Lost and Found at the Border

3:45 -- Whatever....

2006-05-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

The Texas Senate was supposed to reconvene at 3:45 to try once again to suspend the Senate rules and take up HB 3 on 3rd reading. It was 4:27 at posting time -- and nothing yet. Senators walk in -- Senators walk out -- nothing happens. If all this sounds like more fun than a barrel full of monkeys -- then you too can experience the rush by watching on-line.

Stay tuned.

Brimer Lowers the Boom...

2006-05-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

It's been about an hour since the Senate took some time off to make sure GOP Senator Mike Jackson understands that he REALLY needs to vote to suspend the rules on this bill. The chamber had grown quiet -- as reporters sat idly by -- waiting for something to happen. All of the sudden Fort Worth Republican Kenneth Brimer dropped the gavel to announce another delay. The noise was so sudden that about half the press table jumped -- yours truly included. The Senate is now out until 3:45. No word on how close the GOP leadership is to actually getting the 21 votes needed to bring the bill up.

Round One...

2006-05-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Texas Senate has failed to suspend its rules to bring up House Bill 3 on third reading. The motion failed on a 20 to 11 vote. With two Democrats(Armbrister and Madla) voting to suspend -- while one Republican(Jackson) voted against. The Senate has now recessed while the arm twisting starts up again. Obviously -- not passing HB 3 would be a huge blow to the Perry Tax Plan. HB 3 creates a new broad-based/low-rate business tax. The tax would include several new types of businesses and professions -- including retailers, doctors and lawyers.

stay tuned -- Round Two can't be far away.

Killing Time...

2006-05-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Texas Senate has recessed until 12:45(or so). It appears there aren't enough votes to bring up House Bill 3 on third reading. The bill passed on 2nd reading Monday by a 18-13 vote. BUT -- 18 votes aren't enough to suspend Senate rules to bring the bill up on 3rd reading. It takes 21 to do that. And it looks like the 13 that voted against the bill aren't too keen on letting it come up for final passage. But of course -- arm twisting IS an Olympic sport at the Capitol.

Hook'Em Horns

2006-05-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

The UT-Austin football team was honored on the floor of the Texas Senate today. I know -- I know -- the Longhorns won the title back in January. BUT this is the first time the Legislature has been in session since the win -- and so the speeches about Longhorn greatness had to wait until now. Austin Senator Gonzalo Barrientos presented the resolution on the team -- and gave a LOOOOONG recap of the USC game -- for anyone in the gallery that didn't already know what happened.

The Week Ahead...

2006-05-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Most of the action is in the Senate this week. The Senate Finance Committee continues its work on the House tax bills. The big news today: The committee has substituted HB 1 -- which in the House JUST buys down property taxes -- with a bill that provides a $2,000 teacher pay raise along with some school reforms. These reforms are NOT on the call for the session -- but could be added soon.

The Senate as a whole is expected to take up House Bills 2, 3 and 4 today. Those bills could be passed without amendment -- which means the bills could bypass a House/Senate Conference Committee and head to the Governor's desk by the middle of the week.

Weekend Work

2006-04-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Friday the Senate will start working on its versions of bills that lower property taxes -- create a new business tax -- and increase funding for public schools. The Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to take up:

House Bill 1(the bill that lowers property taxes by spending part of the state surplus)
House Bill 2(the one that dedicates all future surpluses from the state's business tax to property tax reduction)
House Bill 4 (the one that changes the way the state collects its motor and vehicle tax)

The Finance Committee could also take up HB 3 sometime over the weekend. HB 3 creates Governor Perry's new broad-base/low-rate business tax. It could also take up HB 5 -- which raises the tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1.05 -- IF -- the House passes the bill out when it meets on Thursday.

All's Quiet...

2006-04-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Nothing much has happened at the Capitol since Monday night -- when the House passed 4 of the 5 bills that comprise the Perry Tax Plan. The first real event since will come today at 1:30. That's when Perry will hold a press conference to "discuss progress of legislation on property tax reduction and reform of the franchise tax."

Lt. Governor Dewhurst has already said the Senate plans on passing tax legislation that includes increased funding for the state's k-12 public schools. But so called "School Reforms" are still NOT on the call for the special session. And Governor Perry has repeatedly said he will NOT open the call to reforms until his tax bills have passed the House and Senate. So today's presser may be the first indication of who's going to blink.

The Debate Continues...

2006-04-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

The final arguments on HB 3 have begun. It really sounds a lot like this wonderful poster from Despair Inc.

Two Down...

2006-04-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

...you can do the math.

HB 1 passed to third reading this afternoon. The Bill would provide an immediate property tax cut of 17-cents(per hundred dollars of property value) The bill provides 3-cents of discretion at the local level -- to get out from under the Texas Supreme Court ruling that said the state provided NO discretion since just about every school district had bumped up against the state mandated $1.50 cap. Once those three pennies are added -- the bill requires voter approval for each addition tax increase -- no matter how little or great.

Now on to HB 3 -- the bill that creates the new broad-based/low-rate business tax designed by the Texas Tax Reform Commission and its chairman John Sharp.

More later...

One Down...

2006-04-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

...4 to go.

The Texas House has passed one of 5 bills that make up Governor Rick Perry's tax plan. The plan would lower local school property taxes while creating a new business tax.

The only bill passed so far is HB 2. The bill would dedicate future revenue surpluses generated by the state's business tax to additional property tax cuts. The bill generated a surplus of anger among Democrats -- with many saying the bill would handcuff future Legislative spending plans -- AND -- restrict any legislation that would direct surpluses to teacher pay raises.

The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote 81 to 65.

Get plenty of sleep this weekend...

2006-04-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

If you like watching every fascinating minute of floor debate in the Texas House -- and I know you do -- then make sure you catch some Z's over the weekend. The House is slated to take up 5 bills tied to Governor Rick Perry's new tax plan. The bills would lower local school property taxes -- create a new business tax -- and tie all future revenues from that tax to property tax reduction.

House Speaker Craddick would like to get through all 5 bills on Monday. The word on the street -- and by street I mean the hallway that leads to the Capitol Grill -- is that debate could last until 2 in the morning.

The More Things Change...

2006-04-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

Houston Democrat Scott Hochberg has once again filed his school reforms bill in the House. Hochberg says the HB 83 is very similar to plans he's filed over the last couple of years. One difference -- this bill has NO provision for lowering the current local school property tax rate. So it would have to be passed in tandem with a bill that DOES for the state to meet the Texas Supreme Court's ruling that the current school finance system is unconstitutional.

Hochberg's bill includes such golden oldie favorites as:

an across the board teacher pay raise
a health insurance stipend for ALL school personnel
funding for textbooks, transportation costs and new facility funding
AND -- an increase in the current homestead tax exemption from $15,000 to $45,000

Democratic leaders stressed that this plan received 80 votes on the House floor in August -- but is being blocked from consideration during this session by Governor Perry's narrow call -- and proposed House rules.

Hope Floats

2006-04-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

At the moment -- the "Call" for the current Legislative Special Session does NOT include language that would allow school reforms(i.e...teacher pay raises -- increased school funding -- vouchers). Governor Rick Perry has said he is willing to open the call to such legislation once lawmakers pass his business tax proposal. That promise is good enough for some lawmakers. Major education reform bills have already been filed in the House and Senate. The Senate Education Committee even started debating their bill this morning. Some say the governor could have to open the call NOW to reforms -- just to get enough votes to pass his tax plan.

The Dome is for the birds?

2006-04-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

If you're an Eklecticos listener you probably already know about John's obsession with the Capitol Hawks. A pair of Red-tailed Hawks are often seen surfing on the hot air billowing up from their legislative nest. As a result of this feathered activity the Travis Audubon Society held a "Name the Capitol Hawks" contest. The winners are in, but we thought you might enjoy a look at the names that didn't make it:

Names submitted drew on Texas history, such as "Ma and Pa Ferguson" and "Moses and Maria" (parents of Stephen F. Austin), on politics, such as "Rick and Perry" and "Kinky and Carole," or were humorous, such as "Mo and Toma," "Tax and Spend," and "Hawkeye and Hot Lips" (from M.A.S.H.). Spanish-speakers nominated "Azul and Roja" and "Rojo and Panchita," among others. Another theme was inspirational, including the popular nomination of "Liberty and Justice." (Release)

Oh and for the record, the winners: Lyndon and Lady Bird.

The Numbers Game

2006-04-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

It takes 76 votes to pass a bill in the House. People working for Governor Perry and Speaker Craddick have been polling House members over the last few days to see how many votes they have on the floor. As of Wednesday morning -- it looks like that total is in the 50's -- well short of the magic number. Speaker Craddick will most likely NOT bring the collection of bills up until he's got his 76. There is still time to find the 20 or so votes needed. The House Ways and Means Committee is taking up the first of the 4 bills that make up the Perry tax plan today. Any changes made to the bills in committee could change the vote total. The earliest the bills could be debated on the House floor is Saturday.

My What Large Eyes You Have

2006-04-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

This afternoon KUT reports on House and Senate leaders making cute on changes they want to see happen to Texas schools. IF the Guv gets his tax plan and there is time on the clock school reforms might find a lot of company on the call.

Along with school reforms -- lawmakers are pleading with the Guv to add several other items to the session's call -- including changes to the way the state runs its Windstorm insurance program to calls for a change to the way electric companies set their rates.

Working Hard for the (tax)Money

2006-04-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

House Speaker Tom Craddick has said he's for Governor Rick Perry's tax plan -- and his actions are echoing that support. Craddick is setting the House calendar up to get the 4 bills that make up the Perry plan out of committee and on the House floor for a vote this weekend. Several Capitol staffers have said that they are planning to work on Saturday. The House has typically been speedy in getting tax bills to the Senate in the other special sessions over the last year. It's been the Senate that has slowed progress. We'll see how quickly the Senate takes up the tax bills once they've left the House. Lt. Governor Dewhurst has said the Senate would look at the House plan -- but could come up with a Senate version instead.

The Longest Shot

2006-04-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Austin Democratic Representative Eddie Rodriguez is pushing to impose a state income tax. This bill is as popular with Texas Republicans as parkas are in hell. It would also conflict with the Texas Constitution. It isn't the first time Rep. Rodriguez has filed an income tax bill.

The Game's Afoot...

2006-04-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

Three major pieces of news already today at the Capitol. At 11 this morning - Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Governor Rick Perry spent some time pointing fingers at each other over who is playing politics and who is best to run the state. The two will face off in the race for Governor this fall.

Strayhorn released the revenue estimate to the Legislature. The comptroller does this each just before each time the lawmakers go into session -- so they'll know how much money they have to spend. Today's estimate was a whopping 8.2 Billion dollars. Strayhorn also says Perry could have saved the state another 7.7 Billion if he had listened to her cost savings and revenue suggestions over the last few years.

At the same time -- Perry was in front of the Captiol addressing the Texas Association of Realtors. Realtors are very excited about the idea of a one-third reduction in property taxes. The cut could help thousands of Texans buy homes for the first time. Perry's spokesman Robert Black says Strayhorn doesn't want property taxes cut because that would help Perry's re-election campaign. Black said, "She is working to keep that from happening."

The governor's office also released the call for the special session this morning. You can see the full proclamation at Quorum Report.

Not a lot of wiggle room for lawmakers. Perry has said repeatedly that he would open the call to school reforms IF Lt. Governor Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick came to him with a reform plan that the two have already agreed upon.

Tax breaks for those who pay them

2006-04-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

Texas businesses are lining up to show support for Governor Rick Perry’s new tax proposal. The plan would cut local school property taxes while creating a new business tax -- and increasing the cigarette tax. Perry says the new tax structure would give all Texans who don’t smoke a tax cut. But some public watchdog groups say the tax swap would only help the richest Texans. Governor Perry says people with more expensive homes will see a greater decrease in their tax bill -- but those people also pay much more in taxes than poorer Texans.