Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff is calling out Republicans leaders of the Texas Legislature, as they prepare to consider a school finance system which they will claim 'cuts' taxes, while, in reality, what it does is simply shift the tax burden for funding public education more to local taxpayers, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Wolff calls it 'hypocrisy,'
"They want to attack city and county government, while at the same time they sneak through a budget for school financing, which they don't fund properly," said Wolff, who is a former State Senator. "This would result in a 13% tax increase for property owners."
Wolff says that is at a time when state lawmakers are patting themselves on the backs for passing a 'low tax' budget, the reality is that local property owners would feel the pinch in the form of sharply higher property taxes.
"On one hand they are trying to say they are saving taxpayers money, which is not true," he said. "On the other hand, they are raising taxes on property owners."
Commissioners Court today will approve a resolution calling on the Special Session not to approve any school funding measures which end up soaking local property owners with higher taxes.
He says at the same time state lawmakers are threatening to soak hard-pressed property owners, they are claiming they are championing taxpayers by limiting the budget and tax increases that local governments can approve to fund their increasing growth.
He says it is counter productive for the Republcian Legislature to claim it is fighting for financial responsibility by approving a series of measures designed to crack down on mainly Democrat dominated local governments. Fully half of all of the items on the agenda for the upcoming Special Session are designed to restrict the powers of cities and counties.
"All the major cities of Texas, all the principal ones, provide a sort of lifestyle that encourages economic development," he said. "We are the economic engines for the state."