Utopia take 2

[Jstpssng]

This state is addicted to the "free money" associated with bonds... I don't believe there's ever been one which didn't pass. Every election including the recent primaries we are asked to pass one or two for something. As a lifelong "unaffiliated" it peeves me that I still have to go vote against them... knowing fully well that I'm wasting my time.
Last month I went to the polls to vote against two bond issues; it took me longer to park my truck than to vote against them.
We also have a lot of referendums; AKA, voting on things which our elected offlcials are supposed to address. If something doesn't pass it comes up again; proponents know that if they bring it up enough times they will eventually get their way. Again, often that happens in minor elections with low voter turnout.

 

[/pine]

A major reason that referendums and similar items get passed is because of the way they are worded...many times they actually mean the opposite of what a layman voter (any non lawyer or politician) thinks it means by just casually reading it...

 

[Industrial Toys]

The problem is that the whole Political system has just become bloated and fends mostly for itself. I have always said. Try and order a PIZZA for more than one person and you realize the futility in trying to accomodate everyone. So might as well just look after yourself, if you are in the Political business. When I have made Government money in my business, it was the easiest money I ever made. Hard working Tax payers deserve better!

 

[MossRoad]

A major reason that referendums and similar items get passed is because of the way they are worded...many times they actually mean the opposite of what a layman voter (any non lawyer or politician) thinks it means by just casually reading it...

The major reason referendums get passed is because they are usually on the primary elections, not the general elections. People who aren't declared one party or the other don't realize they can go in and declare not voting for anyone, just voting on the referendum.

Also, the primaries traditionally have the lowest voter turnout. People that want the referendums know this, and that's why they are usually put on the primary elections.

 

[two_bit_score]

If I understood how the taxes work here better, I would have bought land in a much cheaper County. Smith County, where I live, pays a massive amount for the Junior College, plus my local school district. The JC tried to raise taxes so they could take more houses under eminent domain, but it was leaked that they had millions in cash after giving raises to their staff. They lost that in the election, took those houses and built tennis courts where they had been. Then in the next election they showed that they didn't have much left in their cash reserves and needed that increase in taxes, which they managed to get in the election.

Our worse enemies are those that vote in every new tax increase!!!!

As far as the County Taxes go Smith County is pretty low:Although the Commissioners Court approved a slight tax increase, Smith County expects to remain the 12th lowest tax rate out of the 254 counties in Texas.

News List | Smith County, TX

But you are correct, it's all those other taxes school, Jr. College District, etc and the people who just refuse to say NO to a tax increase or bond. The tax ayer has all the power they need but they just refuse to utilize it by simply saying NO.


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[tallyho8]

A major new road through our area has no development on it and has no electricity or streetlights on the road. No one want s to build on it because the power company wants them to pay $40,000 to get electricity hooked up.

Six years ago there was an election to get more taxes to run electricity and streetlights down this road and a couple of others. The vote passed. They put very fancy wrought iron light poles with fancy lights on one piece of property a few miles away that was owned by a person with political influence and then said there wasn't enough money left to put up wood poles with lights on our road. We got the tax but no electricity. What to do? We voted out the councilmen who did that but now we have new councilmen who claim they had nothing to do with it and there is still no money for the lights or electricity on the road. Do we want to vote on another tax hike for the lights?

 

[ultrarunner]

There have been a few parcel taxes later found improper... I was one of many that refused to pay... and the county Tax Collector refused to collect so each property owner billed individually.

It took about two years to work through the court to be tossed... then the city said it didn't have money to send out refunds... but I didn't have to worry as I didn't have a refund due

 

[two_bit_score]

In Texas we did pass a Constitutional Amendment in November 2019 to increase the threshold for imposing a state income tax in Texas where it effectively bans the income tax.

The pro-income tax side argued that 'banning' a state income tax forced more pressure on property taxes and the option of an income tax should be preserved. Over 75% of voters rejected that argument and passed Prop 4, effectively 'banning' an income tax in Texas.

Personally, I felt like we should not allow another tax which would probably just get higher and higher while property tax relief would still never materialize.


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[Tomtint]

In Texas we did pass a Constitutional Amendment in November 2019 to increase the threshold for imposing a state income tax in Texas where it effectively bans the income tax.

The pro-income tax side argued that 'banning' a state income tax forced more pressure on property taxes and the option of an income tax should be preserved. Over 75% of voters rejected that argument and passed Prop 4, effectively 'banning' an income tax in Texas.

Personally, I felt like we should not allow another tax which would probably just get higher and higher while property tax relief would still never materialize.


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I just found out that I will be back down in the Austin area again in a few months. I'm going to take a couple extra days and look in the outskirts of that area.

 

[/pine]

The major reason referendums get passed is because they are usually on the primary elections, not the general elections. People who aren't declared one party or the other don't realize they can go in and declare not voting for anyone, just voting on the referendum.

Also, the primaries traditionally have the lowest voter turnout. People that want the referendums know this, and that's why they are usually put on the primary elections.

LoL...They still have to be passed or defeated by popular vote...in many cases uninformed voters (a majority in most cases) are confused by the verbiage and end up voting opposite of the way they think...