Looks like yesterday’s hearing on appraisal caps contained the usual amount of rhetoric and posturing. This is an issue that has been around for awhile, and won’t go away any time soon, especially now that chief pitchfork wielder Dan Patrick is in the Senate. I’m going to be lazy and just refer you to Rick Casey’s column on why this is a bad idea (not that it matters to its adherents), since he pretty much nails it.
By the way, if you click on the link to my 2003 blog post, in which there was much huffing and puffing about State Rep. Jodie Laubenberg voting against an appraisal cap bill in committee, you’ll see that Patrick and his buddy Paul Bettencourt made several unsubtle threats about someone challenging Laubenberg in a primary. In case you’re curious, in the two primaries since then, she’s been unopposed each time. So much for that.
Seems as though folks would prefer to bang their head against the wall over holding their local governments accountable for the tax rates they set annually and in public. If Dan Patrick truly believed this to be a cause, he would have run for County Commissioner. By deflecting attention he and his friends are assuring that the problem is here to stay.
I am just amazed by all of the energy spent on this issue. Appraisal caps are a gimmick, a means of avoiding substantive policy making. Once again, our elected officials trip over their egos, fall into the outhouse and come out, well, you know. It’s a simple question, folks. How much government do you want and how do you intend to pay for it. But can we get one single elected official to ask this question?
But can we get one single elected official to ask this question? Heck no because we cannot get ourselves off our ass and vote smart.
Mr. Kuffner: Thanks, but for the record I intentionally spelled it “aas” to maintain decorum (my decorum).