Re. King Tomlinson’s Letter

Of Naomi Albrecht’s recent letter, Mr. Tomlinson writes, “…it is misleading to say he (W. Bush) immediately cut taxes, thus costing our nation $1.6 trillion over the next ten years.” Perhaps, but she didn’t say that. She wrote, “Bush immediately proposed tax cuts that would cost our nation 1.6 trillion over ten years…” Bush did propose that. And his Congress provided him with the Economic Growth and Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2001. He signed it on June 7, 2001, not 2002 as Tomlinson suggests. And, it even applied to tax year 2000 income; that’s pretty immediate to me. By the way, Dubya took office January 20, 2001, not in 2000 as the Tomlinson letter indicated. Congress later provided him with the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief and Reconciliation Act of 2003. This Act more quickly implemented many of the sweeping tax changes that were in the 2001 Act. Mr. Tomlinson implies that the Bush tax cuts made tax revenues go up. And that “fact” he says proves the Republican talking point that Washington, therefore, clearly has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. But is it true? Here is what FactCheck.org summarized about this issue in 2007 (italics/bolding are mine):

SUMMARY

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain has said that the major tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 have “increased revenues.” He also said that tax cuts in general increase revenues.

That’s highly misleading.

In fact, the last half-dozen years have shown us that we can’t have both lower taxes and fatter government coffers. The Congressional Budget Office, the Treasury Department, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers and a former Bush administration Economist all say that tax cuts lead to revenues that are lower than they otherwise would have been – even if they spur some economic growth. And federal revenues actually declined at the beginning of this decade before rebounding. The growth in the past three years that McCain refers to brings revenues back in line with the forty-year historical average as a percentage of gross domestic product.

It is unclear how much of the growth can be attributed to the tax cuts. Capital gains tax receipts did increase greatly from 2003 to 2006, but the CBO estimates that they will level off and decrease in the next few years. The growth overwhelmingly resulted from a sharp rise in corporate tax receipts, the cause of which is a topic of debate.

I leave to the reader to see http://www.factcheck.org/taxes/supply-side_spin.html for the analysis of these findings.

Mr. Tomlinson tells us to please do some research and don’t just listen to the media talking points. He implies that Texas didn’t balance the budget for 2012-2013 on the backs of our school children. Here is the lowdown on Mr. Tomlinson’s claim:

Question: My legislator says that the Legislature added $1.6 billion in funding for schools. I thought school funding was cut. Who is right?

Answer: Here’s what happened. The Foundation School Program is funded from the state’s General Revenue. In 2009, Texas received $3.4 billion in one-time federal stimulus money. The Legislature used that money instead of General Revenue (GR) to help fund the Foundation School Program in the state’s 2010-11 budget. At the time, everyone knew this was a one-time band-aid to school funding.

This year there is no federal stimulus money. In order to fund currently enrolled Texas students at the same level, the Legislature needed to add $3.4 billion, they added only $1.6 billion to the amount appropriated from GR last time. Instead of the full $3.4 billion, they added only $1.6 billion to the amount funded by GR in 2009, which means that funding for students currently enrolled in Texas schools was cut $1.8 billion in the 2012-13 state budget.

Additionally, they did not provide funds for the 160,000 students expected to enroll in Texas schools during the next two years ($2.2 billion). When you add the $1.8 billion and the $2.2 billion, you have the $4 billion cut that is often mentioned. The Legislature also cut grant programs for schools ($1.3-1.5 billion depending on what you consider a grant.)

So, for Texas schools to maintain the current level of services through the next two years, they needed about $5.5 billion more than what was appropriated in the 2012-13 state budget.
http://www.truthaboutschools.org/2011/07/22/is-legislators-claim-correct/

Tomlinson assures us that the Texas job creation “miracle” is Perry’s doing. But is it? The following quotes are taken from a New York Times article and a Boston Globe article, referenced below. “Some economists as well as Perry skeptics suggest Mr. Perry stumbled into the Texas miracle. They say that the governor has essentially put Texas on autopilot for 11 years, and it was the state’s oil and gas boom – not his political leadership – that kept the state afloat.” Bryan W. Brown, chairman of the Rice University economics department says, “Because the Texas economy has been prosperous during his tenure as governor, he has not had to make the draconian choices that one would have to make in the White House.” Dick Lavine, senior fiscal analyst at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, says, “The Texas model can’t be the blueprint for the United States to successfully compete in the 21st century economy, where you need a well-educated work force.”
Contrary to the Tomlinson spin on facts, “Texas is tied with Mississippi for the highest percentage of jobs that are at or below minimum wage”, said Dick Levine. “What distinguishes us from all the other states is the high proportion of jobs that don’t offer any medical benefits,” he said. “Critics of Perry’s record point to the 26% of Texans who lack health insurance, the highest percentage in the nation according to US Census surveys.”

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/29/perrys_claim_of_texas_job_boom_is_criticized

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/business/in-texas-perry-rides-an-energy-boom.html?

James Hummel
Port O’Connor

IS IT TRUE?

Are Calhoun County Democrats really “not concerned with cost”?  So stated the Dem Chair, Mrs. Burleson, at Commissioners Court on August 25.  Her comment was in reference to a proposed plan to combine some of the voting precincts.

Taxpayers (supposedly only 50% of the population)  pay all costs of General Elections and that portion of Primary Elections not covered by candidate fees.  That means you are paying approximately $1,000 per polling place (at present Calhoun County has 23),  per election.    The 2010 Primary Election cost taxpayers over $12,000,000 in state funds.  The General Election cost county taxpayers approximately $25,000.   I hear all this hoopla over cutting education and services, but when it comes to elections, democrats are “Not concerned with the cost”.  Does Mrs. Burleson express the view of all Calhoun County Democrats?  Seems the Court thinks so as they voted to cut costs ONLY for the upcoming November Amendments Election,  per Mrs. Burleson’s wishes.  No consideration was given to future elections.

It takes time for citizens to get used to change.  It sometimes takes several months to get a plan approved through State and Federal offices.  Large voting precincts in the county would not change from the 2010 elections, i.e., Precincts #1, 16, 17, 18, 19, 24, & 25 would remain as they are.

The only reference in Texas Election Laws is  Section 43.002 which  stipulates that a county  of more than 175,000 may not designate a polling location that would require a voter in the precinct to travel more than 25 miles from the voter’s residence.  This in no way applies to Calhoun County since our population nor distance to voting places is anywhere near these limitations.

There is always 2 weeks of early voting for every election.  Surely, if you don’t want to worry about going to the polls on election day, you will be able to vote at the courthouse sometime during early voting.  Also, for the convenience of “shut-ins”, college students, military, and those temporarily residing outside the county, there is the Absentee Ballot.

I am asking you to contact your Commissioner and discuss combining  “low-or-no voter” precincts with others near them.  Mrs. Garcia, our Election Administrator, spent a lot of time and research in putting the plan together.  Please give this careful consideration, check out the plan and cost savings, and let your  Commissioner know your feelings.  He represents YOU!!

Connie Hunt
Port Lavaca

Re: “The Way I See It” By William D. Brayshaw

We do have a “Democrat Party”. I, Dorothy Geraldine Wilson, am a Democrat.

I have always voted on the Democrat ticket. True, if the “Communist” take over this country, I will not have a right to vote at all. Forbid the thought.

In grammar school many years ago I did have a male school teacher that did believe in time our country would be ruled by the “Communist”. He has gone on to be with God, and won’t see this come to pass, if it does.

Freedom of Speech and  Freedom of Press is still ours.

Dorothy G. Wilson
Seadrift

People really tick me off with their dogs! Was just at the beach with Honey (on a leash) and saw a gal who didn’t believe her doberman needed a leash. Then I watched the dog attack and cripple a seagull! She’s yelling at the dog but it’s doing what it does. Sure wish a cop would have been there to cite her for the killing of a protected bird. Not the dog’s fault – hers!

Jim Hicks via Facebook

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Submitted by VFW
District 28
Yorktown, Texas

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