the Controversial Committee Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”
“Hitting the Trail”
Well, dear readers, 2019 isn’t wasting any time reflecting how it’s going to be a busy political year for ‘beautiful downtown Irving’ citizens regarding pressing local and state issues.
Local Issues: The upcoming city council elections. The petition to allow liquor package stores on every vacant corner in ‘beautiful downtown Irving.’ Will there ever be a Heritage District Plan that moves the area forward without lining the pockets of crony capitalist who suck your tax dollars into their personal real estate deals?
State Issues: There are two issues which Irving folks should watch, become involved in, and concerned about — property taxes and school financing.
Since the State legislators have returned to the breeding grounds, where campaign donors, lobbyist, and special interest groups pull the strings and set the agenda, staff of the CCR will tackle the property tax issue first. However, the CCR staff will be joining others, in the immediate area, to monitor what the politicos will be doing in Austin to specifically assist and aid Seniors on this issue.
The property tax issue and school funding issues have been highlighted as the top two agenda items by the Texas Speaker of the House. While the CCR agrees with this assessment, there has to be citizen watchdogs to ensue the promises made don’t end up as usual — State handles their issue, but passes the buck (kicks the can) down to the other taxing districts in our community.
To this end, staff of the CCR will be working with a coalition which is springing up in other communities. The role of the coalition is to monitor the actions being taken by the legislators and contact them when it appears the issue is running off the rails.
The following portion of the report is the CCRs initial kickoff in working with the group. We’ll later provide readers with all the contact information, necessary, for readers to do likewise in letting the politicos, who are supposed to work for you, know attention is being paid to State tax relief.
Feel free to copy the letter to the Speaker of the House and send it, with your name, to your State Representative.
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Texas Seniors Being Taxed to Death Coalition
“…nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
Benjamin Franklin
TO: State Representative Terry Meza, District 105 — A copy for your files in case the Speaker hasn’t already provided you one. This coalition started in Midlothian and I’ll be working with Irving tax payers during the legislative session. It would be helpful if the State web site posted your e-mail address. Sincerely, Mark Holbrook (markholbrook13@yahoo.com )
January 10, 2019
Honorable Dennis Bonnen
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Room 2W.13
Austin, TX 78768
Dear Speaker Bonnen:
It was a relief to hear that your two top priorities this legislative session would be “Property Tax Reform” and “School Funding.”
I sincerely hope significant legislation is passed to ensure these two measures are not brutalized with compromise and mashed so that tax burdens are shifted to other taxing entities.
As the legislature has no holdings on how county appraisal districts operate, the task will be even more difficult. After all, our property taxes have increased for the past few years due to the real estate bubble enlarging for to the influx of individuals willing to pay whatever price is necessary to obtain the home they want.
Of course, when the bubble finally bursts, the county taxing districts will not be reducing the appraisals currently on the books.
We — friends, neighbors and associates — plan to monitor the activities of our State Representative, (name), (district #), to ensure he/she is part of the solution to pass meaningful and effective legislation. As Senior Citizens, we have grown weary of ‘promises made, but not kept.’
Our outreach to other Senior Citizens in districts outside of ours will be intense. We are going to set up e-mail contacts for representatives, along with phone contact information to their Austin and District offices.
Isn’t it really time for the legislature to recognize Senior Citizens through a Homestead Exemption Act which could supersede the rampant activities of county taxing districts…for the years and years we have funneled money to the State?
Retirement accounts have not seen increases like those of every taxing district in this great state has imposed. As some, in our group, are ERS/TRS retirees, this should also be a consideration of school funding issues. Otherwise, the state will reduce/cut funding to school districts, thereby forcing the school district to raise their tax rates.
Your task isn’t going to be easy, but somewhere, the Texas Legislature has to bite the bullet which provides tax relief to all…not special interest concerns that have their hands out for “free” Texas Tax Bucks.
If the adage of two things are certain —one cannot escape death and taxes — then be assured that Senior Citizens are dying a ‘slow death’ unless the Texas Legislature actually provides relief to those who deserve relief. #SeniorsDyingFromTaxes
I would appreciate your having this letter forwarded to each State Representative. The future review of legislative activities, regarding property tax reform and school financing, will be sent individually by our group.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
(Name)
(Address)
(City, Texas, Zip code)
…………………………………..
The time is ticking. Let your legislator know how you feel about the high appraisal rates and the tax burden it places on you being able to maintain your home in the arena of out of control property evaluations and increased tax rates by the State, city, school district, county, etc., etc.
…………………………………Mark Holbrook
