School finance

School districts across the state are crying once again. This can only mean one thing - the 2009 Legislature is about to meet. School districts are once again crying that they don't have enough money to operate. Guess what? Neither do most of the households who pay the taxes to keep these entities bankrolled. School districts aren't being asked to do anything more than what the average family is doing: tightening the belt and watching pennies.

School districts are whining about uncontrollable costs. Just like the average family all costs are controllable. You just have to decide how and what you are willing to sacrifice! School districts are complaining that money flowing into schools is flat, while costs are rising. That big piggy bank they used to be able to tap 'local property tax' has been tapped to the max. School districts did not make the necessary adjustments.

However, they did make the appropriate adjustment in tapping that local fund balance. The fund balance is the taxpayer money hoarded by school districts and spent on a number of things usually not needed, i.e. turf fields, new gyms, administrator trips, etc. The taxpayer has for years been screaming about those growing fund balances and wanting their money returned in the form of a property tax rate cut, but the school district's ignored the wishes of the taxpayer longer than they should have. Taxpayers became upset and went to the legislature and requested that school districts be held accountable for the misuse of taxpayer funds, and the legislature responded with a property tax rate ceiling.

School districts have one goal - educating our children. School districts should focus more time on their own spending and educating children and less time worrying about sources of funding. School districts are bloated with administration expense, and it is time to move forth with some gas relief to aid that bloated feeling. Independent School Districts in this state need to start trimming that excess fat. Start at the top like most companies going through a restructuring.

School districts started the fight with the taxpayers of this state, and I don't believe taxpayers will be silent and let their property be lost due to uncontrollable spending and tax happy school districts.

Merry Christmas

Today is a day of Joy. Let us not forget the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas

Another reason God is needed in the classroom

Tony Perkins’ Washington UpdatePublished: 12-17-08

Church attendance is good for the soul, but a new study by FRC shows that it's also good for American schools. In a special edition of Dr. Pat Fagan's Mapping America, Drs. Nicholas Zill and Philip Fletcher found a startling discrepancy between children who live with both biological parents and attend religious services weekly and those from broken homes who worship less frequently.

With data from the National Survey of Children's Health, Zill and Fletcher found that students from intact, churchgoing families are five times less likely to repeat a grade. Less than a quarter of these parents (21%) were contacted by their child's school for behavior or achievement problems, compared to 53 percent whose kids were not living with both parents and not attending church services regularly.

There was even a noticeable difference in the level of parents' stress. The more frequently a family worships together, the less anxiety moms and dads report about their kids' school performance.

Perhaps even more surprising is that these differences held even after controlling for family income and poverty, parents' education level, race, and ethnicity. As Mapping America illustrates, church and family are the perfect prescription for many social ills.

Children thrive, the family bond strengthens, school success skyrockets, and the nation reaps the reward. As Dr. Fagan says, the intact married families who worship weekly are the greatest generator of human goods in the land. We encourage policy makers to strongly consider whether their proposals support such a family structure. It is to society's advantage that they do.

Must be the reason for private church affiliated school success!

Why our children have no conscience

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one o f my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crïeche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

New Secretary of Education

Perhaps President elect Obama could tap PISD Twi-light Super for the post. The PISD is in the mood of giving money away, surely they have $25,000 to grease the wheels for the appointment.

Twi-light super gets her way

Twi-light Super did not get her way in regards to the reassignment of one of the principals. She gets her way by the PISD board voting to expend $100,000 plus on the buyout of the contract. Coffee table talk says she reported there will not be a need to replace the individual for the next year and a half; therefore, the school want be paying two salaries. If there is not a need then why were we paying for an extra body that was not needed in the first place?

At this point one has to question the intelligence and decision making ability of this individual. The PISD board needs to take the 'blinders' off and send this individual home for bad decision making skills. Bad decision making skills is a valid reason to terminate employment. The list of bad decisions continues to add up, i.e. $100K plus payout to an employee for a position that was not needed to begin with, a botched bid on a mowing contract that cost a bucket load in attorney fees, ask for a bond when you have demonstrated no real need, provide the public with invalid data, hiring bonus for teachers who don't stay, etc.

This is all good taxpayer money that should be used towards the education of the children. Rise up and demand better of your PISD board! The PISD is no sideshow for it has become the circus.

Which school board member is it?

One of the coffee shop roundtables has reported that one of the local PISD school board members has been accused of sexual harassment towards one of the female high school teachers. It is the understanding of this particular coffee shop roundtable that the female teacher presented her complaint during this week's school board meeting. The female teacher did not name the school board member. Could it be the same board member that was issued a ticket for having alcohol on school grounds? If this turns out to be the case then this school board member needs to immediately resign his seat. As a role model this community should expect better.

On the local ISD front

At one of the coffee shop round tables this AM it was discussed that Twi-light Super is wanting to reassign one of the campus principles. It appears that Twi-light Super has lost faith in this individuals leadership abilities. I want to offer Twi-light Super a word of caution that this ISD traveled this road a few years back. Some of the older school board members will and should recall the reassignment of a principal that ended up costing several hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlement agreement costs and legal fees. If you plan on taking this road you better have your books in order for this district cannot afford another costly lawsuit by another uneducated Twi-light Super on a power trip.

However, your decision making skills are minimal at best. What Twi-light Super would approve the expense of chartered buses for the purpose of a ninety minute bus ride when you have a whole fleet of yellow buses already owned by the district? The opposing team showed up in the yellow buses. They won and they rode home in those yellow buses at a lot less expense. Oh, least we forget the money you spend is not your own. You don't even live in the ISD; therefore, you don't pay no property taxes that support our ISD. The decision to expend the money for charter buses was an easy one for you - IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY. Minimal decision making skills at best should be noted in your performance evaluation! Wonder if the school board even does a performance evaluation on Twi-light Super? Guess not if the individual is still here. Then again you have to ask why is the school board still in place.

A coffee shop round table poll has concluded that the Twi-light Super and the Asst. Twi-light Super are the ones who need to be reassigned. Success on the athletic field does not equal success in the world of children learning the 3R's! Kendal Wright was an exceptional athlete and has shown exceptional success on the athletic field at the next level. However, not every student is going to have the athletic abilities of Mr. Wright. The natural athletes will have no problems unless they don't get the 3R's, and this goes for the other 99.9% of the student body that are not natural athletes.

Twi-light Super and Asst. Twi-light Super need to take their natural athletic talents elsewhere, and then just maybe this ISD can hire a real leadership team. A real leadership team will come in and clean the house at all levels and start a rebuilding program to turn this ISD into an academic success story. Twi-light Super retire and go home. You are not a leader. If you must stay in this business you could probably do well as the Super of the DISD. Asst. Twi-light Super you need to find a new mentor if you wish to stay in this business.

ACORN an ally

It appears that the ghost name generating organization did some good for the folks of the North Forest ISD. ACORN helped to defeat a tax increase proposal by the North Forest ISD school board. No one knows how many ghost helpers were involved in the matter! Never the less we will take the victory against another spend thrift ISD in this state.

http://www.empowertexans.com/node/752

Our hats go off to the taxpayers and ACORN who worked together to protect the taxpayers and force government to live within its means.

Prime Minister John Howard - Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

Quote: ' IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.' ? ' This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'

'We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society Learn the language!'

'Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.'

'We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.

'This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, ' THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.' ' If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.'

ENOUGH SAID - WE NEED A PERSON LIKE THIS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Mortgaging our kids' futures

Q: What is a guy to do about the fact that Washington is mortgaging our kids’ futures as Americans? You live frugally and then you find out that the rewards go to the people that were the speculators, spendthrifts, and unrepentant consumers, and to the corporations that were pigs at the trough of cheap money. I am not asking if it is “fair”, just, literally, what can you do?

A: I’ve always thought that you have to always live responsibly, help others when you can, and mind your own business. The problem, of course, is that our business is now held hostage to the poor decisions of others and I’m afraid that’s only going to get worse, not better. Every action we’ve seen from the government so far clearly suggest that in my view.

As for what we can all do - I think we continue to live below our means, develop multiple streams of income, invest in ourselves and our education, stay responsible and save as much as we can, appreciate the important things in life like friends and family (none of them require money), and work hard. At a minimum, this will set the example for our kids who will need it to pay the bills when they come due.

Todd Staples and Texas Ag. Dept - Bonehead Award

You ever heard of schools needing to hire lunchtime monitors?

Scores on exams statewide have dropped over the last decade, but school districts are hiring "lunchtime monitors"? You got to read this to really believe such nonsense exist. Don't ask the Alvin ISD if it exist for they will inform you about the $1,800 fine issued by the Texas Dept. of Agriculture.

"Talk about misplaced priorities... Alvin ISD is getting fined $1,800 because one kid shared some pizza. It seems the sharing of non-approved pizza is a big bureaucratic no-no, and was witnessed by a Texas Department of Agriculture monitor. Since 2004, schools have had to squash such nefarious activity or face stiff penalties from the Ag department."

http://www.empowertexans.com/node/743

I know Texas has an $11 Billion state surplus; however, is this the kind of rules we really want on the books today? Could the money and resources associated with this Dept. of Agriculture employee not be better spent? What about the school district's resources? Come on Todd Staples, House of Reps. and members of the Senate is this the most efficient use of resources? Looks like wasteful spending causing additional wasteful spending. We wonder why our children have problems with their spending!

Why your property taxes will rise

Why your property taxes are going up - MSN Money

Breakdown in ethics and morals

TEXAS TROOPER ARRESTED WITH SUITCASES OF COCAINE

The breakdown in ethics and morals will lead to the downfall of society as we know it today. Look at the greed that took over wall street, greed took over Pilgrim's Pride and other such companies, and greed is a byproduct of the breakdown in ethics and morals.

"It cannot be said often enough that in the last resort competition has to be circumscribed and mitigated by moral forces within the market parties." More and bigger is not always the measure of success. Success is measured in many other ways; however, the pocket book became the measure of success in the US. Money is the evil that destroyed the ethical and moral upbringing of many in this country.

There can be no doubt that spiritual and moral traditions are handed down together along with the material foundation of life. Those with material foundations have an obligation to help bring up the future generation with spiritual and moral traditions. "Any privilege, be it a privilege of birth, mind, honor and respect, or of wealth, confers rights only in exactly the same measure in which it is accepted as an obligation." Material wealth brings with it an obligation of ethics and morals.

Financial meltdown

Late in the 18th century Mr. Ropke said it best:


"We need businessmen, farmers, and bankers who view the great questions of economic policy unprejudiced by their own immediate and short-run economic interests; trade-union leaders who realize that they share with the president of the national bank the responsibility for the country's currency, journalists who resist the temptation to flatter mass tastes or to succumb to political passions and court cheap success and instead guide public opinion with moderation, sound judgment, and a high sense of responsibility."

Happy Thanksgiving

Give thanks for what you have and not what you don't have. If you are reading this then you most likely are better off than many others. Most likely you have a computer, access to a computer, roof over your head, possibly food on the table, funds to pay for the Internet service, ability to get to and from a place that has a computer with Internet access you can use, etc.

Many in this world today lack having the basic needs that sustain life in a minimum form. Many have some form of disability, handicap, etc. that does not allow them such opportunities.

What is the status of your life?

http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=17984

GIVE THANKS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE.

Rep. Riddle is on board with some conditions

"My constituents are being taxed out of their homes because of appraisal increases, and their taxes are providing services for people who are here illegally," Riddle said. "These are two huge problems, and they must both be fixed immediately, if not sooner."

Riddle's House Bill 46 would allow counties to hold their own elections to set an appraisal rate as low as three percent, sidestepping the controversy associated with a state-wide appraisal cap. A constitutional amendment, HJR 15, was also filed for the same purpose.

"The fact is that there are members who will never vote for an appraisal cap in their district," Riddle said. "So why make them? This bill is all about democracy. It's about local control, and letting the people decide for themselves what is best." Let's understand why a State Rep. want vote for an appraisal cap - they are beholden to the monetary contributions from the Texas Association of Counties, Texas Municipal League, and the Texas Association of School Boards. Take these organizations out of the picture and a vote that favors taxpayers is not an issue. Riddle makes a good effort, but she wants to 'side step' her responsibilities as an elected State Rep.

House Bill 47, requiring voter identification at the voting booth, was also part of Riddle's initial legislative package. She said the issue has its roots in the illegal immigration debate. "There is a lot of concern that people's votes are being negated because people who are not citizens or who should not be voting for a number of other reasons are being allowed to vote," Riddle said. "It's such a simple problem to fix: prove who you are when you show up to vote!" Thought this was the reason for the Voter Card. No Card No Vote! Very Simple Solution.

REP. CALLEGARI FILES LEGISLATION TO LOWER RESIDENTIAL APPRAISAL CAP

http://www.house.state.tx.us/news/release.php?id=2452

Hearing on Government Spending Caps

Appropriations
Subcommittee on Spending Limitations
11/12/08 10:18 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.

Bill on property reappraisals

http://www.texasinsider.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5268


"Houston State Senator Dan Patrick and Representative Dwayne Bohac filed legislation today to limit the increase of property tax appraisals by requiring biennial reappraisals of homestead property." Senator Patrick and Representative Bohac are on the right track; however, this legislation needs to address more than just homestead property. Include all property.

Consumption Tax v. Property Tax

"Transferring the burden of funding schools from a property tax to a consumer tax is an attainable and worthy endeavor that will strengthen our economy by placing the burden of funding education on those that can afford it." Representative King is going to try again in this Legislative session, and we all need to help make this happen. The process is very simple:

1) Draft a letter in support of the proposal.
2) Go http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php for the fax number of every state representative
3) Fax, send, etc. your letter to every state representative
4) Power is in the hands of the people who scream the loudest - SCREAM and help Rep. King

http://www.empowertexans.com/node/734

Your are not alone

The Legislature worked hard to provide property tax relief, and yet most taxpayers don’t believe they have received the 30% tax cut from school taxes. Why?

They haven’t realized the cut because school districts are increasing the tax rate…most schools took a tax increase up to the cap and now 106 districts have asked taxpayers to give them more. Half the schools asking voters to approve higher tax rates on Tuesday November 4, 2008, were REJECTED.

One woman (or man) can make a difference

We included a blog post "Alvord Mother Proves We Can Keep ISDs Accountable” about Tracy Lodes, a mother in Alvord ISD who knew things weren’t right in her school district. She started asking questions and requesting documents and ended up banned from her daughter’s elementary school campus.

We received a comment to the online post: “This is crazy! I can't believe nobody was keeping track on this school system. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Well, friends, someone was keeping track – that mother who wasn’t going to let the superintendent bully her. That superintendent has stepped down, thanks to Tracy’s tenacity. It just takes one committed person to make a difference.

From the folks at AFP.

School district finds funds after audit

We commend the Austin Independent School District (AISD) for requesting an audit to find savings – and savings they did find. The savings could be as much as $3 million by 2010. The savings were found in only three areas of the budget – food service, computer software use and janitorial services.

Rejected bond and tax rate increases

SOME LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TIGHTENING BELTS AFTER VOTERS REJECTED BOND PROPOSALS AND TAX INCREASES

Comptroller announces reorganization

Comptroller Susan Combs announces a reorganization of the Property Tax Division. Click the link to read the release.

http://www.window.state.tx.us/news2008/081103-proptax.htm

Continued efforts make for change in taxpayers favor. Keep applying the pressure. The powers that be are finally starting to get it. Changes in the PVS are coming and this should help local property taxpayers.

Congrats

Congrats go out to all the newly elected local officials. Taxpayers are watching and expectations are high.

On the national scene we are floating in uncharted waters. Hope is the theme!

Spirits and school boards

I completely looked over the article on the front page of the local rag two weeks ago with regards to a local school board member getting a ticket for 'spirit' taking from an open container on school grounds. Guess he was preparing for the upcoming Halloween season a little early.

One has to ask is this the kind of example you want from your elected leadership? Each individual will have to come to their own conclusion after careful thought .

Wonder if this is the reason for Twilight Supers bad management decisions! Oh well we will have to discuss bad decisions in a later post.

Quote fitting for the times

Always vote your principles, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. - John Adams

Another fine example

Humble ISD Begging for More Money
Submitted by dgreer on Tue, 10/28/2008 - 11:10am.

It is aggravating when superintendents ask for more money because they are operating with a deficit but it’s infuriating when they ask for it while operating with a surplus!

That is the name of the game in Humble ISD where Superintendent Dr. Guy Sconzo is begging tax payers to approve a 13 cent tax hike on November 22. He complains that what we have in Texas is an “inequitable” system of funding schools when what we really have is an inequitable system of running schools.

HISD’s fund balance in 2000 was 6 million; today the coffers are filled to the brim at more than 23 million. And voters are supposed to buy a tax increase?

From 2002 to 2007 the average increase in both students and teachers was 5%. Over the same 5 years total expenditures skyrocketed an average of 18% each year. That increase increase in spending did not make its way to the class room where spending has also been holding steady at 5%.

In 2002 HISD boasted a recognized ranking with an almost 90% passing rate on the TAAS test. Now it is rated acceptable, though a 74% passing rate on today’s TAKS can hardly be stomached as acceptable.

1st Sgt Hedges has asked me to share with all

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
Had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
Feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us.
If you believe in God and in Jesus Christ His Son send this to all on yourBuddy list and if not just ignore.
In the Bible, Jesus says...'If you deny me Before man, I will deny you before my Father in Heaven.'
GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Larry T. Hedges 1st Sgt U.S. Marine Corps Retired

This is only one state

If this doesn't open your eyes nothing will!
From the L. A. Times

1. 40% of all workers in L. A. County ( L. A. County has 10.2 million people)are working for cash and not paying taxes. This is because they are predominantly illegal immigrants working without a green card.
2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.
3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens.
4. Over 2/3 of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal , whose births were paid for by taxpayers.
5. Nearly 35% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally
6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages.
7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.
8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal.
9. 21 radio stations in L. A. are Spanish speaking.
10. In L. A. County 5.1 million people speak English, 3.9 million speak Spanish. (There are 10.2 million people in L. A. County. )

(All 10 of the above are from the Los Angeles Times) Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops, but 29% are on welfare. Over 70% of the United States' annual population growth (and over 90% of California, Florida , and New York) results from immigration.

29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens.

We are a bunch of fools for letting this continue

During the political season

During this political season let's be reminded of these wise words...

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking awaypeople's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

Abraham Lincoln

Judge dismisses suit

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging Obama's qualifications to be president. The suit was filed by Democratic lawyer Philip Berg. Mr. Berg alleged that Obama was not a U. S. citizen and therefore not eligible for the office. The judge ruled that Berg lacked standing to bring the case. It is reported that Mr. Berg plans to appeal the judge's ruling.

If Mr. Berg as a U.S. citizen does not have standing with regard to harm to our Constitution (if the merits of the case are true) then who has standing?

ISD wasteful spending

"Austin ISD’s Proposition 1 asks that the taxpayers of Austin fork over $17.7 million more dollars for “general operating expenses”, according to their brochure, explaining the “need” to increase Austin residents’ taxes."

Why the need for additional operating expenses? According to a report in the Austin American Statesman the Austin ISD is spending taxpayer dollars on a local attorney to fight a reimbursement request in the amount of $22.50 from one of its teachers for a Spanish workshop.

Guess the local attorney is working pro bono for the Austin ISD!

Lufkin resident gets visit from Secret Service

This is some Hitler/Russian type stuff................


http://www.lufkindailynews.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/10/07/secret_service.html

What is the wisdom in sending Secret Service agents to an individuals house because she disagrees with the political views of a campaign worker? Why do we the taxpayers pay for presidential candidate protection? I am sure this goes way back, but someone needs to make a change in this policy.

Attorney General's Office

Read the local rag while traveling to the state of Washington last Thursday, and it appears that Mr. Abbott felt there was enough suspicion to warrant an investigative trip to Camp County. It appears the possibility exist that our Commissioner's Court has gone afoul of the Open Meetings laws in Texas. Perhaps Camp County is one of just many that fails to put enough details in their meeting agenda notices.

"TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT SAYS GOVERNMENT MEETING AGENDAS NEED TO BE SPECIFIC"

In two weeks the voters will have a chance to seek new leadership for our county. We have an 'insider' running and an 'outsider' on the ballot. Perhaps it is time to let the outsider have a shot!

Interesting twist on the Obama thing

Oct 20th 2008
This Law Suit (amongst others) was filed against Obama and the DNC...Yet nothing was done about it...WHY...>Obama Sued in Philadelphia Federal Court on Grounds he is Constitutionally Ineligible for the Presidency(by Jeff Schreiber-Philadelphia Times Herald)....A prominent Philadelphia attorney filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee. The action seeks an injunction preventing the senator from continuing his candidacy and a court order enjoining the DNC's nomination, all on grounds that Sen. Obama is constitutionally ineligible to run for and hold the office of President of the United States. Phillip Berg, the filing attorney, is a former gubernatorial and senatorial candidate, former chair of the Democratic Party in Montgomery (PA) County, former member of the Democratic State Committee, and former Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania. According to Berg, he filed the suit for the health of the Democratic Party.Berg cited a number of unanswered questions regarding the Illinois senator's background, and maintained that Sen.Obama is not a naturalized U.S. citizen or that, if he ever was, he lost his citizenship when he was adopted in Indonesia. Berg also cites what he calls "dual loyalties" due to his citizenship and ties with Kenya and Indonesia.Even if Sen. Obama can prove his U.S. citizenship, Berg stated, citing the senator's use of a birth certificate from the state of Hawaii verified as a forgery by three independent document forensic experts, the issue of "multi-citizenship with responsibilities owed to and allegiance to other countries" remains on the table.In the lawsuit, Berg states that Sen. Obama was born in Kenya, and not in Hawaii as the senator maintains. As Sen. Obama's own paternal grandmother, half-brother and half-sister have also claimed, Berg maintains that Stanley Ann Dunham--Obama's mother--gave birth to little Barack in Kenya and subsequently flew to Hawaii to register the birth.The Hawaiian birth certificate, Berg says, is a forgery. In the suit, the attorney states that the birth certificate on record is a forgery, has been identified as such by three independent document forensic experts, and actually belonged to Maya Kasandra Soetoro, Sen. Obama's half-sister.

State Rep Phil King fights for the taxpayers

While the Fort Worth Star Telegram editorial staff recommends Phil King for H.D. 61, they aren’t endorsing his pursuit of sound public policy. They like his years-in-office, but imply they're having to hold their collective nose over his ideas about protecting taxpayers, bringing accountability to government and ensuring a strong economy.

Phil King fights for the taxpayers and some newspaper who knows NOTHING has a problem with his stance on the elimination of property taxes for school financing. "The Fort Worth Star Telegram this week wrote that Phil is “overly obsessed” with property tax relief." Wonder if the Fort Worth Star Telegram is receiving some of that property tax money? How could a know NOTHING newspaper be so blind to the fact that the people want to handle their own money, and that the people no longer trust local schools with our money.

Phil gets an 'ataboy' for his radical efforts to aid property owners. Phil, those of us from behind the pine curtain stand behind you in your noble efforts. Phil, you need to know that the school administration folks are fighting you 'tooth and nail' to preserve their dysfunctional way of life. Some of these dinosaurs have come off the extinction list to join the battle to aid schools get more of taxpayers hard earned dollars for their wasteful spending.

Taxpayers take matter into their own hands

Nearly 60 percent of voters in the Duncanville school district voted against a massive property tax hike on Tuesday, while some 73 percent voted against a similar measure in Cedar Hill. The multi-million-dollar tax hikes were defeated by a $30 grassroots campaign, and a little commonsense. The proposed tax rate increase was for maintenance and operations. The schools wanted to raise the rate from $1.04 to the state max of $1.17. The people decided the schools needed to learn to live within their means!

The sky is falling

I have been traveling for a few days, however, I found these interesting tidbits:

1 in 6 owe more than home is worth - This will probably increase property appraisal evaluations by at least 40% in our local market.

GM says bankruptcy is not an option - How would have ever thought that part of our industrial military complex would be looking at bankruptcy options? GM forgot to go high tech!

Global rout, bank woes roil Wall Street - The whole world is now joined at the hip through world trade and debt that consumers helped create. Depression - is it possible? Those boats, cars, RVs, 4 wheelers, etc. want be worth much in the coming days. Looks like our homes want be worth much either. Who created the idea that the home was a savings account? It was never suppose to be more than a roof over your head!

A state rep candidate who has been living on mars

A candidate for state representative is actually calling for property tax increases as part of her general election strategy. She apparently hasn't being paying attention.

Sandra Phuong VuLe, the Democratic Party's candidate for Texas House District 112, told the Dallas Morning News over the weekend that she would "let school districts increase property taxes far beyond the current cap."

She also told the newspaper she wants to tax business profits and "supports raising sales taxes beyond the current statewide cap" -- so she can in turn fund much bigger spending.
In a debate with Republican Angie Chen Button before the Richardson league of Women Voters, VuLu said she wanted to raise the school property tax rate. In 2006, the Legislature cut the rate from $1.50 to $1, but allowed school districts to raise it back up (eventually) to $1.17. Well, VuLu said she wants to reduce the reduction, and bring the rate to $1.30 or $1.40.

"Say it ain't so Joe"

For those of you who watched the VP Debate I thought the best line of the evening was "Say it ain't so Joe". Don't know if she rattled the rooftops, but she held her own against a long time Washington insider. Talking heads have informed us that Biden made several factual errors which is not good for someone who has been in the inter beltway for as long as he has. She is given a little leeway in some of her missteps, however, she needed to be on the money in order to demonstrate she has what it takes to play ball in the beltway ballpark among the heavy hitters.

Opinion is she did not strike out!

Sure would be nice if we had debates among our local elected offices.

Long list of worries

Credit crisis, housing bubble, sub-prime implosion, falling dollar, stumbling equity prices, higher fuel prices, higher food prices, and the list gets longer. The financial fallout has and will hit this part of the state in a hard way if Pilgrim's Pride is unable to master new terms under its current credit facilities on October 28, 2008.

The financial crisis has now come to roost right here in main street Pittsburg, Texas and Camp County. The domino effect of a wounded Pilgrim's Pride is not good for our local merchants, the local Brookshire's, the local folks who sale gasoline, pop, candy, lotto tickets, etc. This will not be good for the local real estate market, and we could possibly see some of those 25% plus lower home valuations in our near future. At the coffee shop round tables I continually here how Pilgrim's Pride is not paying their fair share - we may get to find out their fair share has declined in a major way. If you collect property taxes your kitty may get smaller in the future.

Anyone know the value of a three story office building in rural Texas? How about an empty freezer plant not located on an interstate highway? All the other meat producers are in similar shape as Pilgrim's Pride so I guess they want be coming to Camp County to spend money they don't have in their coffers.

Get ready Main Street for Wall Street is knocking on your door.

Here is a wise word for Twilight Super and crew - you better be paying close attention to your pennies! It might be a smart move to cut back on all unnecessary spending until you see where the ship is truly headed. Halloween doom and gloom has arrived a little early in our neck of the woods this year.

PITTSBURG, Texas, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pilgrim's Pride Corporation PPC today announced that on September 26, 2008, it successfully completed a definitive written agreement with its lenders to temporarily waive the fixed-charge coverage ratio covenant under its credit facilities through October 28, 2008. The lenders also have agreed to continue to provide liquidity under these credit facilities during this same 30-day period in accordance with the terms of the waiver agreement.
Pilgrim's Pride had requested the temporary waiver after notifying lenders that it expects to report a significant loss in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008, which ended September 27, when it files its Form 10-K for such period. The company attributed the anticipated loss to high feed-ingredient costs, continued weak pricing and demand for breast meat, and the significant negative impact of hedged grain positions during the quarter. The company does not anticipate that any significant hedging gains or losses will be recognized beyond the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008 on the few positions that remained open past the end of such period.
Separately, Pilgrim's Pride also announced that it has retained Bain Corporate Renewal Group to work with management on a range of strategic issues and operational improvement. Additionally, Pilgrim's Pride has engaged Lazard as its investment banker to provide strategic advice regarding refinancing and recapitalization opportunities.

Insatiable consumption

"From consumers to government, we have become a society of over-consumption. The federal government over-consumes and will continue to do so under either an Obama or McCain administration. State and local governments over-consume, many running substantial deficits. And individuals over-consume. We have gotten away with this insatiable consumption due to the massive wealth of our country, built up over decades of American ingenuity and hard work. But the party can only last so long."

"Now we face mounting competition from countries like China and India. While we are busy consuming, they are busy investing and developing. So will the bailout work? It will be a very expensive and embarrassing band aid on a financial wound that could have caused massive disruption in our economy. To that end, I believe it will work. But what it does not address is the financial cancer that has been growing in our country since the 1980s. And with the political pandering to the middle class that we call presidential politics, I expect the financial cancer to metastasize, if it hasn’t already."

More on the financial mess

"many would never have gotten homes they couldn't afford if lending standards had been reasonable, and "exotic" mortgages hadn't been vogue."

"Anybody remember decades ago, when -- gasp! horrors! -- children sometimes shared bedrooms, fought over one TV (or in later years, one computer), and the typical family home had only one or one-and-a-half bathrooms?"

I guess some people must think that sounds like living in the woods or something, huh? When did we all go nuts?

We may be in for one giant economic spanking, but I kind of suspect it's deserved and will happen eventually, regardless.

"How much would our economy have grown since 2001 without all the debt-fueled spending? I feel like the real message right now is that the party's over, but nobody wants it to be."

It is best we get the spanking over with so we can move forward from the realistic solid foundation. Hopefully in a few years I want remeber the spanking!

Emotion, Logic, Perception and Reality

What a financial mess! Who is to blame? Some say the President. Some say Congress. Some say the SEC. Some say the government bureaucrats who are responsible for overseeing the financial world. Some blame the former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan. You can blame who you want, but the bottom line is the blame rests with the US consumer.

In trying to provide the American Dream the consumer demanded financing with no money down, and the financial community felt stressed to play its part. Consumers in the US stopped saving long ago; therefore, they had no money for a down payment on items like autos, jet skis, boats, houses, flat screen TVs, personal computers, and finally groceries.

Somewhere along the way we lost sight that hard work is the reward for being able to purchase such items. The US consumer became the NOW society. To meet the demand the financial community responded with 'credit cards', no money down auto loans, and no money down home loans. Then the interest only loans were invented to help consumers get more of the goods and services they craved. Consumers spent their paychecks long before they ever actually earned the money for their actual labor. Why? Had to have it now! But wait - thought we were rational in thought, and someone rational would not buy something they could not afford. Not true. If someone is going to provide you the mean, the way and the opportunity to get it now they took it 'hook line and sinker' with no questions asked. Except, what is the payment going to be - yea I can afford that. Forget "A penny saved is a penny earned".

It is totally amazing the number of US consumers who actually think they are going to get something for nothing. Before you go blaming all those other folks, look in your closet to see how many items of clothing, shoes, jets skis, autos, TVs, computers, cell phones, furniture, etc. you really don't need and should have never purchased. If you purchased it just to have it then you helped create this financial mess.

Now we have to bail out the financial markets before it REALLY hits your pocketbook. Oh, least we forget you don't have a pocketbook for you only use plastic these days. If some type of bailout does not take place then the folks working at Pilgrim's Pride along with those working at other businesses will lose the very thing that started this mess to start - the PAYCHECK. If businesses can't borrow money then they may not be able to make the payroll. If they can't make the payroll then you can't send in your minimum monthly payment to the 38 + creditors to whom you owe your paycheck. Can't pay the utilities, can't put the gas on the plastic card for the oil company shut you off for non-payment, nor buy the groceries cause all your plastic cards got suspended for non-payment. Before you blame all those folks you better look within your own house to see how much you contributed to the financial boondoggle.

Larry Tabb a serious financial guy said “to withdraw support for the Paulson plan because it may benefit a few organization that got in way over their heads, let’s not bust up and tear apart our financial system. Let’s certainly not bust up our country. And let’s not cut off our nose to spite our face. For that, this country and the American public need leadership: bipartisan, unambiguous and morally steadfast leadership. Not a group of folks fiddling around…. ” Folks, the US consumer did the fiddling by buying when they had no business buying. If we did not want so much in the way of material goods and services then I don't think you would have ever seen a financial mess as we are seeing now. If you don't like the Paulson plan then you better come up with one quick are you may not get that next paycheck, and you will be living off that savings you never really started.

Check the emotion and the perception at the door, and review the logic and look at the reality! The US consumer got us here, and the US consumer can move us forward.

Appraisal and Tax Reform

State Rep. Larry Phillips of Sherman is exploring a comprehensive package of property tax reforms including changes to the appraisal and review systems. At the core of his efforts will be the desire to give taxpayers a stronger voice.

That won’t make him popular with the bureaucracy. Get on board and help Rep. Phillips with the effort of keeping more of your hard earned dollars in your pocket. Better yet, contact your state representative and have him get on board with Representative Phillips.

How many would know how to survive

RE: “Simple country-folk economics prevail every time.”

I was talking to an older lady a few weeks back about her growing up on a farm during the Great Depression. She said their family produced everything. They raised cows, goats, chickens, various crops all themselves. They de-seeded some of their produce for planting the fields next growing season. About the great depression, she said, “We didn’t even know we were in a depression. We rarely saw money. When we needed something, we traded butter, and eggs with other people."

How many would know how to survive and live off the land? Most younger folks believe vegetables grow on the grocery store shelves! One is left to wonder what they know about how butter and eggs get to the dairy case.

Mysterious document appears

Just got back into town and read last weeks local newspaper about the mysterious document that seems to have suddenly appeared from being misfiled. What is the CAD trying to hide? Wonder what other mysterious documents will appear in the future?

After reading the article it sure seems like someone is trying to get the newly elected board representative to step down by resignation. One would have reservations about this since an election was held and ballots were cast. If they were cast incorrectly then that is too bad. The vote was canvassed and the individual sworn in and seated. You can't go change the rules in the middle of the game even if you were the one who made the rules up and have a history of not following the rules you established. You can correct the problem on the next go round.

Why was this document dated five plus years after the establishment of CADs? Was one taxing entity trying to stack the deck and felt they needed to assure more representation at the table in order to carry more weight and run those appraisals higher to fill their taxpayer funded pocketbook? One would have to ask if that mysterious document that suddenly appeared is even a valid document. How can one board, council, or commissioner's court bind another board to an agreement to which they have no real control? This appears to be some of that 'black and gray area' legal fishy stuff. Let's waste some of those taxpayer funds on a $200 hour lawyer from who knows where - to solve a problem that really does not seem to be a problem, and at the very least will correct itself in a few months when new folks are elected to fill terms on the CAD board of directors.

Folks have been saying all along you don't need elected representatives serving on the CAD Board of Directors and I think this is an excellent case why a school board member, city council member or commissioner court member don't need to fill these seats. You eliminate the conflict of interest that involves fairness and just makes normal common sense.

Until the next mysterious document appears................................

Did Thomas Jefferson have it right?

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

WHO OWNS YOUR MORTGAGE NOW?

What's old is new again

FDR’s Inaugural Address in 1933

“... This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days."

“In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no markets for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone."

“More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment."

“Yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. Nature still offers her bounty and human efforts have multiplied it. Plenty is at our doorstep, but a generous use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply. Primarily this is because rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and have abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men."

“True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence. They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish."

“The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit."

“Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men."

“Recognition of the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit; and there must be an end to a conduct in banking and in business which too often has given to a sacred trust the likeness of callous and selfish wrongdoing. Small wonder that confidence languishes, for it thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live. Restoration calls, however, not for changes in ethics alone. This Nation asks for action, and action now."

..."And finally, in our progress towards a resumption of work, we require two safeguards against a return of the evils of the old order. There must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments. There must be an end to speculation with other people's money. And there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency."

Who pays taxes?

This comes from the folks at AFP:

The Presidential campaign has presented an issue worthy of wide discussion. Who pays taxes? And when tax cuts are promised to 95% of Americans, what does that mean?

In the last analysis of income taxes paid to the U.S. Treasury (in 2006), taxpayers whose earnings were in the lower 50% paid only 3% of our total tax burden. That means most of these taxpayers paid almost nothing. The next lowest, earning, 25% paid only 11% of the total tax burden. Collectively, this means the lowest 75% of earners paid only 14% of the current income taxes collected in this country. Since 75% of Americans are already paying little or no taxes, how do you cut taxes for 95% of Americans?

The author of a piece in Townhall posed some simple questions: With over 50% of the voters paying almost nothing, what is to stop them from voting even more confiscatory tax rates upon the others who are paying? When giving money out to an ever-larger share of the taxpayer population, what stops them from voting a greater payment to themselves?

Taxpayers who are “pulling the wagon” need to weigh in. Read about it here -

http://townhall.com/Columnists/BruceBialosky/2008/09/12/the_95_solution

Vote On A Revenue Cap For All Levels Of Government

Texans need to be afforded the right to vote on a revenue cap for all taxing governmental entities.


http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?id=6386&state=tx

Superintendents' Super-Sized Salaries

As hundreds of Texas school districts insist that they are broke and need to raise taxes, last week the Lake Travis ISD voted to give superintendent Rocky Kirk a $6,000 pay raise (guess this was a cost of living adjustment). This brings his base salary to $231,520, which does not include numerous benefits.

Beaumont ISD Superintendent Carroll Thomas has a whopping base salary of $322,117, the second highest in the state. And remember these are base salaries - many superintendents receive not just health insurance and pensions, but also life insurance, car allowances, and health club memberships.

Worst of all, many times when a superintendent must be removed for poor performance, districts must pay hundreds of thousands for work that is never done because these contracts are multi-year, and sometimes will carry two superintendents on the payroll at the same time. School districts need to look carefully at both the pay of their top administrators as well as the compensation and number of non-teaching staff working in their central office before they ask yet again for more taxpayer money.

The full Texas Education Agency list of Texas superintendent base salaries is online.

Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer it is your money - hold the folks you elected into the power positions accountable for their actions.

Texas Rep. Charlie Howard of Sugar Land

said he was "disappointed" with the taxing entity’s decision to raise taxes. Rep. Howard called into question the wasteful spending decisions of the board. He was praised for holding those in power accountable for their wasteful spending decisions.

Our school taxes are enormous, despite the teeny break we received from the Tex. Leg. last year. Our school board continues to spend, spend, spend on nothing but new schools, illegal aliens, and football stadiums. I am fed up!!! This seems to be a statewide epidemic. Property taxpayers are responsible for the accountability of their locally elected officials.

PISD passes new budget for coming year

The PISD passed a budget and the public was not afforded the right to see the line item specifics before it was passed. At the coffee shop round table it is told that school board members did not receive a line item specific before they agreed to pass the budget. They received a summary sheet of revenue and major expense categories. I don't know many businesses that could operate in this manner.

Is this what the sponsors of the new transparency laws had in mind?

Is the PISD trying to hide all those expenses that taxpayers are not fond of covering like - donuts, pizza, athletic tape, T-Shirts, etc. At one of the local coffee shop round tables the other day it was told there are 24 paid coaches on the payroll at PISD. It was discussed that some of the 24 don't teach a class. It was shared with the group that the PISD had some needs for special need teachers, i.e. special ed, reading intervention, etc., but failed to actively recruit such qualified individuals. Individuals are left to wonder if one of the 24 coaches took the spot of a special needs teacher.

It was discussed that several former residents of Camp County returned home and applied for open positions at the PISD, but many of the several were told they did not have the proper experience that PISD was looking for and did not meet the qualifications. It is interesting that most if not all these individuals were working in like or similar teaching positions at other school districts across the state and were on good terms with their employer. On the surface it appears the PISD administration was stockpiling positions for certain individuals

Truth or tales - individuals will have to do their own homework and come to their own conclusions. If you go to a football game count the number of coaches on the field and don't forget to include the two and possibly three in the press box. It appears Twilight Super has got it going on in the area of athletics, while the educational ship takes on more water.

STRICTER GPA RULES STIR DEBATE

What is there to debate? The Dallas ISD took care of this with the new policy they adopted - students can turn-in homework whenever they want, teachers can't give below a 50 on an assignment, and the biggie students have to be given the opportunity for a 'do over' on assignments and exams.

And we all thought schools thought responsibility.................

Competency and transparency

From the Fort Worth Star Telegram: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEFICIENT IN COMPETENCY, TRANSPARENCY

This sounds just like any government run operation. Now the taxpayers are going to take over all these bad home loans from Freddie and Fannie. You have to wonder about the free markets at times. I don't think it is the free market operations as much as it is just pure greed.

Robin Hood is crying

"More than 100 school districts around the state are trying to hike their tax burden. Expect voters to be treated to dire tales of children untaught, buildings unrepaired, and sports teams un-fielded. Not mentioned will be the massive influx of funding per-student over the last decade squand ered on a system that values process over results.

School bureaucrats will also take aim at the Legislature, blaming them for not pumping "enough" money into the system. But it's a system awash with cash.

For example, the Arlington Independent School District is going to "dig deep" into its reserves to bridge a "budget gap.” The alleged budget gap? $17 million. Their reserve? $83 million! Money isn't the problem, years of poor spending decisions are."

MQSullivan - Empower Texans

Society, public schools, what is the cause

"Thought is becoming shallow, uniform, derivative, herdlike, and tritely mediocre."

The destruction of the necessary intellectual hierarchy of achievement and function is cheered on by the educrats like Twilight Super. It appears that Twilight Super is only semi-educated and is part of the problem and has no way to offer a solution. Twilight Super would be considered a 'working stiff' which is someone who just fills a spot on a payroll until it is time to retire. Least we forget Twilight Super has already retired once.

Educrats help with the "crumbling away of the edifice of civilization, and the presumption with which this homo insipiens gregarius sets themselves up as the norm and chokes everything that is finer or deeper." It is noted that classical education seems to be doomed in our mass society.

Why is classical education doomed? Educrats "persecute it with genuine hatred, the hatred of one whose lack of mental discipline bars them from access to this education - not to mention the influence of our era's rampant materialism." Herdlike describes the education system of today. What is good for one is good for all, and all need to be measured in a standardized way. Why do the educrats not fight such measurements with more zeal? The mediocre would have to return to the real job of an educator - teaching! No more canned already prepared study and learning programs to ease the work burden. True educrates would lose materialism time. TRUE EDUCATORS would have no problem with the adjustment.

"Today communities are broken up in favor of more universal but impersonal collectivities in which the individual is no longer a person in his/her own right." This leads to a system called socialization. Socialization lacks individual action, decision, and responsibility shrinks in favor of collective planning and decision. Life becomes uniform and standard herdlike life, ever more subject to party politics, nationalization, and socialization. Individuals within the herd lack the leisure and composure to think for themselves.

What have we been hearing lately - "health care for all", "we need to evenly distribute our earnings", "some in our society have too much", "we need to take care of all Americans", "nationalize Freddie and Fannie to protect" etc. Could the educrats be the reason for our herdlike society? Twilight Super might just be one of many contributing toward our MASS SOCIETY problem created by a dysfunctional public education system.

Free market principles really do work

Growing Texas Town Decreases the Property Tax Rate, But What Will Happen to Appraisals?

It appears that the city council in Leander has lowered the property tax rate in order to promote growth in the community. Makes logical sense if you lower the tax rate then your community becomes an attractive target for businesses looking to expand, relocate, etc. Relocation's, expansions, etc. promote add-on businesses like fast food joints, additional retail outlets, etc. and all this works to increase the taxable property base. Don't forget the additional sales tax revenue that goes along with the new establishments selling goods and services.

http://austinvitw.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-hell-freezing-over.html#links

This only works if you have local leadership that understands and embraces the concept and knows how to apply the principles.

It is not only the price of fuel hitting the pocket book

"A major piece of the puzzle is that the state rate buydown only affected school property taxes and the 47% of the property tax burden attributable to other local government entities has increased due in part to rate increases. Too many local governments grew excessively instead of tightening their belts, increasing their spending by 11 to 12% over this period, compared to 7 to 8% increases in the previous decade, which translated into higher property taxes."

and we thought we got a property tax cut................................the worst is yet to come

Tired of Renting your Home from the Government?

The House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform chaired by Representative John Otto will meet on Tuesday August 19, at 11 a.m. at the Lonestar North Harris College Performing Arts Theatre located at 2700 W. W. Thorne (north of the Bush Continental Airport) in Houston, 77073.

The Senate Finance Committee, subcommittee on Property Appraisal and Revenue Caps, is slated to meet Wednesday, Aug 20 at 9 am in Austin at the Capitol, E1.028.

AFP encourages taxpayers to attend and provide legislators with your input and any property tax experiences you want to share with the committee. Remember that government goes to those who show up. It’s your government and your obligation as a citizen-taxpayer to get involved. If you believe your property taxes and appraisals are not fair, do something about it. Most public testimony is limited to 3 minutes and all you need do is sign up, and when called, introduce yourself and speak. More info found here.

AFP member and watchdog Jason Moore drove from Odessa to the August 12 hearing in Lubbock. He highlighted the relationship between higher property taxes and higher local government and school district spending. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported, “Jason Moore said people have been conditioned into thinking fancy-looking schools will produce brighter minds. And so they put up with the excesses. ‘They think if we build a school out of all the gold bars in Fort Knox, their kids are going to come out little MENSA members,’ Moore said.” The Journal also quoted Gary Boren, former Lubbock city councilman, “I think our citizens - our residents in the Panhandle - are mad as hell about what's been going on with their appraisals and our property taxes.'

Another House committee hearing will be taking place in El Paso on Tuesday, August 26, at 1:00 p.m. in the El Paso Community College Board of Trustees Room #A200. The location is 9050 Viscount in El Paso, 79925.

Wondering where your promised property tax cut is? Read our latest blog post on the topic here.

Courtesy of the folks at Americans For Prosperity

What is the purpose of public schools?

Are they dependent on the satisfaction of parents?

Or do they demand that parents and society work harder and give more to satisfy them?

Let's see our current property tax system supports that parents and society work harder to give more to satisfy a failing public education system in the state of Texas.

Public education system problems

"The modern American educational system is filled with an assortment of problems. Many students are not learning much at all. Most students are graduating with less knowledge and capability than similar students in other industrialized countries. Classroom disruptions are surprisingly common. School violence is rampant, including the many violent incidents we all hear about in the news. Even violence on school buses is a tremendous problem.

What is the answer?

In general, the common approaches are to throw money at the problems, and to establish very broad guidelines and laws to solve individual problems of the system. Regarding performance issues, the teachers are generally blamed, and so better selection of teachers and better teacher training are publicly called for. Regarding violence, metal detectors and uniformed police officers roaming the halls are the common "solution." In addition, everyone demands newer, bigger, more advanced school complexes.

These are all bureaucratic attempts at solutions for problems that arise on a very individual basis. Essentially, some "expert" in an ivory tower somewhere believes he/she has a universal solution for a problem he/she never actually faced in a classroom. Such "experts" have no idea of the emotions that erupt in the classroom, including the teacher, when violent behavior begins. It is a peculiar and frustrating situation to be a teacher a few feet away from two fighting students, knowing that even touching either one could send you to jail. I doubt if many of the "experts" know that feeling.

Such "top-down" approaches to establishing a peaceful and safe and productive environment in the classroom have little chance of ever succeeding. Each student is an individual. Each teacher is an individual. Both should be treated like individuals, with whatever amount of respect they each deserve, rather than as cattle in enormous herds. You might as well take their names away now and just get them numbers, because the education system is essentially telling them that they have little importance as individuals, and they better behave like the rest of the herd if they want to avoid being in trouble. Is THIS the way young people should be "controlled"? I hope not. Such authoritarian and bureaucratic structures and attitudes diminish whatever creativity and zest everyone brings to the table. Don't I remember that this country was BUILT on the creativity and diversity of early settlers? So why should we move in directions of schools being "armed camps" where any behavior that is "different" is subject to question and doubt and possible punishment?"

Stossel on problems with public schools

EducationNews.org today links to a column reviewing a recent special report on "20/20" by John Strossel. He had a provocative title: "Are American Kids Stupid?" I missed the report. From the column it looks like it was a good report. John Strossel covered some of the problems with public education. He mentions how when American students enter public schools they are comparable with students in other countries, but over time they fall behind.His solution is to have some kind of voucher system. I think vouchers would be a great improvement.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/stossel/story?id=1500338

545 people

Some of you may have seen the piece by Charlie Reese and if not a short version:

"Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, why we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, why we have inflation and high taxes?"

It is interesting that the President of the United States gets blamed for all these deficits, but he has no authority to spend a dime of taxpayer money. The President's authority is limited to proposing a budget to Congress. The President cannot force the Congress to accept his proposed budget. Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations rest in the hands of the House of Representatives. The President has no authority over the tax code, fiscal policy, etc. These items also rest squarely on the shoulders of the members of Congress via the Constitution.

"545 human beings (Senate and House members) out of 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague the United States." Special interest groups are exempt because the 545 members of Congress have the right and the power to reject any and all offers by special interest groups. It is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he/she votes.

"If the tax code is unfair, it's because Congress wants it to be unfair. If the budget is in the red, then that is the way Congress wants it. If the Marines are in Iraq, it is because Congress wants them to be in Iraq. If Congress members do not receive Social Security, but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it is because Congress wants it that way."

Congress is employed by you, do you have the gumption to properly manage your employees?

Contradictions in Texas public education

The public school system in Texas if filled with contradictions. The number of people to be educated is not necessarily related to the sources of the wealth that can provide sound programs. In general, the areas with the largest number of students are lowest in per capita ability to pay. Political formulas for school funding will no longer do. Equitable allocation of school tax funds is a greater problem than equal education for all.

How do we save money on education?

Sixteen years of public education, beginning at age five and ending at age twenty-one, is a luxury offered in no other nation. Why is it the other nations have greater success with educating children? Could our problem be that we are trying to provide more rather than concentrate on quality in a shorter period of time. Graduation from high school used to be at the age of 16. Do we need to return to that model?

"Very little motivation can be generated by educators when they require all students to be subjected to a compromised process geared solely to produce skills necessary for college entrance." The answer to a better education system is instilling the desire to learn. This used to be the basic mission of every teacher. Then standardized test came along and destroyed the mission of a teacher.

This nation enjoys the highest standard of living in the world. However, the record reveals a greater number of students who despise all forms of learning. The reason: Learning is no longer fun! These students remain in school and possibly spend their time flaunting the learning process by willful disobedience, violence, and rebellion. Students who fail to reach a sixth grade ability to read, write, and compute mathematics require massive remedial programs throughout the entire learning process. These remedial programs have become a vast waste of public education funds. 30% of high school graduates attending higher education now have to attend remedial classes as part of their higher education program. Taxpayer funds wasted on a high school education.

Public education's goal must be to make possible a productive and worthwhile life for every citizen. Learning is continuous throughout a person's lifetime. Statistics indicate that too many 'uneducated' adults return to the classroom. This shows a drastic need to revamp the public education system in Texas.

Today's 'wacko' is tomorrow's normal

The other day I was thinking about this "carbon footprint analyst" ordeal during this years Democratic National Convention. Is this something that has been created to provide new jobs on future government payrolls?

If you think about the possible aspects then it has possibility to lead to possible real changes in the way we act in our lives each day. If you think about all the changes of the past and see where we stand today then you get my meaning. A tether use to be used to keep gestating sows from romping around a hog barn. Then someone decided they could use a tether to tow things with, and the safety industry adopted tethers to keep workers from sliding off roofs. So, today's wacko is tomorrow's normal!

Can you imagine what our country would look like if we resisted all change? If we would not have adapted to new products and methods, we'd possibly be out of business. When there is no business there is no jobs, and without jobs we can't keep this capitalist machine grinding. Because of adaptability we are able to progress forward. While we progress forward we must be sure not to penalize those who invent and create jobs. Some are cut out for inventing and others are cut out for producing by serving as workers.

An old wise man once said: "Be not first when the new is tried, but be not last to cast the old aside." Progress leads to change - good or bad is better than stagnant!

Has the PISD really changed? Has Camp County government really changed? Has Pittsburg city government really changed? Changing personnel can sometime lead to change, but often it takes personnel with new ideas and one not afraid to challenge the establishment in order to bring real progress.

Today's wacko is tomorrow's normal!