Action Update - Issue 96 : : April 11, 2007
Austin Legislators: Beware!
The Congressional Republicans who voted to let this fiscal train wreck happen are going to find that voters are smart enough to know cowardice when they see it.
INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
The Budget: Senate Republicans' phoniness was on show when most refused to vote for a tiny cut in Medicare. With out-of-control entitlement programs headed for certain disaster, where is the GOP's spine?
During last week's Senate budget debate, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, offered an amendment to trim Medicare by $34 billion over five years. The Cornyn proposal was defeated on Thursday by an overwhelming 74 to 23.
The votes of Senate Democrats were all cast against the measure, but the majority of Republican senators actually parted ways with their Senate GOP leaders and voted with the Democrats. Some 25 Senate Republicans opposed curbing future costs, while only 23 supported the Cornyn amendment.
Bear in mind that these were minute cuts not in actual spending, but in its growth. Cornyn proposed reductions in reimbursements to Medicare providers that amounted to only about half the savings found in President Bush's proposed budget last month.
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It’s Time to Eliminate the TIF Tax and Return Millions of
Dollars to Texas Taxpayers
In 1995, the Texas Legislature created the Telecommunication Infrastructure Fund (TIF) to provide Texas schools, libraries and non-profit hospitals with updated technology and broadband access to the internet. The program was funded through a 1.25 percent tax on all telephone customers, with a promise that the tax would be repealed once the $1.5 billion in revenues needed to complete the project were collected.
The TIF reached the $1.5 billion mark in 2003, but so far lawmakers have not eliminated the TIF tax. As a result, more than 17 million Texas families and businesses continue to pay over $400 million in taxes each biennium for a program that has achieved its goal and now the TIF tax funds are dedicated to general revenue.
The Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate needs to act. Call them.
This session, House Bill 735 and Senate Bill 294, by Rep. Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) and Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) respectively, would eliminate the TIF tax. The House as recently passed HB 735 unanimously, and it is likely to be assigned to the Senate Finance Committee where SB 294 was referred.
The battle in the Senate to get rid of the TIF tax could be fierce as some lawmakers may be reluctant to cut off this funding stream. That’s why it’s important to make sure each and every Senator realizes the citizens of Texas expect them to end the TIF tax.
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"Dear Soldier" is a compilation of compelling letters and pictures straight from the heart of our kids to American soldiers.
With more than 150,000 U.S. troops continuing to serve in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries in Operation Enduring Freedom, this collection of letters from across the United States written in each child's own hand, offers active duty soldiers and veterans - and their families - comfort, reassurance and a delightful dose of humor.
The letters were originally included in care "baggies" that were assembled by volunteers the compilers organized and sent to deployed troops. A portion of the compilers' royalties will be donated to the cause of disabled veterans.
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RECOMMENDED READING:
- At the End of the Medical Road
In many respects, we have become victims of our scientific cleverness. Until the introduction of mechanical intervention, the definition of deathwas not in dispute.
- Interest in Lotto is on the decline
Lottery revenues are down across the country. Sales are down 30 percentin Texas since 2003 as officials across the country come to terms withjackpot fatigue.
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