Texas
Related: About this forumIn Lt. Gov. Debate, Patrick and Van de Putte Spar Over Taxes, ACA, Education and Abortion
In the only scheduled debate in their race for lieutenant governor, state Sens. Dan Patrick and Leticia Van de Putte faced off on Monday night in a lively exchange that displayed their divergent positions on everything from health care and immigration to school finance and taxes.
Both candidates played offense: Patrick, R-Houston, attempted to portray Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, as out of step with Texas voters. Van de Putte used the back-and-forth to try to pin Patrick down on votes he'd taken on cuts to public education. But one of the biggest points of contention in the hourlong showdown in Austin was over the states tax structure.
Patrick recently called for reducing the states dependence on the property tax to fund public schools and relying on the states sales tax instead. On Monday, Van de Putte used Patrick's position to argue that he would raise the sales tax, which she said would hurt businesses and consumers. Patrick sought to clarify his proposal, saying he would only support increasing the sales tax by a penny or two to compensate for reduced revenue from property taxes.
There's two people standing on this stage, and Im the only one that doesnt want to raise your sales taxes, Van de Putte said. To burden Texas businesses and families with a sales tax increase ... well, thats not being pro-business.
Read more: http://www.texastribune.org/2014/09/29/debate-van-de-putte-and-patrick-sound-over-taxes/
longship
(40,416 posts)DhhD
(4,695 posts)Letter From Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn to Governor
Rick Perry regarding the Perry Tax Plan
May 15, 2006
The Honorable Rick Perry
Governor, State of Texas
Capitol Building, Room 2S.1
Austin, Texas 78701
letter at link
My comments:
The Patrick, Abbott, Hager Tax Plan is even more severe that the Rick Perry/Tea TX Legislature Plan of 2006 that devastated our economy for years to come. In my opinion, this sales tax swap is a way to completely defund education bringing in total state education privatization just like Louisiana.
Patrick actually admitted to the destruction of school funding and the continued destruction of appropriate state revenue, as the GOP Tea Party Plan by saying that GOP TX government made the decision between lowering property taxes and properly funding schools.
How many Texans will be fooled into voting for their beloved Conservative Candidates having not checked out how corrupt the GOP has become?
DhhD
(4,695 posts)March/ April/ May 2014
Oops: The Texas Miracle That Isnt
Conservatives say the Lone Star states recent record of growth validates their economic agenda. That record crumbles upon inspection.
By Phillip Longman
article at link
In my opinion, Patrick is a liar, and made the bold announcement of the bad to come for most of the population of Texas, during the Lt. Governor debate. Hope Texas voters stop him/them on Nov 4.