According to Comptroller Strayhorn today (see article here), the state surplus is now at $8.2 billlion yet the Governor and his “tax commission” led by John Sharp are promoting a broad and sweeping new business tax to “offset” property tax relief. In other words, the only way we’re going to get property tax relief is if they raise taxes somewhere else! When they put money in one pocket and take it out of the other, how is that tax relief?
With an $8.2 billion surplus, it’s inexcusable that ANY tax increase is being considered much less instituting a new tax on driving (toll tax) on nearly every highway in Texas! The surplus exceeds TxDOT’s annual income ($7.5 billion)…tolling authority Chair Bill Thornton and SAMCo CEO Joe Krier keep asking how we’d fund highway improvements without tolls, look no further than the overtaxation that’s given us an $8.4 billion surplus, gentlemen. Problem solved!