sorry, hopesprings, I can't agree with you. Just because someone lets others view their nude body doesn't mean they have no morals or they are prostitutes.
JMO
In a good topless club, you won't see any rolls...
As I told hopespringseternal, they didn't.
No.
Strawman. I would never want to be a cop or soldier, but it is a respectable job many respectable people do.
These woman didn't go out with customers and have sex. They didn't do lap dances. They didn't let customers grope them while masturbating in their pants.
The virtuous stripper. LOL. Right up there with "I get Playboy for the articles."
What is the big deal about the nude female body?
I think it is great, but that doesn't mean I want my wife or daughter standing on tables for a bunch of pervs.
Just because someone lets others view their nude body doesn't mean they have no morals or they are prostitutes.
Actually, it means exactly that. This moral relativism schtick was stupid even when it was a new fad, now it is way past its prime. Some things are just plain wrong, always have been and always will be.
Strippers are not nice people. At best, they are terribly confused, insecure young women from bad homes. The men who frequent these clubs never matured beyond hitting puberty at best. The average is much, much worse.
If you approve of it you are either ignorant of the reality of it or you aren't a very moral person yourself.
No more so than a baseball/football/basketball/soccer player.
No more so than someone hiring you for what's in your head and not for your body.
As I said before, it's not the place, it's the person.
. I thought Republicans were supposed to be anti-tax.....
Just because YOU don't think it's respectable doesn't make it so.
The virtuous stripper. LOL. Right up there with "I get Playboy for the articles."
Nothing in this statement at all.
I'm not saying every stripper out there is NOT a prostitute and/or not immoral. All of the strippers out there are NOT prostitutes and immoral either.
Actually, it means exactly that.
Where do you get this information? I don't think you can point to any source other than your own opinion.
Strippers are not nice people. At best, they are terribly confused, insecure young women from bad homes
I can see that you have no idea what you're talking about. Either that or you believe in absolutes that you have no proof of.
If you approve of it you are either ignorant of the reality of it or you aren't a very moral person yourself.
Don't put words in my mouth.
Every stripper is not immoral just as every judge is not a paragon of virtue.
Once again, you speak of something you have no knowledge of. You say that I'm not a very moral person with no knowledge of me whatsoever except that I don't see viewing the nude female body as being immoral.
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."
Carol-what-ever-her-last-name-is wants to BAN alcohol period. Patrons cannot bring alcohol into the clubs under her proposed legislation. This woman needs to be put out to pasture.
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