The Travis Central Appraisal District (T-CAD) is failing to charge commercial property owners for property tax on the full value of their property, according to two studies. At a time when tax rates are rising and services are being cut for the rest of us, we sat down with Brian Rodgers of ChangeAustin.org to find out how many hundreds of millions of dollars Travis County residents are missing from big business.
Texas is home to a rich history of resistance in the belly of the beast. As a “Red State”, self proclaimed by many Republican officials who continuously try to push their conservative agendas, it is no wonder why we hardly ever hear about the positive community work being done on the ground to shift Texas politics.
At the forefront of the grassroots social justice movement in Texas, are many women of color whose sacrifices have led them to be well known community activists, often unnoticed in the larger public eye.
Currently a lot of attention is focused on the Governor’s race here in Texas. People are buzzing about the contentious nature of the contest and how the GOP has a widening split. That’s a noteworthy scenario in a place that is now a battleground state. However if this ’newer and bluer’ Texas is going to be a a force on the national scale, then it needs to have some one with left leaning politics sitting in one of the states two Senate seats. Enter Houston Mayor Bill White.
He clearly understands whats at stake and has already started campaigning and making his name better known beyond the confines of Houston. The battle to win Kay Bailey Hutchison’s soon to be vacated seat as she shoots to be governor will be hard fought, but Mayor White feels he’s up for the job.
As you read the following article about the outlandish draft of new standards being put forth by the Texas State Board of Education, keep in mind the importance o the age old ‘political commandment’ - Every seat counts. I recall being in Washington DC a few years ago and Howard Dean who was then governor of Vermont and contemplating running for President spoke in earnest about everyone getting involved with politics. He said it's not enough for activists to simply protest or ‘agitate' from the outside. He insisted that more activists run for office. He said all politics are local and because each seat won or lost can have direct impact on our day to day lives people should be running for everything on the ballot. He said run for Mayor, run for city council and run for dog catcher.
Can Texas Democrats live under the thumb of a Republican-controlled Texas legislature until 2023?
Can Texas Latinos live fourteen more years being belittled and berated by Republicans – voted down from leadership positions like Sotomayor, told to change our names to fit in like Rep. Brown suggested this year, screamed at to “just go home” like Rep. Berman does every year, unable to count on getting a driver's license, more likely to be pulled over by police, family members imprisoned as quickly as ICE can build new prisons for parents and their small children?
This week, Texas latinas continue to show up in the national spotlight. According to the San Antonio Express News:
"Norma Martinez Rogers took the helm of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses with the twin goals of increasing the number of Hispanic nurses to help with health disparities in that community and building the group's political clout.
"Those two themes also dominate the group's annual conference, being held through Friday in San Antonio, where Martinez Rogers grew up."
Governor Perry, the Texas Tea Party Darling, has been cheating on his taxes while leading Texas Tea Party rallies across the state. According to the AP, Governor Perry has been untruthful so he wouldn't have to pay property taxes on the home he owns in College Station.
The Governor (1) claimed that he currently lives in College Station when he does not, and (2) claimed a homestead exemption on his property even though he is a landlord and landlords are not legally allowed the exemption.
