One of Texas taxpayers’ biggest enemies, Texas Municipal League, is having its annual conference today through Friday, 9 October through the 11th, in San Antonio.
Many of you just had your city property taxes jacked up and I’m sure you are glad to know that many local staff and elected officials are enjoying a big time on your dime in San Antonio.
Do not worry about those folk missing any weekend play time, TML sets up its conferences so that no government employee or elected official has to give up even an hour of weekend time to attend. Nope, all is designed so that all the fun, including even the golf tournament, named after Lubbock’s late T.J. Patterson, happens during working hours so all who collect city pay get paid while attending the big shindig.
the actual education sessions are far too short, 45-minutes each, to actually learn anything of value or deeply increase one’s understanding
The only major item on the TML agenda of class sessions of interest to me is a 45-minute presentation titled: “Senate Bill 2 Passed. What Now?”
The handout for this session does a good job describing the property tax reform passed by the legislature and its implementation in 2020 and 2021. I strongly recommend that civic-minded people read this 14 page handout.
The idea that the conference is education for staff and the elected is undermined by the fact that much of the agenda is filled with lightweight topical items and the actual education sessions are far too short, 45-minutes each, to actually learn anything of value or deeply increase one’s understanding.
TML attendees would hate to actually cut into all the fun with real work given that, for most, attendance is a taxpayer-paid vacation akin to one of those discount deals where you have to take a few minutes away from the spa, shopping, or golf course to listen to a sales presentation.
TML hosts annual taxpayer-paid vacation event for city officials
Many of you just had your city property taxes jacked up and I’m sure you are glad to know that many local staff and elected officials are enjoying a big time on your dime in San Antonio.
Do not worry about those folk missing any weekend play time, TML sets up its conferences so that no government employee or elected official has to give up even an hour of weekend time to attend. Nope, all is designed so that all the fun, including even the golf tournament, named after Lubbock’s late T.J. Patterson, happens during working hours so all who collect city pay get paid while attending the big shindig.
the actual education sessions are far too short, 45-minutes each, to actually learn anything of value or deeply increase one’s understanding
The only major item on the TML agenda of class sessions of interest to me is a 45-minute presentation titled: “Senate Bill 2 Passed. What Now?”
The handout for this session does a good job describing the property tax reform passed by the legislature and its implementation in 2020 and 2021. I strongly recommend that civic-minded people read this 14 page handout.
The idea that the conference is education for staff and the elected is undermined by the fact that much of the agenda is filled with lightweight topical items and the actual education sessions are far too short, 45-minutes each, to actually learn anything of value or deeply increase one’s understanding.
TML attendees would hate to actually cut into all the fun with real work given that, for most, attendance is a taxpayer-paid vacation akin to one of those discount deals where you have to take a few minutes away from the spa, shopping, or golf course to listen to a sales presentation.