Speaker of the Texas House Tom Craddick appointed Representatives Warren Chisum (R-Pampa) and Myra Crownover (R-Denton) to the Business Tax Advisory Committee today. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst will appoint two Senators. Comptroller Susan Combs will serve on the Committee as will 14 Texas citizens.
The business tax was created in 2006 during the Special Session of the 79th Legislature. The goal of the business tax was to generate revenue so the State Legislature could buy down property taxes from local school districts. In reality, the Legislature expanded the existing franchise tax which Republicans fought for 15 years to remove from law after Governor Ann Richards signed it into law.
I would have preferred to have Representatives John Smithee and Ken Paxton as members of the Business Tax Advisory Committee as both of these fine men serve on the Ways and Means Committee and have studied this issue in depth. Also, both of these men voted against the expansion of the franchise tax.
It should be noted the bill (HB 3, 79S3) that expanded the franchise tax was passed 80-68, by a Legislature controlled by Republicans. The Republicans that voted against the business tax were:
Dwayne Bohac (Houston)
Carter Casteel (New Braunfels)
Linda Harper-Brown (Irving)
Will Hartnett (Dallas)
Harvey Hilderbran (Kerrville)
Charlie Howard (Sugar Land)
Bryan Hughes (Mineola)
Delwin Jones (Lubbock)
Bill Keffer (Dallas)
Jodie Laubenberg (Rockwall)
Ken Paxton (Frisco)
Debbie Riddle (Houston)
John Smithee (Amarillo)
Robert Talton (Pasadena)
Of these Republicans, Carter Casteel and Delwin Jones are RINO's and were voting against Craddick, not against raising taxes.
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1 comment:
Thanks for posting that list - aside from Casteel and Jones, it's almost a who's who of conservatives from that session. Certain members stick out as remaining conservatives through this last session, too. Now to get Bill Keffer back in the House where he belongs!
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