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Bill offers tax cut only to wealthiest
San Antonio Express-News ^ | 10 May 2005 | Peggy Fikac

Posted on 05/10/2005 5:09:39 AM PDT by Racehorse

Only Texas families making more than $140,853 a year would get a tax break under a multibillion-dollar proposal crafted by Senate leaders to reduce local school property taxes through higher state levies on businesses and consumers.

Those earning less would bear a heavier tax burden on average under the bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee, which leaders said will be considered by the full Senate today.

If the Senate passes it, the school finance bill would head to a conference committee that would try to work out differences with a tax-swap measure previously approved by the House.

The largest net tax increase of 4.1 percent would hit households making between $22,833 and $31,735 a year, according to the fiscal 2007 tax-equity analysis of the Senate plan by the Legislative Budget Board.

Families earning between $100,593 and $140,853 would, as a group, see a small net tax increase of 0.07 percent, according to the analysis, which looks at the overall effect of the proposed property tax reduction coupled with increases in business, sales, tobacco and alcohol taxes.

Sen. Steve Ogden, the bill's author, said Monday he is looking at ways to relieve the burden on lower- and middle-income households, anticipating that the analysis might raise concern among his colleagues.

Senate leaders already had run into a snag Monday with plans to consider a related bill to overhaul public education, postponing it until Wednesday so senators could consider the tax measure first.

(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: propertytaxes; schoolfinancing; taxes; texaslegislature
Senator Ogden and his "colleagues" best stop looking for ways to relieve the tax burden and get down to doing some real grunt work.
1 posted on 05/10/2005 5:09:39 AM PDT by Racehorse
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To: Racehorse
"Only Texas families making more than $140,853 a year would get a tax break under a multibillion-dollar proposal crafted by Senate leaders to reduce local school property taxes through higher state levies on businesses and consumers."

How on earth do these politicians come up with these numbers? Flat tax is ONLY fair solution.
2 posted on 05/10/2005 5:15:30 AM PDT by chapin2500 (Revenge is a dish best served cold.)
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To: Racehorse

aren't all texans millionairs?





/sarky


3 posted on 05/10/2005 5:15:51 AM PDT by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: Racehorse

Well, if the Texas Senators don't like it...can't they just run away to New Mexico again?


4 posted on 05/10/2005 5:20:43 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it.)
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To: sure_fine

According to SuperTramp...YES!


5 posted on 05/10/2005 5:22:17 AM PDT by keithtoo (Howard Dean's Democratic Party: Traitors, Haters, and Vacillators)
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To: sure_fine

"aren't all texans millionairs?"

Yes, we are. But its a fact we try to hide. I hid it so well I can't find it.


6 posted on 05/10/2005 5:31:41 AM PDT by whereasandsoforth (Stamp out liberals with the big boot of truth)
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To: Racehorse

"Senator Ogden and his "colleagues" best stop looking for ways to relieve the tax burden and get down to doing some real grunt work."

I can't believe you said that! The republicans were elected to all statewide offices and their mandate was not to RAISE taxes. Texas government is an infestation of bureaucrats that are overpaid and unproductive by design. I know, because I worked there for 20 years. There needs to be a thorough house cleaning in each agency that would save enough money to balance the budget.

The schools are not underfunded, they just have way too much "administrative" costs.


7 posted on 05/10/2005 5:48:43 AM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: antisocial

>>>"The schools are not underfunded, they just have way too much "administrative" costs."

$230,000/yr county school Superintendents are everywhere.

Besides getting raises and a new car they'll also get this tax cut for those over $140,000.

Hoppy


8 posted on 05/10/2005 6:02:48 AM PDT by Hop A Long Cassidy
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To: antisocial
"Senator Ogden and his "colleagues" best stop looking for ways to relieve the tax burden and get down to doing some real grunt work."

I can't believe you said that! The republicans were elected to all statewide offices and their mandate was not to RAISE taxes.

Either I miswrote or you misunderstood.

My translation of what I wrote:  "Stop looking and do something sensible to lower our school taxes!"

That help?

9 posted on 05/10/2005 6:21:14 AM PDT by Racehorse (Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.)
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To: Racehorse
They need to get out of the mindset that only by spending more can they make the education problem go away. Money isn't the answer. Holding teachers and students to a higher standard is the solution. As is a return to teaching the basics. As is English only immersion for the kids of illegals. As is returning corporal punishment. Cutting the amount of BS administrative bureaucracy that has been put in place.

They fix those areas and the budget will damn near take care of itself.

10 posted on 05/10/2005 6:36:21 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (Never underestimate the will of the downtrodden to lie flatter.)
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To: Racehorse

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood the meaning of your post.


11 posted on 05/10/2005 6:46:48 AM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: Hop A Long Cassidy

I can't even tell you how many assistant superintendents and assistant principals in Abilene ISD that are making the big bucks. I can just immagine how many there are in large districts like Dallas and Houston.


12 posted on 05/10/2005 6:50:31 AM PDT by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: Racehorse

It seems this article is quite misleading. By my reading it looks like the "rich" only get a tax cut in that they get less of a tax increase, percentage-wise, than the "poor." Still, it's a tax increase.


13 posted on 05/10/2005 6:56:33 AM PDT by Puddleglum (Thank God the Boston blowhard lost)
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