i say we collect a per diem from every legislator for each day they've convened only to waste our time. and assess a fine against each stupid word or bullshit phrase spoken.

on a serious note (i hate to do that to you, but . . .) the ONLY way to finance schools is a state income tax. it's not regressive, it releases business from the equation, it allows for local enrichment, it's deductible from federal income taxes, and you can eliminate property taxes altogether. you're guaranteed an immediate infusion of serious cash.

of course, this requires that the entire state engage in collective magical thinking. we'd have to get someone in a position of REAL power to have the guts to risk their political career to take up the issue and educate the people about why it's a good idea (ala shapleigh). and it requires the GOP (and john q. public) to wake up to the fact that you actually need money to have good schools. and good schools bring good jobs and good economies.

Two words; income tax.

I'm with ya'll (mole and anon). If someone would grow some balls and then if the public would grow some common sense the income tax could do a hell of a lot of good. And if you would actually couple it with real property tax relief the public might go for it. But don't let the damn businesses out of the eqation they should have to pay to educate thier fututre employees. But of course in Texas if you were looking for a goood solution you might as well throw my (and the others ideas) idea out the window because a state income tax will never fly.

I agree. Drop the state portion of the sales tax and get rid of the school property tax and replace it all with a progressive income tax. Maybe get rid of a whole host of hidden taxes and fees that the legislature uses to hide tax increases. Texas currently has about 38 different taxes managed by the Comptroller and I doubt that most people could name five.

i definitely don't want to drop business out of taxes altogether. meant to say that an income tax and the incumbent education effort would drop them out of the equation in terms of the power to leverage their gripes against the ignorance of the average guy.

if you've educated the public about the machinations of the taxing system, how well-funded education benefits the state, and everyone truly understands how it works, people will understand that there's no trickle down from reducing business taxes. i think the ignorance of the average joe is what props up TAB et al. in their lame arguments that taxing them "too much" somehow jeopardizes economic development in the state when in reality economic development in Texas is tantamount to corporate socialism.

Here are my proposed solutions to two problems:

1) Raising Cash to finance Schools:

- Legalize Gay Marriage and levy a yearly marriage registration fee for all married couples of $10.
- Impose a state income tax for all single non-dependant adults of 2.5%.
- Legalize Gambling and impose a heavy 15% tax on gambling revenues generated.
- Legalize the use of Marijuana for medicinal purposes and impose a tax of $1/gram to medical patients.
- Impose a tax of $5 per ticket sold on airline flight destinations outside of the state of Texas.
-Legalize slot machines in all horse racing facilities which will capitalize on the under
utilized population of horses in the State of Texas (1million), drawing from the 40 billion dollar horse economy of which Texas has 10% share population wise but is not utilizing. This measure will add approximately 100,000 new jobs thus creating more tax revenue.

These measures alone would ad billions to the coffers while not imposing on the rights of
the citizens of this state.

2) Lowering Property Taxes:

Lower them and keep them capped at $1.15.

Our office received a letter at the beginning of the regular session with a rather, um, unique proposal for school finance reform. The writer suggested that we tax milk, thinking that Texans would enthusiastically run to the nearest ice cream parlor to aid the noble cause of educating our children. The author implored us with two pages of descriptions of how excited everyone would be to help fix the education system by consuming dairy products.

Obviously, I can't take credit for the idea, but I can accept cookies on the writer's behalf. Perhaps cookies and milk?

mmmmmmmmmmmm . . . dairy.

my buddy works under the pinkdome, and he said someone called telling him to stop picking on folks that smoke and not to tax cigarettes and to start taxing tacos....you know, tacos....something that isn't picking on a group of people.

I mean, really, tacos are one of the only good things about Texas, so why on the earth would we tax them?

maybe we should start taxing churches that preach politics from the pulpit

mmmmmm .... tacos .... why would you want to tax tacos? I mean they are by far one of the best inventions on earth. Better than a sandwich, a taco only has to be held with one hand. Tastier than a burger, all the special seasonings and the infusion of the hard shell is awesome (and the Taco Villa taco burger doesn't even count for anything, it plain sucks). I mean really tacos are great. But I digress from the point of this blog ....... PROGRESSIVE INCOME TAX

Income tax, income tax, income tax. (Sstatetaxx, where are you?)

You speak (or write) wisdom, Don't Mess w/ Pink.

A broad-based business tax coupled (snicker) with a progress, low rate, income tax would put money in the schools (where we need it) and let us significantly reduce property and sales taxes (putting money in our pockets).

I am opposed to eliminating the loopholes surrounding the "Taco Tax". In fact, we need to couple (snicker, again) a tax break for tacos with break for Mexican beer.

I'm down with taxing churches. Sooooo many of them are nothing but scams. Lakewood Church in Houston leased the Compaq Center for less than 12 million for 11 years. That's approx $90,000 month. How much revenue did the city get for just one concert, I'd like to know. And these mega churches have gyms and clubs and all manner of non-religious activities that they get to run tax-free, I believe. So no need to join a gym and generate tax producing revenue for the state. Join First Church of the Holy Dollar and you can go to their gym and bowling alley and theater production and language classes, and ........sorry I lost control a little there.

mmmmmmm ... snickers!

On the income tax, the only senator who has consistently said it is State Senator Shapleigh. He's had the guts to go around the state to do his ever famous school finance presentation that you can see at www.shapleigh.org. I think him for being the conscience of the Senate

Have you seen this before? It's a number guessing game: http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/guessthenumber.html. I guessed 57775, and it got it right! Pretty neat.