Further proof, as if any were needed, that the majority of Texas voters are either hopelessly clueless or complete masochists comes in a Thursday story from the Houston Chronicle:
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry’s plan for property tax relief would provide a windfall for the wealthiest families in Texas, but for lower-income renters the governor’s plan would be a financial drain on the family budget, a Houston Chronicle analysis showed.
And after more than a year of legislative wrangling over property tax relief, the tax savings for the median family in Texas would amount to about $150 a year under Perry’s plan – a savings of about $12.75 a month.
. . . The official Legislative Budget Board analysis of a tax plan the House Ways and Means Committee is taking up today says the plan would increase the overall tax burden for all but the wealthiest Texans. Families with an annual income of more than $100,000 collectively would receive a $351 million-a-year tax cut, while everyone else’s taxes would go up a collective $935 million.
Perry’s perfectly cast from the same mold as President George W. Bush. What do you want to bet he comes out of Karl Rove’s stable, as did Bush and Texas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn?
With moves like this property tax “relief,” Perry could be bucking for a shot at the presidency. He’s certainly got the Robin Hood-in-reverse thing down pat.
One mystery remains: Given that the majority of Texans aren’t rich, how can they keep electing Republicans like Bush, Perry, Rep. Tom DeLay and all the rest? Do Texans go around wearing “Kick me” signs on their backsides, too?
The whole article spelled out the debate pretty well. Property taxes tend to be unfair because, for example, a manufacturer with a large plant and inventory pays more in proportion to, say, a law office who only has office space and books. Also, the taxes are due whether or not the manufacturer makes money. (Another reason it is easier to just import the stuff from China).
The article had some histrionics, like calling tax relief a “windfall”, “hitting the state’s poor the hardest for the benefit of the wealthy”. I see it as letting people/business keep more of their own money. What is fair is we all pay the same amount. It costs the same for a rich person to use the highway as a poor person. Should the local store charge rich people more for a can of pepsi cola?