Legislators Guide to the Issues 2005-2006

Throwing Cold Water on Kendall County’s HOT Idea

Despite persistent affordability concerns, the Kendall County Commissioners’ Court is once again flirting with the idea of creating a controversial new tax to benefit select businesses at the expense of virtually everyone else.   The tax in question is the hotel occupancy tax (HOT) and, if ultimately approved, officials would place another financial strain on any person who pays for a hotel room or other lodging, including inns, motels, and short-term rentals. The cost could be significant too.    According to one recent report presented to the Court (see pgs. 133...

Small Towns, Big Tax Increases

The city of Whitesboro ignited a firestorm recently when officials suggested adopting a tax rate that would have skyrocketed the average homeowner’s property tax bill by 61 percent. The initial public hearing to discuss the matter drew hordes of angry Whitesboro residents who voiced their discontent. So much so, in fact, that city councilmembers tabled...

POLL: Overwhelming Support for Regular Efficiency Audits 

When it comes to spending public money, Texans  want transparency and accountability. One way to deliver on these demands is through the third-party efficiency audit concept, which is a tool to “assess how well [government] agencies work to keep costs down while providing their services, and if those services are aligned with the purpose of...