Budget Options

This blog is titled Inside Milam County, but for the next 135 or so days you might think it would be more aptly titled Inside Austin. The reason is that the 82nd Legislature is in session and a lot of what happens between now and sine die (Latin for; without fixing a day for future action or meeting, or a fancy way of saying it's finally over) will in fact affect all of us inside Milam County.

Texas is currently operating under a deficit budget. Some pundits say that lawmakers created a "structural" deficit in the state budget process in 2005, when they cut school property taxes by one-third and expanded the business tax to make up the difference. But the business tax brings in billions less each year than the property tax did, meaning that with every new budget, lawmakers must find more and more extra money to make up the difference. The structure of the revenue system creates deficits each year. It seems to me as though our Austin leaders set themselves, and us, up for failure in 2005.

I will be the first to admit that we have a huge budget problem in the state. No doubt about that, but how to fix it is the real question. Consolidation of agencies is one idea being floated around Austin, and most folks will probably agree that consolidating state agencies is a good idea. I know I do. However, sometimes the devil truly is in the details. In per capita spending by state, Texas ranks 50th in the nation, meaning there is likely less fat to trim when making budget cuts in Texas than in other states.

One consolidation that looks like a done deal is the combining of the Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission. Senator Whitmire said the merger could save taxpayers perhaps as much as $200 million. Whitmire says the new agency, to be called the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, would be a much slimmer operation that the current youth commission, with its resources focused on incarcerating fewer teen-aged offenders in state-run lockups and more emphasis on community-based correction.

Community-based correction is what concerns me. While it might save the state money how much will it cost the community? State Representative Byron Cook said that the Sunset Commission's recommendation that will allow any closed youth commission lockups to be transferred to cities and counties, if they want them. That will cost cities and counties money, and who will pay for that? The local taxpayers of course, but that should not surprise anyone as history shows the Legislature routinely passes costs down to the local level to balance the state budget.

There are a number of options the state leaders have to balance the budget. Use of the rainy day fund, fee increases (fee is just a more politically correct way to spell tax), budget cuts, and consolidation of agencies are just a few of their options. We just need to be sure that whatever saving methods they utilize will not result in an increase in local taxes. Be assured when they promised no new taxes they were not necessarily referring to local taxes.

Modest? Ridcously Low? You be the Judge

Have you been hearing about the modest salary that President Obama’s Press Secretary has been receiving? $172,000.00 really does not seem all that modest to me. As a matter of fact that sounds pretty good from my perspective. However, I read yesterday in the Austin American Statesman that there is some concern about the Chairperson of Texas Department of Transportation making a salary capped at a “ridiculously low” amount of $192,500.00. You need to remember as well that travel, office expenses and other miscellaneous costs do not come out of the salary. Seems to me those at the top might be a little out of touch with what salaries are in the real world.

Do not get me wrong I am not against a person making a good living, but when Texas ranks as the 33^rd state in teacher salaries you have to wonder where our priorities are. Seems to me we should be more concerned about educating our future workforce and leaders than keeping the fat cats fat.

Now, if you have been listening to the national news our new 112^th Congress seems to have trouble getting started. Might be just media spin, but talk is that the cuts the new folks promised during the campaign were “theoretical”. I have a couple of good suggestions that could make a difference, and these are not theoretical.

First each member of congress should vote to cut their office budgets and salaries and benefits by 10%. 2010 salary for members of Congress is 174,000, Minority and Majority Leaders earn 193,400 and Speaker of the House earns 223,500 dollars per year. This of course does not include benefits. There are 535 members of Congress. There are 100 Senators and 435 members in the House. There is also one non-voting member in the House for the District of Columbia.

So, while this will not make a big dent in the trillion dollar plus national deficit it will make a start. It will also show their commitment to balancing the budget on everyone’s back. Not just the taxpayers. Then if they will take their medical benefits and do away with them and work to get a National Health Care Plan that will work for everyone including members of Congress we can save some more money.

At the state level there are several things that might also be considered. Like maybe cutting some of the Governor’s chairpersons salary. Exactly what is the job description for a position with a salary cap of 192,500 dollars? How about some of the other state agency top positions? What do the top administrators at Texas or Texas A&M University make? How about clipping the football coaches’ salary 10%?

While our state representatives do not make the salaries the federal guys and gals do they still have operating budgets that could be cut. It is going to be interesting to see how they meet the need of the fastest growing state in the nation with no new revenue sources.

I have to admit that we are only in the first couple of days of the 112^th Congress, but so far not much has changed. Two members have voted without being sworn in, and the D’s are pointing fingers at R’s and the TP’s seem to be lost in the same as usually action of Washington DC. We are also several days away from the start of the Texas legislative session, but there does not seem to be any real plan to relieve the state’s budget crisis. We need to wish them luck in DC and Austin, and just have to hope and pray that it is not business as usual.

A New Year and a New Day

Well here it is January 3^rd, and I am blogging again. Keeping up with that New Year’s resolution, or trying to.

Many have asked is there life after the judgeship. Well, for those that have yet to hear I started my new job today. I am working as a Deputy Clerk in the Milam County Tax Office Annex in Rockdale. I am selling license plates, working titles and collecting taxes. I applied for the job back in December and was lucky enough to be selected for the job.

In spite of what you may hear in the rumor mill I have ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION in running for the Tax Assessor Collector’s office next election. It is just a job. There are some who may tell you that there is some “plan” behind my accepting this position, and actually there is. To have a regular paycheck and that is it.

If you have questions about what you might hear in the rumor mill please feel free to contact me for the rest of the story. It all comes down to knowing the truth. Just as I have encouraged you to seek the truth as the spin doctors start their work during the upcoming legislative session do your best to stay in touch with the truth about local government as well. It will serve you well in seeing the whole picture.

Illegal County Raises...The Rest of the Story

Happy New Year to one and all. Hope it was safe and fun for everyone. 2011 will bring many new challenges to state and local government. Each and every citizen can help meet these challenges by simply making a New Year's resolution to become better informed and educated about the issues in local and state government.

One thing that more information and becoming better educated will do is allow you to understand the issues better and see through the spin that politicians will throw at you. Take the spin used by John Carter in the last campaign referring to the election of a certain party's ticket would create jobs and rebuild infrastructure in Milam County. Really?

Another recent issue brought forth by the public watchdogs in Milam County is illegal raises given by the Commissioners Court. Sometimes the media gets only one side of the story. Well, read on for the rest of the story.

The Court in fact did not give any pay raises to any county employees as stated. What the court did was to approve the budget amendment that resulted when the department head gave their employee a pay raise.

County positions are funded with a certain amount of money. If someone is hired for less than that amount the department head can later give that employee a raise since the money is already in the budget. There is no increase in the budget due to the raise. As a matter of fact it is standard procedure for new county employees to be eligible for a 1,000 dollar pay increase after a six month probation period.

Furthermore, there are many statutes and Attorney General Opinions that deal with the Commissioners Court interfering with an elected official's management of their department. Bottom-line is the court has absolutely no authority to tell them who they can or can't hire and what they can or cannot pay. If the position is budgeted and they stay within the limits of their budget it is basically up to them, not the court to give a raise.

It was also brought to my attention that the county was trying to hide from the public that only employees from two (2) precincts were getting raises. Not sure where they got their information, but in budget amendments approved on December 13^th 3 employees from the County Attorney's Office and one Dispatcher in the Sheriff's Office received raises, while the salaries for one position in the Sheriff's Office and one position in Precinct 1 actually received decreases.

On November 22^nd 27 positions across many departments including County and District Clerk, County Attorney, Tax Office received raises, and 13 positions received decreased amounts for 2011. One position that is grant funded and not directly related to the court's authority received an increase as well. I wonder why the whole story was not told and why those making allegations failed to mention the decreases approved by the court?

I am not sure whether those complaining were misled, misinformed, or just putting their own spin on the story but again the rest of the story was not told. Just one example again where the radical fanatics attempt to pull the wool over your eyes. Just like our Washington politicians. I am not sure which are really more dangerous.