AUSTIN Texas is encouraging state lawmakers to oppose Article 20 and Article 41 of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Sunset Bill HB 300. These articles make up the so-called local option" transportation tax amendment of the bill and could increase the gas tax and drivers license fees.
This is no more a local option than the federal income tax is optional" said Peggy Venable AFP state director. Its a tax and local leaders will put it on the ballot until it passes. At this critical time in our economy consumers should not be further burdened."
AFP proposes ending the numerous gas tax diversions before allowing a mechanism for tax increases especially when the gas tax increase could reach as much as 125 percent.
Local elected officials need to set spending priorities stop the diversions end lobbying with tax dollars and provide taxpayers with an automatic property tax rollback vote before they are given a new taxing authority" Venable said.
DFW taxing entities are spending millions of tax dollars on lobbying against taxpayer protections. In a last-ditch effort to save SB 855 legislators tacked the gas tax and drivers license fees on to HB 300 which is now 2200 pages in size larger than the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (1071 pages). Local governments have spent at least $1.3 million dollars of taxpayer money to lobby for the bill in what they called a classic lobby deal" in the February 15 issue of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
Most taxpayers realize the federal government debt is growing rapidly but few taxpayers realize the local debt we have in Texas totals well over $160 Billion according to the Texas Bond Review Board and that doesnt include more than $1.37 billion in local bond funding on May 9" Venable said.
We urge our state lawmakers to vote no on SB 855 added to the TXDOT Sunset and say no to lobbyists who dont represent the views of most taxpayers whose tax dollars are being used to push this potential tax increase" she added.
AUSTIN Texas is encouraging state lawmakers to oppose Article 20 and Article 41 of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Sunset Bill HB 300. These articles make up the so-called local option" transportation tax amendment of the bill and could increase the gas tax and drivers license fees.
This is no more a local option than the federal income tax is optional" said Peggy Venable AFP state director. Its a tax and local leaders will put it on the ballot until it passes. At this critical time in our economy consumers should not be further burdened."
AFP proposes ending the numerous gas tax diversions before allowing a mechanism for tax increases especially when the gas tax increase could reach as much as 125 percent.
Local elected officials need to set spending priorities stop the diversions end lobbying with tax dollars and provide taxpayers with an automatic property tax rollback vote before they are given a new taxing authority" Venable said.
DFW taxing entities are spending millions of tax dollars on lobbying against taxpayer protections. In a last-ditch effort to save SB 855 legislators tacked the gas tax and drivers license fees on to HB 300 which is now 2200 pages in size larger than the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (1071 pages). Local governments have spent at least $1.3 million dollars of taxpayer money to lobby for the bill in what they called a classic lobby deal" in the February 15 issue of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
Most taxpayers realize the federal government debt is growing rapidly but few taxpayers realize the local debt we have in Texas totals well over $160 Billion according to the Texas Bond Review Board and that doesnt include more than $1.37 billion in local bond funding on May 9" Venable said.
We urge our state lawmakers to vote no on SB 855 added to the TXDOT Sunset and say no to lobbyists who dont represent the views of most taxpayers whose tax dollars are being used to push this potential tax increase" she added.
