[Texas] Governor proposes largest property tax cut in history

Today, Governor Perry proposed a solution to the recent tax trials of the Texas legislature; a plan which will deliver the largest property tax cut in history to the hardworking people of Texas.

Perry’s plan, if adopted, will result in a net Tax Cut of $300 million for the people of Texas, while providing a solution to the school finance reform dilemma.The measure will serve taxpayers, while providing historic funding increase for schools.

In order to facilitate the tax cut, Perry has proposed a close in franchise tax loopholes, leading to a more widely shouldered business tax. In addition, his plan would increase the sales tax rate by 7/10 of a percent – to 6.95%, and increase the cigarette tax by $1.

Perry’s plan, which may prove to represent a significant compromise between earlier House and Senate proposals:

Increases homestead exemption $7,500 starting in 2007 (from $15,000 to $22,500)
Cuts property tax rate to $1.20 by 2007 (the equivalent of $1.15 with $7,500 increase in homestead exemption).
Caps rate at $1.05 by 2010 (equivalent of $1.00 with $7,500 homestead exemption.)
Consumer/Business Tax ratio remains essentially unchanged
Gives teachers $1,500 pay raise
Textbooks in warehouses go the classroom
Funds Reforms and education technology
Truth in Taxation rollback provisions
Limits local enrichment to 2¢ per year, capped at 12¢

With the Texas Supreme Court decision on several key school finance cases on the horizon, the manner in which the Texas legislature addresses the current problems in the system could control the fate of millions of Texas school children.Perry’s plan, which comes on the heels of a three-week legislative break, may provide a good starting point for successful negotiations between House and Senate leaders.

We need a

state income tax

and we need it now. Any damn fool with a brain knows it as does every politician who is afraid to stand on his own two hind legs and admit it.

Say what?! Abate your damn heresy and blasphemy, son!

You want to pay an income tax? Fine -- move to Californication, they've got every kind of tax we do, and just as high, plus, they have a 9.3% state tax on personal income --

AND THEY'RE STILL BROKE!!!

Friedman was right when he declared we have the highest capitol building in the United States ....and it is populated by all midgets.

They are midgets because we keep them that way on purpose.

We know that if you feed them, like Steven Spielberg's Gremlins, they turn into nasty customers. Eventually, they turn into man-eating trolls.

By the way, how long have you lived in Texas? Where did you come from before that? Some 'Rat-electing brownfield State? New York, maybe? Or how about Massachusetts? Massachusetts men think nothing of moving 1800 miles to another state and immediately starting in on telling all the locals what they're doing wrong. That's classic, and biological -- it's part of the paternity test for New Englanders.

Every citizen who benefits from ~~living~~ being in Texas should pay their fair share UP FRONT, not through some backdoor tax.

AMEN and there is a simple, direct, and non intrusive way for them to do just that!

How about we do away with all other taxes, broaden the base of the sales tax to include services (the fastest growing segment of our society BTW), and cut the sales tax rate to around 4 percent. ALL Texas government entities would be funded at least as well as they currently are, probably better, and no single segment would be singled out to pay the freight!

Here are some proposals:

1. Because state education is hopeless broken due to a lack of competition, vouchers are a must, however distasteful they are to those fearing 'state control of private schools.'

2. If vouchers can't get passed, then pass a property tax credit to parents sending children to private schools.

3. Pass a law that no millage elections can be held EXCEPT on the same day people are voting for a senator, governor, congressman, or president.

4. Pass a law that no bond or millage proposal may be re-held within 4 year after it is defeated.

5. Develop a ten year plan to get the state out of the education business entirely except, maybe, for charity cases.

6. Dismantle education taxing entities, making the cost of education the responsibility of the parent (except for charity cases).

The nice thing about a sales tax as opposed to an income tax is that illegals are more likely to pay a sales tax.

Of course, the state needs to control spending first, and school districts have to stop whining about "leaky roofs" when they're building stadiums and treating administration like royalty.

Education and tax reform will never happen until the people have the power to put public education out of business.

Agree absolutely, thus my previous reference to the Texas republican party platform. It's not all that specific but it's hard to read it any way other than cut expenses!

I have no doubt that any of us could find enough junk to cut to handle the proposed property tax decrease as well as expand education funding.

Regarding the latter I'm not even sure it's needed, most likely a realignment of resources (i.e. more teachers, less administration) would be adequate.

Massachusetts men think nothing of moving 1800 miles to another state and immediately starting in on telling all the locals what they're doing wrong. That's classic, and biological -- it's part of the paternity test for New Englanders.

Hey! There are exceptions to the rule! Funny thing is, I moved here a few years back from Massachusetts, and already find myself complaining about the northerners moving to the state trying to RINO-up the state government. Is that hypocritical? LOL

Of course, the state needs to control spending first,...

They will NEVER do so until such time as the electorate understands just what all this government is costing them and I maintain that a detailed receipt with every purchase they make is the appropriate mechanism

and school districts have to stop whining about "leaky roofs" when they're building stadiums and treating administration like royalty.

You are preaching to the choir here! In fact, it is even worse than YOU think.

5. Develop a ten year plan to get the state out of the education business entirely except, maybe, for charity cases.

This is the solution to the perceived education "crisis". Some of the top private schools in Texas cost $10K per year tuition. The state currently spends $8200 per student in education spending. By returning that full amount in vouchers and shutting the public schools down, the students could find much better educational options at the same price.

I recently wrote State Senator Florence Shapiro, who is Chairman of the Senate Education Committe, with a request that our esteemed legislature act of school vouchers. Her response was vague and contingent upon someone coming up with a formula that would satisfy recent court rulings. It did not fill me with confidence, especially since I thought SHE and her colleagues for responsible for craft just the formulation she seemed to be waiting upon unnamed "others" to create.

Also, her web site says she is a "champion for public education and continues to dedicate herself to improving the state's education system." And to think, she is a Republican from Plano. Anyone familiar with her? I think she could stand to have some cards and letters sent her way.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.