You know, I can remember when the Texas legislature meant something.  The scary thing is, it hasn’t been all that long ago, as I only started paying attention to politics in the last ten years.

I’ve been following this school finance fiasco for a little bit, although I’ve refrained from commenting on it because, well, others are doing such a bang-up job.  Not to mention, I’m still a little uncertain on what a lot of things mean, and the potential ramifications of things.

Here what I do know.  First off, I don’t agree with the bills as they’re written.  Vince Leibowitz has written a post deconstructing each proposed bill, and explaining just what they mean. It’s a pretty telling post.  I especially love the escalating cigarette tax.  Let me dive into that one a bit - just the shallow end…

First off, I am a smoker.  I’m actually a fairly disgruntled and pissed off smoker, when it comes to some portions of Texas.  I feel discriminated against, and looked down upon, almost every where I go, because I smoke.  …but that’s for a different post…

Despite being an angry smoker, I have to say that I think taxing cigarettes to fund education is a good idea, if it’s done the right way.  An escalating tax that will eventually raise cigarette prices an additional $1.51 (1.46 tax, plus additional .05 tax for bonds) is NOT the right way.  The more the cost of cigarettes increase, the fewer people will buy them.  Think I’m joking?  I’ve already altered my smoking habits, to cut down on the number of cigarettes I smoke per day. 
I’ve also been asking friends who go to Louisiana to stop and get me a couple of cartons and let me pay them back.  Whenever I go home to Virginia, to visit family, I buy at least five cartons (The maximum amount I can buy and safely take across state lines without worry of being prosecuted).

A good friend of mine recently moved to Dallas from New York City (Queens).  She was amazed that she could get cigarettes for less than five dollars per pack.  Sorry, Tara, but that’s going to change over the next few years if the bill passes.

I can guarantee that if cigarettes top five bucks a pack on “sale,” I, and many other Texans, will no longer be buying our cigarettes.  It would be cheaper to buy the supplies to roll our own.

Another bad idea from the Republican budget proposal crowd.

Okay, moving on….

If you’re interested in the history of school finance in Texas, Vince has put together a post giving information and links on that history.  I suggest you take a look.

As for the legislative session in general, Pink Lady has live-blogged an evening of the lege, for your viewing pleasure.  I would do so, but I don’t have access to the Texas HOR (hmm.. pronounce that wrong, and
you’ve got the Texas whore… then again, maybe that’s not pronouncing it wrong).  Check out her post, liveblogging the commentary on HB-3 (franchise tax).  It goes beyond informative, and dives into amusing - and posibbaly even depraved.

All in all, I’m pretty disgusted at this whole education thing.  Why don’t we make it very simple…  Here’s my suggestion on taxation:

• A standard $0.50 tax, per pack, on cigarettes.
• A 3% tax on all tobacco-related products (filters, rollers, tobacco itsself, pipes, pipe cleaners, cigar snips, etc…)
• A $0.05 tax per cigar, up to a total maximum of $1.00 tax per box.
• A 3% tax on all alcoholic beverages - EXCLUDING draft beer - sold (much like a sales tax) to any individual from a bar, club, or other licensed establishment.
• An additional draft beer tax, 7% per keg to both individuals and re-sellers (bars)
• A straight franchise tax of 1% to all businesses (including all corporations) not engaged in primarily wholesale or retail trade (exempting sole proprieterships, and parterships/LLCs owned solely by human individuals)  No breaks for health care, etc..
• A straight franchise tax of .5% to all businesses (including all corporations) engaged in primarily wholesale or retail trade (exempting sole proprieterships and partnerships/LLCs owned solely by human individuals).  No breaks for health care, etc..
• A re-route of precisely .25% of all sales tax to be placed into an education fund. (This is NOT a sales tax increase.  It simply earmarks .25% of the current sales tax for education, and only education.)

As for teacher salaries, I have no problem with an increase, and I vote on a minimum of a 10% increase, across the board.

For transportation, let’s explore alternative fuels such as bio-diesel.

For textbooks…  Shouldn’t that be up to the district?  Why are we having to earmark certain funds for new textbooks?  If districts are smart enough to budget for them, let them eat cake - so to speak.  If a district can verify a definitive need (i.e. they need to replace books, but absolutely can’t find the budget), then we’ll look on a district by district basis.

Okay, so I have some strong opinions.  Just my little way of saying I can solve all our problems have some ideas.

What do you think?  Let’s get a debate going on this…

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