Is there any part of the standard press corps that doesn’t openly lie? Or maybe the question is: Is there any part of the press corps that is informed enough to convey truth to readers?
On Wednesday night, Thursday morning, 27 and 28 March, the Texas House Ways and Means Committee finally passed HB 2, the property tax reform bill, out to the full House. The version passed was a substitute, or reworked bill, that the Texas Municipal League still hates and which some conservative activists are wrongly, at least at this point, calling “gutted.”
That internal fighting is expected in the heat and difficulty of the legislative session and I’ll reserve judgment on Rep. Burrows’ bill until we see what actually passes, or doesn’t pass, the House.
What irks me the most is press coverage that isn’t just political spin but is outright falsehood.
…no element of HB 2 “constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
Take for example the lead sentence on HB 2 passing out of committee from the Austin American-Statesman written by Asher Price: “The House Ways and Means Committee approved 8-3 an amended property tax bill early Thursday that constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
Asher Price is either a shill for the local government lobby, or more likely, so ignorant of major legislation that he has no business covering such for the paper as no element of HB 2 “constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
HB 2 simply requires local governments to get approval from the people before they can raise property taxes on existing property more than 2.5 percent in any one year. Local government officials can raise it 10 percent if they wish as long as the people OK such at the ballot box.
The bill constrains nothing for local government. What it does is gives local voters the ability to constrain rising taxes but even that becomes at their choice.
HB 2 passes out of committee; reporter dishonest over its function
On Wednesday night, Thursday morning, 27 and 28 March, the Texas House Ways and Means Committee finally passed HB 2, the property tax reform bill, out to the full House. The version passed was a substitute, or reworked bill, that the Texas Municipal League still hates and which some conservative activists are wrongly, at least at this point, calling “gutted.”
That internal fighting is expected in the heat and difficulty of the legislative session and I’ll reserve judgment on Rep. Burrows’ bill until we see what actually passes, or doesn’t pass, the House.
What irks me the most is press coverage that isn’t just political spin but is outright falsehood.
…no element of HB 2 “constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
Take for example the lead sentence on HB 2 passing out of committee from the Austin American-Statesman written by Asher Price: “The House Ways and Means Committee approved 8-3 an amended property tax bill early Thursday that constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
Asher Price is either a shill for the local government lobby, or more likely, so ignorant of major legislation that he has no business covering such for the paper as no element of HB 2 “constrains how much cities and counties can raise in revenue.”
HB 2 simply requires local governments to get approval from the people before they can raise property taxes on existing property more than 2.5 percent in any one year. Local government officials can raise it 10 percent if they wish as long as the people OK such at the ballot box.
The bill constrains nothing for local government. What it does is gives local voters the ability to constrain rising taxes but even that becomes at their choice.