Posted: 3/23/2005 1:36:59 PM EDT
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Is it true that there is no State Income Tax in Texas? |
Yep, and if the Legislature every tries to pass one, we get to vote on it; The Texas Constitution Article 8 - TAXATION AND REVENUE Section 24 - PERSONAL INCOME TAX; DEDICATION OF PROCEEDS (a) A general law enacted by the legislature that imposes a tax on the net incomes of natural persons, including a person's share of partnership and unincorporated association income, must provide that the portion of the law imposing the tax not take effect until approved by a majority of the registered voters voting in a statewide referendum held on the question of imposing the tax. The referendum must specify the rate of the tax that will apply to taxable income as defined by law. |
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No income tax but man oh man look out for the property taxes. Under proposed tax changes, yes including a payroll tax for business, my total tax burder would go way down. Right now, school taxes are very lopsided in that a small number of us foot the bill for everyone else. I am very unpopular with my belief that a reduction of property taxes, with the addtion of a state income tax, would be more fair for some of us. |
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But that's the problem...taxes aren't fair. They're not meant to be fair. They're meant to glean the most cash from those who have the most income, or spend the most money. I say that half tongue in cheek, half as truth. Is it REALLY fair that I have to pay for someone else's medical care, welfare, housing, food, education, etc. It's not out of the goodness of my heart, but instead under penalty of law...a law I never asked for or voted for. Is that fair? I don't think so. Be advised, though, I understand that we would not have roads, policemen and firemen, national defense, and services in a natural emergency without money going to the government. However, those that reside in the government must always remember to be good stewards of the public treasury. What about the lottery? I thought all that money was supposed to go to education. Instead, most of it has gone into the general fund. What is the general fund for? I don't know everything, but probably there is a bunch of crap out there we really don't need. |
If taxes only went toward roads, bridges, police, fire, defense of the borders, like the constitution says it should, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Taxes are used for everything else. Health care bills for illegals, salaries and pensions for bloated state government, food for people to lazy to work. Enforcing numerous assinine laws and incarcerating the people who don't obey them. As far as property taxes go, How many people reading this are member of CLOUT? You know the property tax guys. These people are getting close to hitting the nail on the head. They are coming out for a 3% appraisal cap. They seem to be going in the right direction, but it is useless unless they get these legislators to stop spending like drunken sailors. I saw in the paper where they approved a 10% increase. How would you like to get a 10% raise every 2 years. Sounds pretty good to me. Remember it is 10% compounded. So it doubles in 15 years. Sorry for my rant. John |
And who says the property tax would go down if they got the income tax. And if they do lower property tax with the 10% cap in a couple years it would be back where it is now. We need to get the cap lowered to 3% www.clouttexas.com/ |
| As I understand it, the Legislature is trying to figure out how to lower property taxes by raising other taxes.... which I wish they wouldn't do! I pay WAY MORE than I want in property taxes, but at least I can deduct that on my Federal Income Tax.... something I cannot do with taxes hidden in the cost of the goods sold to me, or with excise taxes on beer, gasoline, etc... not to mention sales tax. |
Are you telling me that you don't like paying sales tax on excise tax? You don't like to pay a tax on a tax? What's wrong with you? The simple answer to all of this is to cut spending our money. The suprising thing is no one will come out and say that. The emperor has no clothes. |
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I worked for a public entity in Galveston County with taxing authority. First most voters are terribly apathetic in that area about taxes. Other than complain they do nothing. As voters in a block they do have much more power than they realize. Many local officials use their authority for their own agendas and projects without taking in the real needs of the voters. Some of it has been so extreme that it would not stand a State Audit. However that is the rub, the State is in bed with other public entities and won't audit other entities. The result is fairly obvious. The other side of that is the waste and near fraud. The elected officials in many cases have a single agenda, that is to get reelected. A secondary agenda is to profit off of their office and to some extent support their cronies and fiscally take care of them. The solution is to do what most Texas Voters don't do, VOTE! Get the professional politicians out of office AT ALL LEVELS and vote for citizens like yourself. There are exceptions to this rule but unfortunately not many in Texas. 
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+1 Never vote for an incumbent whenever possible. |
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There is no state income tax but there is every other tax that could be made in TEXAS. When you say TAXES thing TEXAS. We are taxed out our asses. We have too danm many taxes already and they keep sucking for more. I think it is time for the people of texas to stand up and fight back on the personal property tax that is coming in the future. They are making it impossible for the poor to live. Poor people can't pay taxes as it is. They should be helping less fortunate people by cutting personal property. This country lets foriegners in and gives them thousands of dollars to start a bussiness and to top that they don't have to pay any taxes for 8 years, this is for foriegners who want to come here and live. They can come from any country ecept USA. If they will do this for outsiders why don't they do this for our own people who want to start a bussiness of ther own. Semms to me that would be only fare. Sorry for the soapbox people this just struck a nerve. I pay out my ass on taxes and most of it is legalized robbery. If I don't pay i lose everything I have worked my dog ass off for and to top that i could go to jail. They should be the one put in jail for stealing our money. Too much taxes should be against the law. I'll stop now. Thanks, Sniper243 |
Of course, you are totally correct! I pay an awful lot to my "Independant School District, and yet have no kids (nor do I intend to) at all, much less "in the system".... I see many palacial school buildings and stadiums going up all the time. Are the kids much smarter because of it? Take a guess!!! :) |
If you think that is bad, check out how much the football coach makes. In most of the larger schools, he makes more than the principal. He doesn't teach, all he does is coach football. There is something fundamentally wrong with this. Another thing that really gets me is when a principal takes another job, usually at some other school district for higher pay. The school district will pay off his contract. Instead of doing what most people would do, which is make him honor his contract. All you need is a court order. Easy to get. They don't do it, because it would make them out as bad guys, and besides it ain't their money. If you ever go to a board meeting, you will see that they spend money like it is going out of style. They usually hold the board meetings during the day, when everyone else is working to pay the taxes. If it were up to me, I would get rid of high school sports. That should make me popular. |
Been wondering the same things myself... |
but we pay the least per person in federal taxxes of any state  
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This is a semi-truth. You will lose your property for non-payment of property taxes. They won't put you in jail. |
+1 Let schools educate. I could give a shit about sports. |
I didnt say it originally, but I'd say "Yeah, not even football", and I'm born/raised in Dallas area... during the Staubach/Landry era. I wouldn't mind having it as truly EXTRA-Curricular... meaning NO official ISD budget money for it... live on contributions from those who want to support it... (OK, maybe ISD $$ can be spent as MATCHING funds, but NOT to exceed however much the boosters can get put in from private funds). But I wish they'd bring back marksmanship and archery... at least those have some useful applications. P.S. Jersey is in America... and the one time I went, was shocked to see how much more racist it was than most of the parts of Texas I've been too! |
+1 Like Social Security at the Federal Level, the State Income Tax has often been regarded (well, by me, at least  ) as the proverbial "third rail" of Texas Politics.
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