When all else fails, create a task force

It's that time of the year, isn't it?

House Speaker tom Craddick today announced the Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform, headed by the inimitable Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton.

Otto's been around long enough to know that such work can be a thankless task, however dedicated he may be to accomplishing it.

Just ask [Tom] Pauken, whose work product took fire from groups including the Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texas Association of Counties and Texas Municipal League.

For those of you who just tuned in, this is the Republicans' biennial attempt to commit budgetary seppuku by cramming through a bill to lower the property tax appraisal cap or to impose revenue caps, which are even more insidious. They failed last time, and it is to be hoped they will fail again. Better yet, if we elect a Democratic majority to the House, we can focus on more important things, like actually fixing school finance and requiring sales price disclosure so that high-end and commercial properties can be made to shoulder their fair share of the tax burden. In the meantime, the usual shenanigans will proceed as always.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on April 25, 2008 to Budget ballyhoo