88th Texas Legislature

[WBT 20994]

Poooor danny

[YGIFS 19458]

Hey Dan, that was the Governor, the Speaker, and most of your caucus telling you, "Uh-Oh"

Patrick, "Uh-Oh, what?"

Them, "You're fucked" 

You wanna go down with Ken Paxton, be my guest.  They got plenty of rope and bridges to hang it from where he's headed.  Pick our a smart pants suit so you look good dangling you dumbfuck.  You really think his backup plan was gonna involve you running for Governor in 2026.  Fucking shit for brains Lane Bryant fupacunt.

[CTC2 2865]

5 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

If he ends up being the guy that slips a knife between Paxton's ribs, I might move back to SETX just to vote for him. 

Obviously you haven’t been there in a while. 

[cactusflinthead 27628]

 

[Ghost of LL 15705]

Abbott is so bad at special sessions. I think he’s probably called a dozen of them as governor. But I can’t think of a single one that went to his satisfaction.

[atomheartbevo 90665]

5 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

Abbott is so bad at special sessions. I think he’s probably called a dozen of them as governor. But I can’t think of a single one that went to his satisfaction.

His desire to ditch property taxes, while not coming up with a way to cover the revenue they produce, is pretty telling.

Something is wrong with him.  A lot of us noticed it last year when he veered hard right in the primaries, when it seemed like Huffines ,who had no chance, was making him freak out and go far right.

Yeah, there is the notion that Republicans know they can count on moderate Republicans to show up, but they need the batshit types who don't show up a lot, to carry them across the finish line, and maybe it's true, but something is just weird with him. He's willing to destroy his legacy and make himself a laughing stock over things that will not come to bear no matter how hard he cosplays as Professor X.

[TexEx15 17956]

 

[atomheartbevo 90665]

Patrick calling Abbott out, just as DeSantis is making a 3-day fundraising swing through the richest areas of Texas next week....

[Guest]

8 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

His desire to ditch property taxes, while not coming up with a way to cover the revenue they produce, is pretty telling.

Something is wrong with him.  A lot of us noticed it last year when he veered hard right in the primaries, when it seemed like Huffines ,who had no chance, was making him freak out and go far right.

Yeah, there is the notion that Republicans know they can count on moderate Republicans to show up, but they need the batshit types who don't show up a lot, to carry them across the finish line, and maybe it's true, but something is just weird with him. He's willing to destroy his legacy and make himself a laughing stock over things that will not come to bear no matter how hard he cosplays as Professor X.

Really is weird. He always had that streak ("I come to the office, I sue the Obama Administration, I go home"), but just seemed like he went off the deep-end.

For the record, from what I know about the plans, I'd actually prefer Patrick's with the homestead exemption increase. It actually focuses on homeowners while the House plan seems to focus on everyone -- including commercial property owners, who I feel normally don't carry their weight.

What I'd prefer more is the homestead cap, compression, and a appraisal cap decrease. 10% a year means your taxes can double in just seven years. 5% would double that length of time.

[Guest]

Also, it if weren't for the absolute real world consequences of their actions (or inactions in the case of real action following Uvalde), this would be the best drama on the planet right now.

[Beau Vine 55877]

9 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

His desire to ditch property taxes, while not coming up with a way to cover the revenue they produce, is pretty telling.

I guess he missed that detail in Mogwai's plan?

[Beau Vine 55877]

8 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

 

[South Austin 53238]

9 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

Abbott is so bad at special sessions. I think he’s probably called a dozen of them as governor. But I can’t think of a single one that went to his satisfaction.

Greg Abbott doesn't lose.  He just runs out of special sessions.

[troph 25242]

that property tax cut isn't going to do what we think it's going to do. I haven't looked terribly closely but I would be shocked if it's more than $30-100/month in savings.  The state needs a massive, massive overhaul. capping values on homesteads at price paid, not just exemptions, lower the maximum rate taxing authorities can charge, and finding revenue elsewhere, tax O&G, increase the gasoline tax, and I'd even support an increase in the margin tax (business income tax) as well as a modest increase in the sales tax.  taxing homes the way we do has turned Texas into a tax unfriendly state.

[CTC2 2865]

9 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

 

I love red hat on red hat crime. 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, troph said:

that property tax cut isn't going to do what we think it's going to do. I haven't looked terribly closely but I would be shocked if it's more than $30-100/month in savings.  The state needs a massive, massive overhaul. capping values on homesteads at price paid, not just exemptions, lower the maximum rate taxing authorities can charge, and finding revenue elsewhere, tax O&G, increase the gasoline tax, and I'd even support an increase in the margin tax (business income tax) as well as a modest increase in the sales tax.  taxing homes the way we do has turned Texas into a tax unfriendly state.

I saw $1,200 over two years for a $300K home. So $50 a month.

[troph 25242]

47 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I saw $1,200 over two years for a $300K home. So $50 a month.

Amazing !! 
 

[bluto 4999]

What I can’t figure out is what happens when the surplus isn’t available, the special house bill expires in 2025 so do rates just jump back up? There’s no way the state will have this level of surplus again. And if there’s one thing the red state lege hates more than minorities voting (maybe didn’t need that verb) it’s funding education from their coffers. 

[pyrohornIII 4846]

1 hour ago, troph said:

that property tax cut isn't going to do what we think it's going to do. I haven't looked terribly closely but I would be shocked if it's more than $30-100/month in savings.  The state needs a massive, massive overhaul. capping values on homesteads at price paid, not just exemptions, lower the maximum rate taxing authorities can charge, and finding revenue elsewhere, tax O&G, increase the gasoline tax, and I'd even support an increase in the margin tax (business income tax) as well as a modest increase in the sales tax.  taxing homes the way we do has turned Texas into a tax unfriendly state.

I've seen where several counties have been jacking up evaluations so when the tax cut does come, it will put the counties back to where they were right before the cut. So no real savings, just sleight of hand.

 

[pyrohornIII 4846]

For those of you up on the Texas Constitution, with Slaton being ousted, Abbott has the privilege to set a special election for his seat.   People in his district were thinking he'd probably call it for mid-June.  But he's set it for Nov 7 instead.  

So basically, those folks get no representation through all the upcoming special sessions?  Is this constitutionally legal?  Seems it would be Abbott's duty to fill the seat ASAP.  

I have a feeling he's put it off that long to let the anger in that district over Slaton cool.  Might feel that if the election were now, potentially could lose that seat to a Dem.   I know that seems ludicrous, but it's an open race, no primaries.   So they have about 6 Republicans who have declared.  That's splitting that vote quite a bit, against one Dem.  

 

[kevwun 16444]

Evaluations jumped in the first place a few years back because the Legislature made Appraisal Districts do it.  This is a solution to a problem they created that will just cause more problems.

[troph 25242]

5 minutes ago, kevwun said:

Evaluations jumped in the first place a few years back because the Legislature made Appraisal Districts do it.  This is a solution to a problem they created that will just cause more problems.

[kevwun 16444]

They blame Counties for all of this shit because people have the attention span of gnats.

[Longhorn_Fan68 34106]

2 minutes ago, kevwun said:

They blame Counties for all of this shit because people have the attention span of gnats.

and similar intelligence

[bluto 4999]

Tx Constitution technically requires cads value property at 100% of market value. The cads are then graded by the state every other year roughly to see how their values stack up to recent transactions and appraisals, along with the state conducting their own appraisals as testing basis. If the county is below the mark regularly then big shit happens. 

[safe sex 12036]

Due to being a military kid, I managed to graduate from a Texas high school without having had a Texas history/government class. Can someone point to any redeeming features of the TX Constitution?

[SydneyCarton 49520]

7 minutes ago, safe sex said:

Due to being a military kid, I managed to graduate from a Texas high school without having had a Texas history/government class. Can someone point to any redeeming features of the TX Constitution?

I mean, well, technically Texas HAS a constitution. You know who doesn't have a constitution? Saudi Arabia. So yeah, advantage Texas.

Fun fact, while crafting this post TIL that other countries without a constitution include Canada, Israel, UK and New Zealand. 3 of which I'd leave Texas for in a heartbeat if I had the means and no kiddo. So...Texas is actually doing less with more, unsurprisingly. 

[Js1 87225]

2 hours ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

I saw $1,200 over two years for a $300K home. So $50 a month.

So like the Trump tax cuts. Enjoy your Costco membership and shut up, peasant 

[TexEx15 17956]

3 hours ago, troph said:

that property tax cut isn't going to do what we think it's going to do. I haven't looked terribly closely but I would be shocked if it's more than $30-100/month in savings.  The state needs a massive, massive overhaul. capping values on homesteads at price paid, not just exemptions, lower the maximum rate taxing authorities can charge, and finding revenue elsewhere, tax O&G, increase the gasoline tax, and I'd even support an increase in the margin tax (business income tax) as well as a modest increase in the sales tax.  taxing homes the way we do has turned Texas into a tax unfriendly state.

If only money grew on weeds….

[Evil Bill Obrien 3514]

39 minutes ago, TexEx15 said:

If only money grew on weeds….

[Biff Tannen 46192]

41 minutes ago, TexEx15 said:

If only money grew on weeds….

The devil’s lettuce that Colorado has used to completely fund their roads and education?  GTFO with that commie hippie talk!

[troph 25242]

1 hour ago, TexEx15 said:

If only money grew on weeds….

Legalization or not, I'm tax positive, don't get me wrong, but property taxes make Texas very unfriendly.

 

Quote

You might be surprised to see the Lone Star State on the list of least tax-friendly states for retirees. After all, isn't Texas one of the handful of states with no income tax? Well, yes, it's true that there are no income taxes in Texas...which means no taxes on Social Security benefits, pensions, 401(k)s, IRAs, or any other type of retirement income. But a lot of states don't tax these types of retirement income anyway (or at least partially exempt them), so states without any income tax don't necessarily have an advantage over other states when it comes to taxes on seniors.

Texas' main problem is with its property taxes. The state's median property tax rate is the seventh-highest in the country. For our hypothetical retired couples, that means an estimated annual property tax bill of $3,998 for the couple with the $250,000 home and $5,597 for the couple with the $350,000 home. On the bright side, seniors may be able to get a $10,000 property tax exemption, have their tax bill "frozen," or delay payment of taxes.

 

Sales taxes are on the high end in Texas, too. The state imposes a 6.25% tax, but local governments can tack on up to 2% more. When combined, the average state and local sales tax rate in Texas is 8.2%, which is the 14th-highest combined rate in the country.

 

https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/601815/least-tax-friendly-states-for-retirees

this article has Texas at 28th "best" on taxes with a grade of a C

https://www.moneygeek.com/financial-planning/resources/tax-friendly-state/

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by troph

[Beau Vine 55877]

9 hours ago, safe sex said:

Due to being a military kid, I managed to graduate from a Texas high school without having had a Texas history/government class. Can someone point to any redeeming features of the TX Constitution?

It's insanely long and detailed to the point that if you claim you didn't understand something, that's believable and understandable, unlike people claiming that "Freedom of Speech" means that you can say whatever you want with zero consequences.  Other than that, I got nothing. 

[atomheartbevo 90665]

12 hours ago, bluto said:

What I can’t figure out is what happens when the surplus isn’t available, the special house bill expires in 2025 so do rates just jump back up? 

The R's are just trying to survive through 2024.

[bluto 4999]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

The R's are just trying to survive through 2024.

That’s my read as well, just throwing the kitchen sink at it short sightedly for a headline. The current house bill expires entirely in 2025, no way in hell the purse strings will be as loose then. 

[Chuckie Finster 23094]

Dunno where else to put this, but shit is BLEAK for rural public schools.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/rural-school-districts-are-facing-financial-ruin-some-state-officials-prefer-it-that-way/?/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Organic+Social&utm_campaign=SND

[ChuckNorrisActionJeans 2692]

3 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Dunno where else to put this, but shit is BLEAK for rural public schools.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/rural-school-districts-are-facing-financial-ruin-some-state-officials-prefer-it-that-way/?/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Organic+Social&utm_campaign=SND

I read this earlier, and it's an excellent overview. Perhaps some of the rurals should, I don't know, reconsider their continued votes for the dipshits who continually undermine them.

[Bozo_Casanova 26898]

22 minutes ago, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

I read this earlier, and it's an excellent overview. Perhaps some of the rurals should, I don't know, reconsider their continued votes for the dipshits who continually undermine them.

Or you know, maybe the Texas Democratic Party of 100 Progressives from Travis County Who All Know Each Other could do what their County chairs spent 20 years begging them to do - stop getting baited into national social issues in rural areas and run candidates in local races on local issues.

Competitiveness in Texas runs through the same route in Texas that it has for 158 years- the county courthouse.

Edited June 6, 2023 by Bozo_Casanova

[Brisketexan 106983]

22 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Or you know, maybe the Texas Democratic Party of 100 Progressives from Travis County Who All Know Each Other could do what their County chairs spent 20 years begging them to do - stop getting baited into national social issues in rural areas and run candidates in local races on local issues.

Competitiveness in Texas runs through the same route in Texas that it has for 158 years- the county courthouse.

A WHOLE LOT OF THIS.  So long as the Democratic party is made up of only a closed cadre of Prius-driving "progressives" in a few core metro areas, it ain't gonna gain ground.

[Brisketexan 106983]

4 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Dunno where else to put this, but shit is BLEAK for rural public schools.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/rural-school-districts-are-facing-financial-ruin-some-state-officials-prefer-it-that-way/?/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Organic+Social&utm_campaign=SND

Oh, and on the actual article subject: it's not negligent homicide of education.  It's gleeful murder.  The GQP cares only about one thing: power.  And they only get to hold onto power in the long term if the bulk of the voters in the state are uneducated, unthinking rubes who just react to their inflamed social issue of the moment.  Sure, it's foolish in the long run, Texas will run out of its most important capital -- an educated workforce -- rapidly.  But hey, so long as the GQP holds power, who cares?

The worst thing to happen to this state, ESPECIALLY rural parts of it, is GQP state-wide government.  But the GQP has already done what it has to do: prey on the people there to get them to vote for the GQP out of fear of abstract bogeymen, and ignoring the decades of abject GQP failure and outright designed crippling policies actually affecting them right here and now.

Rural Texas will continue voting for the GQP as the GQP continues to starve them to death.  

[swraith 348]

5 hours ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Dunno where else to put this, but shit is BLEAK for rural public schools.

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/rural-school-districts-are-facing-financial-ruin-some-state-officials-prefer-it-that-way/?/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Organic+Social&utm_campaign=SND

This is so painful and depressing to read.  

[kevwun 16444]

It isn't going to change until Rural Texas starts voting for their own best interests.  I'll bet you that that Superintendent voted for all the assholes causing his problems in the last election.

[Beau Vine 55877]

2 hours ago, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

Perhaps some of the rurals should, I don't know, reconsider their continued votes for the dipshits who continually undermine them.

[bluto 4999]

Boy if that ain’t leopards eating faces. 

[scottsins 2047]

It isn't going to change until Rural Texas starts voting for their own best interests.  I'll bet you that that Superintendent voted for all the assholes causing his problems in the last election.

They would rather have illiterate kids than that goddamn libtard CRT bullshit.

[atomheartbevo 90665]

On 6/6/2023 at 8:23 PM, scottsins said:

They would rather have illiterate kids than that goddamn libtard CRT bullshit.

Yep, and they have a new target.

https://www.kxan.com/news/education/texas-lawmaker-files-bill-to-ban-affirmative-action-after-scotus-ruling/

Quote

Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action admissions for private and public universities Thursday, a Texas representative filed legislation to codify it. State Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock, filed House Bill 54 to prohibit public universities and colleges from adopting affirmative action policies. Only one school, University of Texas-Austin, uses affirmative action.

Tepper admits, his proposal’s chances are “not strong,” considering lawmakers just commenced a second special session with only one call on the agenda: property tax relief. “You never know, it might inspire somebody to add to add it to the call,” he said. “We want people to not have an advantage or disadvantage of their race going into the future and giving them the privileges of higher education or a job,” he said.

Quote

In Texas, only the governor has the power of setting the agenda for special sessions. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to eventually call legislators back for a special session focused on getting a school voucher system passed, but has not mentioned anything related to higher education.

Tepper’s bill would not apply to private colleges and universities in Texas, but the Supreme Court’s ruling does apply to non-public higher education institutions.

https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=84

Must be nice to have a district entirely within one county, dealing with one city.

Quote

Carl Tepper represents House District 84, which is entirely within Lubbock County, Texas. Carl is a husband, father, Air Force veteran, and commercial real estate professional. With over twenty years of proven performance, Carl has managed, sold, and leased millions of square feet of property and is an active real estate investor. He lives in Lubbock with his wife, daughter, and beloved rescue dog named Margaret Thatcher. Carl is also an avid horseman and endurance rider. He races horses long-distance and has successfully raced 50 miles in a day.

Quote

Carl joined the United States Air Force immediately after graduating high school. Sergeant Tepper was a military flyer (C-130 Flight Engineer) with the 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron, the “Red Devils,” and is a recipient of the prestigious Air Medal. During his military career, he lived in Texas (Reese AFB), Arkansas, England, and the United Arab Emirates. Carl flew missions worldwide, culminating in his service in the Persian Gulf War.

After the war, Carl attended Texas Tech University and graduated Class of 1995. After graduating, he lived in Austin for twelve years practicing commercial real estate at the highest levels. Carl returned to Lubbock in 2009 to help manage downtown redevelopment initiatives.

And of course he's a realtor.

[ChuckNorrisActionJeans 2692]

has a dog named Margaret Thatcher. What a douchebag.

[pacman 7510]

 

Texas Democrats wake up from their year long nap?

[bluto 4999]

All the best of intentions with that D plan, but a complete cluster f on execution and zero chance in hell of any of it working into the prop tax debate. 

[atomheartbevo 90665]

28 minutes ago, bluto said:

All the best of intentions with that D plan, but a complete cluster f on execution and zero chance in hell of any of it working into the prop tax debate. 

The Ds need to go hard on the porn access and social media stuff when September 1st kicks in.  Blitz the airwaves with reminders that Abbott and the Republicans are the reason why PornHub, etc., are blocking all Texans not using a VPN.