Defending the American Dream message taken to Fort Worth

Taking our message to Defend the American Dream to Fort Worth taxpayersPeggy Venable
Last night I spoke to the Tarrant Republican Assembly, a great group of citizens who are committed to conservative principles. I am Peggy Venable, director of AFP-Texas.

My talk centered on the American Dream and how we as citizens have responsibility to preserve that dream for future generations.

Attendees were introduced to their local government debt – around $10 billion of it – yes, $10 Billion! That information is available at the Texas Bond Review Board website: http://www.brb.state.tx.us/

The data reveals that Fort Worth ISD is carrying debt of $992 million (so much for selling bonds – better referred to as “deferred taxes”), Tarrant County has debt of $301 million, and the City of Fort Worth’s debt is almost $9 billion. Every man, women and child in the county owes a tax bill of around $5,000 in local debt. This debt isn’t really the government debt – it is the taxpayers’ debt, and the bills will come due. What we are doing is leaving a legacy of debt to our children and grandchildren.

Local governments are growing 4 times faster than personal income and local government debt is growing 5 times faster than our incomes.

Taxpayers are partly to blame as we are generally generous in approving debt. Around 85% school bond initiatives pass. And the overwhelming majority of the property tax rollback elections fail. Why? Don’t taxpayers want lower property taxes? Often local officials don't take responsibility for the growth in their revenue...they want that growth but don't admit to taxpayers that they are digging deeper into their pockets. They often hide behind the skirts of the appraisal district.

When asked who in the room got that 30% tax cut the legislature promised to provide on school property taxes, no one raised their hand. (Nor have they anywhere I’ve spoken around the state). Why? Because local governments have been able – often through appraisal creep – to take more from the taxpayers without ever calling it a tax increase.

I discussed going to protest my property taxes and the appraiser went to his computer and pulled up a photo of my home – complete with my car parked in the driveway, my license plate clearly visible. (One woman after the meeting said that she reluctantly let an appraiser into her home to see her remodeling and he said “nice job. Too bad when it is finished you won’t be able to afford your property taxes.”) The current system is an invasion of our privacy and taxes unrealized value. It’s time we go to acquisition value and do away with appraisers and appraisal districts.

Taxpayers are often “sold” a tax by dubious if not deceptive means. Some local government campaigns claim the increase won’t raise taxes (as debt is retired, taxes could be lowered but local government officials want to replace that with new debt) or the contractors who will benefit financially from the work fund the pro-bond initiative, or tell the public it’s no more than “a cup of Starbuck’s coffee.” We need to refer to bond initiatives what they are – tax increases!
Attendees also got the names of 28 local elected officials who signed a letter to the North Texas legislative delegation ...

“We are writing to inform you of our uniform opposition to any legislation that proposes a lower “appraisal cap” or creates a “revenue cap” To be clear, as community leaders, we are firmly opposed to appraisal and revenue caps whether they are locally imposed or mandated by the state.”

CLICK HERE to read the letter.

Attendees were reminded that Republicans had put the issue of appraisal and revenue caps on a primary ballot and they received overwhelming – 96% and 92% support. Then in the last primary election, the issue of revenue caps was on the ballot and received support from 92% of the voters. Attendees were shocked that their officials – many of whom are still in office – opposed taxpayer protections.

The issue of taxpayers’ funding lobby activities that oppose taxpayer protections was also discussed. Most taxpayers don’t realize that while they are hard at work, taking care of their families and paying their bills and paying their taxes, that some of their taxes are being used to pay lobbyists who are opposing taxpayer protections. Last year, we took the legislative issues of major taxpayer-funded lobby associations and a scientific survey of voters was conducted. No surprise – taxpayer are funding policies and activities they oppose.

For a look at how local government organizations are supporting anti-taxpayer policies, click here:http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?id=3020&state=tx When asked “what do you say to local officials who claim they can’t be in Austin during legislative session,” the answer is simple: taxpayers elect officials to represent them in Austin, at City Hall and the county commissioner’s court. We don’t elect lobbyists. I suggest we introduce our elected officials to one another and to the telephone.

If legislation impacts cities, we should expect our legislators to be talking to city leaders in their districts. But these officials need to remember their first commitment is to the constituent, the citizens and taxpayers in their jurisdiction. It is also important to note that the meeting was at the lovely Botanical Gardens – precisely where the AARP will be meeting tonight to rally their pro-government advocates to support electricity re-regulation. Now when is government the answer when the private sector works?

Before electricity deregulation in Texas, we were 14th in the country in energy costs and we are still 14th in energy prices. Is dereg working and why are some electricity consumers hot about their bills? The answer lies in misguided environmental policies which result in higher prices, unreliability and inadequate supply.

Actually, among states that depend heavily on natural gas for power, like we do here, Texas has the 5th-lowest residential electric price (from data from the EIA). Across the state, there are roughly 300 energy providers (wholesale and retail). There are at least 25 active retail providers serving each of the state’s competitive areas. (This number has grown by more than 25% since the beginning of 2007).

But those of us in Austin and other areas across the state served by municipal utility companies or co-ops, we have no opportunity to choose providers. We have no consumer choices. We need to lift government intervention in the marketplace, not provide more. A lot is going on in Fort Worth now.
Fort Worth has experienced the largest petition drive in the city’s history. More than 70,000 people signed petitions to call for a November election to allow the sale of beer and wine throughout the City. Almost that many signed a companion petition to allow the sales of mixed drinks in the city’s restaurants.
Well-intentioned liquor laws confuse consumers and put retail establishments and restaurants at a competitive disadvantage to those in surrounding jurisdictions.

Citizens can learn more by attending the Oct 10 & 11 DEFENDING THE AMERICAN DREAM summit in the Washington, D.C. area. To learn more: www.defendingthedream.org

Government intervention into the marketplace is not the American dream our forefathers envisioned. And they never envisioned our being forced to pay for lobbyists to lobby against taxpayer protections: “To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.” -- Thomas Jefferson

Cedar Hill, Duncanville Eye 13-Cent Tax Hikes Nov. 4

BestSouthwestBlog.com reports that both the Cedar Hill ISD and Duncanville ISD are planning to put property tax increases on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election.

Duncanville ISD leaders met with Duncanville City Council members at an early-morning meeting (7:30 a.m., when taxpayers were on their way to work) to discuss the proposal.


Both districts are located in southwestern Dallas County. As a benefit, BestSouthwestBlog.com's launch last year came with the Americans For Prosperity-inspired Texas Bond Review Board statistics for the five-city, five-ISD region (i.e., bond debt for both cities and school districts are permanently located on the sidebar.)

Alvord taxpayers: get out your checkbooks

Alvord ISD UPDATE: Taxpayers, get out your checkbooks

This from the Wise County Messenger Online: WCMessenger.com: School district hires interim leader

Let’s get this right – the school board, who should be protecting and representing the students and taxpayers – have agreed to give shamed former Supt John Trice retirement, separation payments, health care and LEGAL DEFENSE!

This just goes to show that no matter what a Superintendent does, the school board will cover his behind and at taxpayer expense, provide him with legal defense.

Let’s just do a recap – the Superintendent is accused of electioneering on school grounds, telling employees how to vote, violating the open records laws by omitting damaging emails from a request (made by me), hiring an employee who does not exist, failing to acknowledge an inappropriate student-district staff relationship, retaliating against employees he believed to have disclosed his electioneering, and more.

Alvord taxpayers, get out your checkbooks – this shamed superintendent could cost you some real money!

At the same time, you may want to contact your school board members and share with them your outrage that they are giving this guy a pass but a free ride - when he should likely be going directly to jail. Shame on the Alvord school board members!

Pathatic bantering

BurntOrange – a liberal website fronted by left-wingers – posted a piece on one of the speakers at the Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Texas DEFENDING THE AMERICAN DREAM Summit this past weekend in Austin.

AFP Foundation is non-partisan (unlike Nutroots Nation’s gathering which was sponsored by moveon.org and the Democratic National Committee) and the RightOnline premier event had Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians gathering to discuss how to use new media more effectively to move issues we care about -- taxpayer protections among them.

Some of the lefties posting comments clearly didn’t read the article, nor did they “get it” that we were hosting a state conference, not a national convention. And we had 20 organizations playing a role in RightOnline and the Defending the American Dream Summit.

We were pleased to have the Hon. Ron Wilson speak. What appears to have really angered the liberal status-quo was that Wilson dared to venture into the school choice policy issue and advocate for policies which help the minority community students out of failing inner-city schools.

It is clear that on the Left, there is no room for discussion or an open mind. Not when the educrats constitute their largest voting block. So much for diversity.

Oh, did I mention that the Lone Star Times gets more media hits than BurntOrange?

What planet does Pelosi live on? Al Gore's ???

At the Nutroots Nation gathering in Austin this weekend, Nancy Pelosi was reported in the Houston Chronicle to have said of attendee Al Gore: "Without him, there would be no Netroots Nation. There wouldn't be the technology."

Let’s hope she was doubled over in laughter as she said it, but somehow I don’t anticipate she has that sense of humor. So Pelosi thinks Al Gore really invented the internet.

But Gore certainly did – if not invent – redefine hypocrisy.

He wants everyone else to conserve energy while he drives in gas-guzzlers and has “his people” leave the engine running to keep it cool for King Gore.

Does Al Gore and do his followers practice what they preach? Did they take public transportation to the Gore event this week in Washington, D.C.?

AFP got it on YouTube.

Be prepared to LOL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESxvY1tQHTo

Texas Budget Source

If you haven't heard about it already, Texas Budget Source is something you should become familiar with.

Funding Government: Texas Taxes

Here is a rundown of what the panelists said during the star-studded panel, "Funding Government: Texas Taxes." This will be in outline form, so that you can see the main points that the panelists were making.

Panelists:
Cheryl Johnson, Galveston County Tax Assessor and Collector
-Property tax levies have increased 270 percent over the last 20 years (Texas Comptroller’s Office)
-61 different taxes and fees in Texas
-How to fix it?
-Must limit all tax increases to popular vote
-$300 million of taxpayer dollars are spent by local governments to update appraisal districts
David Hartman, Chairman of the Lone Star Foundation
-the 79th Legislature’s HB 1 ended up succeeding in increasing both local and state taxes
-50% of property tax relief was swallowed up by higher appraisals
-How to fix it?
-Any property tax district that increases taxes by more than interest should be required by state law to have a “rollback election.” Unless the taxpayers approve the increase, the rollback would cap the rate.
-All districts which increase the CPI should have to refund taxpayers the excess that they were charged (assuming the taxpayers vote for a rollback)
-Increased explanation on “Truth in Taxation” statements in a comparison of this year’s and last year’s budget
Scott Hodge, President of the Tax Foundation
-Texas has more corporate headquarters than any other state in the USA (passed New York last year)
-Increased world trend toward lower taxes, US was the leader for this under Reagan
-27 countries (including Taiwan, Germany, and China) are cutting their corporate taxes
-US has the 2nd highest corporate tax rate of all developed countries
-99% of all business relocations in the US are to other states, only 1% go to other countries (dept of Labor)
-The most important rule of any tax system should be its simplicity
Stephen Moore, The Wall Street Journal
-In halving the tax rate since 1982 it has actually resulting in the top 1% paying even more taxes (currently pay 40% of all income tax)
-The Bush tax cut resulting in 8 million jobs being created in the next 4 years
-It took 71 years for telephones to be in 50% of homes, only took 4 years for iPods to do so

Texas Gross Margins Business Tax is Grossly Affecting Businesses

In 2005, I authored a statement on the Texas gross margins tax while I was State Chairman of Young Conservatives of Texas, stating that the expanded franchise tax will give future Legislatures an additional avenue to generate revenue. The State Legislature in the Special Session in 2006 decided to expand the franchise tax into a gross margins tax.

There was fear among the Republicans in office, including Governor Perry, that there would not be enough revenue to cut property taxes while funding the necessary roles of Government. Low and behold, the State of Texas collected $10 billion too much in revenues ($10 billion budget surplus) before the Legislature convened in 2007. The citizens of Texas were taxed $10 billion too much in the 2006-2007 biennium, before the business tax even went into effect!

This is one section of the op-ed I authored in 2006:

In the past, the proposed solution to our problems has been to add additional taxes and spending and let a future Legislature find a solution that seems right for them 15 years later. YCT is the taxpayer watchdog of the future generation. The YCT leaders will be the leaders of public policy and in our communities in the future. Our concern with this tax plan is that it continues the precedent of allowing the government to continue to spend our tax money frivolously and resort to raising taxes as the only avenue for a workable solution. This is also concerning as there will be a new way for the citizens of this state to be taxed after this business tax is created. It will probably not be this Legislature, but in a future Session when the composition of the Legislature is less conservative, a tax increase may be likely and there is now a “third leg” to increases taxes on.

A recent survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses found some interesting facts about how small business owners will deal with the new business tax. The NFIB found that of those 790 business owners surveyed,

• 33% will not purchase new equipment or inventory
• 33% will not hire new employees
• 33% will not give out employee bonuses or raises

The survey also showed these results

• 50% will charge higher prices to the consumer
• 24% will be unaffected
• 20% will lay off or fire at least one employee
• 14% will cut health care benefits to their employees
• 7% will take out a loan to pay the tax
• 3% will go out of business

Live at the Renaissance Hotel in Austin

I am here at the Americans for Prosperity—Texas’ Defending the American Dream Summit, Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams just spoke, and so that those of you who were unable to attend can know what is going on, here is a summary of his remarks.

The Texas Railroad Commission is enlisted to the task of regulating energy production in Texas. As Chairman, Commissioner Williams supports further supplying energy technologies to the level that is needed for our economy can retain the prosperity that we have enjoyed. He also agreed with T. Boone Pickens’ recent proposed plan that would increase the use of newer energy technologies like wind power or natural gas. In addition, he is against the further movement of using food crops such as corn to energy, since that has only succeeded in increasing the cost of food for Texans at the store.

Texas is the 5th largest coal producing state, but sits on the largest supply of coal anywhere in the world, and by using new technologies it is not the environmental danger that its reputation makes it seem.

When the 81st Legislative Session arrives in Texas (January 2009) the Commission is going to advise the Legislature to take the lead on finding new energy resources and meeting current supply, whether the Federal Government provides leadership on this issue or not. He also tied his message to National Security, saying that by drilling in America, it will reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.

YES WE CAN (Fight City Hall!)

I'm at the Americans for Prosperity Defending the American Dream Summit in Austin, TX, and boy, what a great event this has been so far. Lots of familiar and new faces (rumor on the floor is that we exceeded expectations - woohoo!), a great bunch of bloggers, and activists from all corners of our fair state.

One of the best quotes of the weekend so far came from Tim Phillips, national director of Americans for Prosperity. During his Friday evening speech, he reminded attendees that you really can "fight city hall."

It's so important that the grassroots realize that we absolutely can effect change on the local level - not only can we fight city hall by turning out and getting everyone we know to turn out and vote "no" on irresponsible tax rate hikes and spending/bond measures, but we can take back city hall by running for office, and vetting the candidates in advance to support the very best taxpayer advocates possible.

Tim Phillips is speaking right now, kicking off the morning general session at the Summit. He reminds us, we have to send a message to elected officials that we do care about fiscal responsibility. "There is a constituency for doing the right thing."

This movement is gaining momentum; despite the rhetoric this weekend, this is actually the third taxpayer gathering of this kind in Texas, the fifth if you include the "mini-summits" held in Houston and Dallas last June. Each time, more people came, new people came, and there was a pulse that kept getting louder. This weekend, the pulse is undeniable. The movement is alive and well and kicking in Austin (of all places!!). Conservatives will TAKE BACK CITY HALL, and as Tim Phillips is saying right now, it starts right here. It starts in this room, and online, today.

Tony Snow remembered

It’s a sad day. Tony Snow has died of complications due to colon cancer.

I knew Tony Snow. He and I weren’t close friends. He had many close friends as he was a friendly, bright, handsome man who was quick to smile and had an even quicker wit.

He was a speech writer in Washington, D.C. while I worked there. He and I emailed occasionally over the years, more often when he was a radio talk show host.

He was a decent man with many interests – none above his family and politics. Family clearly came first.

Tony Snow brought humor, class and integrity to politics. He will be remembered this weekend, and missed for years to come.

If we are lucky, he will also be emulated.

-- Peggy Venable

Texas spending just got more transparent

More light is being shed on government in Texas today as our friends at the Texas Public Policy Foundation launched a new website to provide greater transparency.Not only do Governor Rick Perry and State Comptroller Susan Combs champion transparency in government spending and have worked with the legislature to allow taxpayers to track their state tax dollars online through a website “Where the money goes” -- website.

Whereas the State posts their spending online, many school districts tout posting their checkbook registers online, but I am not familiar with any ISD that posts ALL their checkbook registers – so don’t be fooled. But with the Texas Public Policy Foundation launching their new project www.TexasBudgetSource.com - a website that allows for one-stop shopping on government spending information at the state and local level, we can track and share information on what local governments are and are not doing.

The site will undoubtedly provide taxpayers with a lot of ammunition to put their elected officials on the spot when it comes to budget issues, be it in Austin, or in their city council, county commissioners court, or school board meetings.

Let’s shed some more light on government spending…after all, it’s our money.

Cedar Hill ISD's Stadium Has $1 million Damage

The Cedar Hill ISD, located in southwest Dallas County, is reportedly dealing with a situation involving $1 million in damages to their stadium.