Posted on 03/08/2005 7:37:49 AM PST by Cat loving Texan
Measure seeks hike in general sales tax plus extra charge on baked goods, sodas, chips.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005 Texans would pay more than 10 percent sales tax each time they buy cookies, popcorn, soda or other snack foods if the Legislature approves a revised tax bill passed by a House committee late Monday.
The bill is a new version of the tax-shift legislation that the House Ways and Means Committee passed last week. The committee reworked the bill after Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn's office said it would not raise as much money as House leaders projected.
Under the new version, a 3 percent snack tax — which lawmakers included specifically to target obesity — would be added to the general sales tax charged for those items.
The House bill also raises the general state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 7.25 percent, which would be the highest state rate in the country, and slightly more than what was approved last week.
In addition, the bill calls for businesses to pay a payroll tax of 1.15 percent on each employee's salary, up to $90,000 per worker, which is also a slight increase from last week's proposal.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, said the tax would apply to any worker for whom an employer pays into the unemployment insurance system.
The House is considering the new and increased taxes to pay for a proposed one-third reduction in school property taxes as part of an overhaul of the way Texas pays for public schools.
Strayhorn had said the tax plan approved last week would take in about $1 billion less than what would be needed to pay for that property tax relief.
Keffer said he's confident the new version of the bill addresses Strayhorn's concern, as well as questions her office raised about how the bill should be interpreted.
"We've been working with the comptroller all day long," he said. "We are in agreement."
While some foods are exempt from sales taxes, the ones addressed in the snack tax have not been, he said. The new tax would apply to sales in stores but not restaurants.
Keffer said he expects the bill to come before the full House on Thursday. It will follow a major school reform bill that is up for debate today. The tax bill also calls for increases in the cigarette tax and the sales tax for autos and boats. It would expand the sales tax to cover bottled water, newspapers, billboard advertising and car washes and repairs.
All five Republicans on the committee and one Democrat voted for the revised bill.
Monday's events marked the second time in the last two regular legislative sessions that House Republicans had to tweak a major piece of legislation in a committee after the committee had voted on it.
In 2003, the House Civil Practices Committee had to reconsider a tort reform bill after Democrats complained the bill had been discussed at a meeting that wasn't properly announced in advance.
Also Monday, the head of the Senate Education Committee criticized the House school finance legislation because it does not specify where the state would find more than $3 billion in additional funding over the next two years.
"I think it's very difficult to just say we'll pass all this education reform, but we don't know where the money's coming from," said Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano.
"What if they only find $2 billion in scrubbing the budget instead of $3 billion?"
House Speaker Tom Craddick has said the new money for schools will come from savings in other parts of the state budget.
Some members of the House Appropriations Committee are reviewing the budget to look for ways to save that money.
Through a spokeswoman, House Public Education Committee Chairman Kent Grusendorf said, "I have been assured that when House Bill 2 passes, the money to fund House Bill 2 will be made available."
As it should be.
I do have to squint.
I hope they don't start taxing the air we breath. LOL
Pretty good.
For your penance you make sure you work double overtime and contribute all that excess money you have no need for and see to it that all those deserving poor are given double their due handouts.
heck - what am I talking about? That happens now as it is.........and these tax increases just add to it.
The danger is real....
"Nominee No. 5: [Bloomberg News Service]: A terrible diet and a room with no ventilation are being blamed for the death of a man who was killed by his own gas emissions.
There was no mark on his body, and an autopsy showed large amounts of methane gas in his system. His diet had consisted primarily of beans and cabbage (and a couple of other things). It was just the right combination of foods. It appears that the man died in his sleep from breathing the poisonous cloud that was hanging over his bed. Had he been outside or had his windows been opened, it wouldn't have been fatal. But the man was shut up in his nearly-airtight bedroom.
According to the article, "He was a big man with a huge capacity for creating "this deadly gas." Three of the rescuers got sick, and one was hospitalized."
DoD or DoT?
Thanks
Good catch. I was in a hurry. TxDoT had a 'town meeting' here last week. I'm looking for the link. Thanks.
Works for me.
"Under the new version, a 3 percent snack tax — which lawmakers included specifically to target obesity — would be added to the general sales tax charged for those items."
Hm...wonder what these ding-dongs (pun intended) are going to do with the money? It is just more social engineering, with the money going to government to do as they please. The only way they could clear themselves of this idiocy is to decrease the amount of tax on - say - diet drinks and bottled water. Do not really think that is going to happen!
I think a better tax - which would raise more money - would be to levy a stupidity tax on politicians who come up with this idiocy.
Deep in the heart of TEX-ASS! How do we tax the obesity of the pimps of the election industry, namely elected officials?
Let me know as if they do this then to get to my property at Canyon Lake I'll have to start taking the back roads.
Thanks
Here's the text if you don't want to subscribe.
Tolls planned for a wider U.S. 281
Web Posted: 03/02/2005 12:00 AM CST
Patrick Driscoll
Express-News Staff Writer
State officials announced Tuesday they have figured out how to get money quicker to widen U.S. 281 from northern San Antonio through Comal County ? and the answer is by charging tolls.
Murmurs rolled through a crowd of more than 200 people when the idea was mentioned at the public meeting at Specht Elementary School.
Texas Department of Transportation officials said that, if studies show the tolls are feasible, construction would start in three to seven years to add six toll lanes to U.S. 281 in Bexar County from Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Road and two free lanes in Comal County from the Guadalupe River to FM 306.
Work would start in eight to 13 years to extend those six toll lanes from Borgfeld Road all the way to FM 306 at the Blanco County line.
The stretch of highway would end up with six tolled express lanes and four lanes of free frontage roads. Drivers would have the option of paying tolls or putting up with traffic and signal lights.
"It's just a user fee that you can choose to use or not," said Judy Friesenhahn, an engineer in TxDOT's San Antonio office.
For planning purposes, officials assume the user fee will be 15 cents a mile. And the toll wouldn't be lifted after the road is paid for ? extra money after that would be used for other projects.
Some chuckles erupted from the audience when that news was given.
The officials said the tolls would help because funds for the first phase of the $226 million project wouldn't be available for another 12 years and the rest of the money hasn't been earmarked in a budget.
The 38.4-cent-per-gallon gas tax and vehicle registration fees don't suffice, Friesenhahn said.
"There's not enough tax money to build these lanes in a timely fashion," she told the crowd.
People attending the meeting weren't allowed to ask questions or make comments in an open forum, but instead were asked to talk to officials one on one or submit written statements. Opinions varied among those milling around the room after the state's presentation.
Dave Pavey of Bulverde said he's been going to public meetings since 2001 to discuss the U.S. 281 project.
"I haven't heard anyone here at any of these meetings ask for a toll road or a six-lane expressway going through the back of their community," he said.
Jonathan Goff, who lives in the Stone Oak area, said toll roads were convenient when he lived in Dallas, and he would gladly pay to use them here.
"For a buck a day, it's less than I spend at Starbucks," he said.
Here's the link-
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA030205.3B.toll_lanes.f9017e74.html
GIDDY UP!!!
WE need to be taxed more.
Jonathan Goff, who lives in the Stone Oak area, said toll roads were convenient when he lived in Dallas, and he would gladly pay to use them here. "For a buck a day, it's less than I spend at Starbucks," he said.
Then I say he should go back to Dallas.
I'm sorry for laughing................well, no, actually I'm not.
BWAAAA HAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAAa
No we don't need to be taxed more.....politicians need to be taxed into oblivion.
AND Sara Lee -- nobody doesn't like Sara Lee!
I feel like a slacker. My taxes need to be higher.
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