Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Texas Democrats Take a Stand For Local Taxpayers
Texas Democrats Take a Stand For Local Taxpayers
-Republicans Reject Referendum to Protect Counties from Unfunded Mandates-
AUSTIN – The State Democratic Executive Committee adopted two referenda dedicated to protecting local taxpayers and senior citizens from unfunded state mandates during this weekend’s meeting of the SDEC in Austin, the first under new State Chair Charles Soechting’s leadership.
Republicans rejected an identical referendum on unfunded mandates during their own statewide meeting.
“While Democrats were voting to protect local taxpayers from any more of Rick Perry’s unfunded mandates, rank-and-file Republicans were buckling under to pressure from him to support additional assaults on counties across this state,” Soechting said.
The Republican State Comptroller has announced publicly that contrary to Perry’s claims to have avoided tax hikes during the last legislative session, he in fact pushed through more than $2.7 billion in new fees.
“Texas Democrats know what their Republican counterparts don’t — that local taxpayers can’t afford any more of Rick’s ridiculous rhetoric about holding the line on taxes,” Soechting said.
The referenda passed by Democrats will appear on the ballot in the Democratic primaries scheduled for March 9, when voters will be given the opportunity to vote for or against 1) efforts to end or privatize Social Security and Medicare programs and 2) a constitutional amendment protecting taxpayers by prohibiting state mandates that require local property tax increases.
The constitutional amendment barring unfunded mandates was proposed at a recent meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee and was voted down by the Republican committee members.
Soechting said the actions of the State Republican Executive Committee’s actions prove that Democrats, not Republican leaders or their followers, are the true protector of local taxpayers.
“Democrats will continue to oppose Republican attempts to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class by passing the buck down to local taxpayers,” Soechting said.
Comments-[ comments.]
-Republicans Reject Referendum to Protect Counties from Unfunded Mandates-
AUSTIN – The State Democratic Executive Committee adopted two referenda dedicated to protecting local taxpayers and senior citizens from unfunded state mandates during this weekend’s meeting of the SDEC in Austin, the first under new State Chair Charles Soechting’s leadership.
Republicans rejected an identical referendum on unfunded mandates during their own statewide meeting.
“While Democrats were voting to protect local taxpayers from any more of Rick Perry’s unfunded mandates, rank-and-file Republicans were buckling under to pressure from him to support additional assaults on counties across this state,” Soechting said.
The Republican State Comptroller has announced publicly that contrary to Perry’s claims to have avoided tax hikes during the last legislative session, he in fact pushed through more than $2.7 billion in new fees.
“Texas Democrats know what their Republican counterparts don’t — that local taxpayers can’t afford any more of Rick’s ridiculous rhetoric about holding the line on taxes,” Soechting said.
The referenda passed by Democrats will appear on the ballot in the Democratic primaries scheduled for March 9, when voters will be given the opportunity to vote for or against 1) efforts to end or privatize Social Security and Medicare programs and 2) a constitutional amendment protecting taxpayers by prohibiting state mandates that require local property tax increases.
The constitutional amendment barring unfunded mandates was proposed at a recent meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee and was voted down by the Republican committee members.
Soechting said the actions of the State Republican Executive Committee’s actions prove that Democrats, not Republican leaders or their followers, are the true protector of local taxpayers.
“Democrats will continue to oppose Republican attempts to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class by passing the buck down to local taxpayers,” Soechting said.
Novak Says GOP Fears High Court WILL Overturn Redistricting Plan
The following is an excerpt from Robert Novak's column from Sunday's Sun Times. Read The Entire Column Here.
Texas GOP fears remap reversal
January 11, 2004
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
Republican joy over a federal court approving congressional redistricting in Texas was diminished by anng in the decision that could give U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor a chance to reverse it.
The Texas three-judge panel's warning of ''excessive partisanship,'' Republican lawyers fear, will give O'Connor the opportunity to join with four liberal colleagues for another 5-4 decision against conservative interests. O'Connor, a former Republican leader of the Arizona Legislature who was President Ronald Reagan's first nominee for the high court, was the swing justice on recent 5-4 rulings supporting gay rights and campaign finance reform.
A Supreme Court reversal could cost the Republicans eight congressional seats in Texas and perhaps another six seats in Pennsylvania, whose redistricting also might be affected by the same Supreme Court decision.
Comments-[ comments.]
Texas GOP fears remap reversal
January 11, 2004
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
Republican joy over a federal court approving congressional redistricting in Texas was diminished by anng in the decision that could give U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor a chance to reverse it.
The Texas three-judge panel's warning of ''excessive partisanship,'' Republican lawyers fear, will give O'Connor the opportunity to join with four liberal colleagues for another 5-4 decision against conservative interests. O'Connor, a former Republican leader of the Arizona Legislature who was President Ronald Reagan's first nominee for the high court, was the swing justice on recent 5-4 rulings supporting gay rights and campaign finance reform.
A Supreme Court reversal could cost the Republicans eight congressional seats in Texas and perhaps another six seats in Pennsylvania, whose redistricting also might be affected by the same Supreme Court decision.
State's Leading Newspapers Criticize Perry's Stand On Ed Funding
From The Democratic Party of Texas
In the past two days, three of the state's leading newspapers have editorialized against Rick Perry and the Republican leadership in Austin for ignoring the most pressing challenge facing Texas -- how to pay for more excellence and accountability in our public schools.
The Dallas Morning News took Rick to task for saying that Texas can fix public education without new resources. Rick is wrong, and we agree. The state's portion of public school funding is at its lowest level since WWII, and property taxpayers are increasingly footing the bill for Rick's failed leadership.
Read The Story Here
The Houston Chronicle said that Rick "and others could have and should have tackled" the school finance crisis "during the regular legislative [sic] last year" but ignored the issue in favor of their ultra-partisan agenda. "Now they will have the added complication of looking at revenue options in an election year," the newspaper noted.
Read The Story Here
And this morning, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram chimed in with an editorial accusing Rick of contradicting his previous stance on school finance. "Last May, before the end of the regular legislative session and before the governor put the state through three anguishing special sessions on congressional redistricting, Perry praised... the Senate for their hard work in trying to come up with a new school funding plan. Rick's new stance, the paper concluded, "gain votes among the governor's more conservative constituents, but it shortchanges Texas children."
Read More Here
Texas Democrats have a simple message for the right-wing extremists in charge of the Capitol: The time is long past for you to start putting the school children of Texas first and your own personal political ambitions last.
Comments-[ comments.]
In the past two days, three of the state's leading newspapers have editorialized against Rick Perry and the Republican leadership in Austin for ignoring the most pressing challenge facing Texas -- how to pay for more excellence and accountability in our public schools.
The Dallas Morning News took Rick to task for saying that Texas can fix public education without new resources. Rick is wrong, and we agree. The state's portion of public school funding is at its lowest level since WWII, and property taxpayers are increasingly footing the bill for Rick's failed leadership.
Read The Story Here
The Houston Chronicle said that Rick "and others could have and should have tackled" the school finance crisis "during the regular legislative [sic] last year" but ignored the issue in favor of their ultra-partisan agenda. "Now they will have the added complication of looking at revenue options in an election year," the newspaper noted.
Read The Story Here
And this morning, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram chimed in with an editorial accusing Rick of contradicting his previous stance on school finance. "Last May, before the end of the regular legislative session and before the governor put the state through three anguishing special sessions on congressional redistricting, Perry praised... the Senate for their hard work in trying to come up with a new school funding plan. Rick's new stance, the paper concluded, "gain votes among the governor's more conservative constituents, but it shortchanges Texas children."
Read More Here
Texas Democrats have a simple message for the right-wing extremists in charge of the Capitol: The time is long past for you to start putting the school children of Texas first and your own personal political ambitions last.
