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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. It sort of urks me a lot too. Heck I was going to get a plate for my truck, but what for? So the state can use the money to pay for some big party at the capital? Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too. Legislature urged to stop raiding dedicated funds By JAY ROOT and JOHN MORITZ STAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU AUSTIN - Whether it's the money Texans pay to get a horned lizard license plate or the 65-cent fee collected on utility bills, the Texas Legislature has been using dollars dedicated for one cause to boost spending on others. On Monday, state leaders and politicians said it's time to stop the practice. The calls for reform come amid recent reports that millions of dollars raised from "conservation" license plates, such as the one heralding Texas bluebonnets, aren't funding state parks even though motorists who agree to pay an additional $30 for the plates are told that's where the money goes. All of the leading candidates for governor criticized the use of dedicated funds for other programs. "This is a shell game being played by the politicians," said independent candidate Kinky Friedman. "It's just like the lottery. We're told that was supposed to fix education, and that was a sham. The people are being duped and the politicians are getting rich." Chris Bell, the Democratic nominee, said lawmakers are "perpetrating a fraud on the people of Texas." Although Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed into law the appropriation bill allowing the funding diversions, his spokeswoman, Kathy Walt, said he opposes the concept. "If lawmakers are going to have dedicated funds, they ought to meet their commitment to the people of Texas and use those monies for their intended purpose," Walt said. "If they cannot do that, the governor believes they ought to eliminate the fees that go into those dedicated accounts." Despite the outcry, a leading state legislator and co-author of the last state spending bill said he expects the practice to continue. Rep. Jim Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican who heads the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, said that in recent years lawmakers have diverted funds earmarked for one purpose to another "to meet more pressing budget needs, such as public education and health and human services." Pitts said state leaders probably will retain the option of using dedicated funds when the Legislature considers the 2008-09 budget during the next regular session starting in January. "We will be looking at all of these dedicated accounts next session," Pitt said, "and will consider appropriate levels of funding for specific programs in light of all of our budget demands." Here's how the process works: Money flows into dedicated accounts from a variety of fees, such as the $30 nature-loving motorists spend on specialty license plates, or the 65-cent utility fee ratepayers are charged, on average, to help low-income Texans pay their electric bills. But instead of giving all the money to the programs or departments that the dedicated funds were supposed to support, lawmakers hold back some or all of it. And since it's sitting in the state Treasury, it's deemed available to spend. Lawmakers can restore the funding, pass legislation that raids it outright and uses it elsewhere, or just keep relying on the balances every two years to prop up the budget. The conservation license plate revenue, supposedly dedicated to parks and wildlife projects, is one tiny example. Parks officials say the account into which the license plate revenue goes will have $4.3 million at the end of August. But lawmakers voted to give the parks department only $106,000 a year out of that account when they passed the state budget in 2005. They get to use any unused funds to offset spending elsewhere. Nevertheless, when Texans buy the plates, they're told that the money "goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for acquisition and development, maintenance or operation of parks, fisheries and wildlife projects," according to the Transportation Department's Web site. The use of dedicated funds for nondedicated purposes has been going on at least since the early 1990s. However, the amount of dedicated money used this way has grown dramatically in the past six years. Less than $500 million in dedicated money was diverted to balance the 2000-01 budget. Over the next two years, a record $2.75 billion in "dedicated" state revenue will be used to free up money for other spending priorities, state officials say. Former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, a Republican, said the more lawmakers use dedicated funds for unrelated projects, the less people trust them. "I think it creates a credibility problem," Ratliff said. ------------------------- "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a ride!!!" |
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#2
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
Earl Bollinger wrote:
It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. snip the rest of a well written post Disingenuous politicians in Texas - what a shock! :-o Paul D Oosterhout (from SAIC) |
#3
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
Earl Bollinger wrote:
It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. There are several places on the Web where you can buy "Share the Road" and other cycling-related bumper stickers. Same message, no funds for the political porkers. Google it. Bill __o |Weaning our nation from fossil fuels should be understood as _`\(,_ |the most patriotic policy to which we can commit ourselves. (_)/ (_) | --Robert Redford |
#4
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
It doesn't say much for Rick Perry's "leadership" does it? By doing this,
the Republicans can say they kept taxes down or didn't raise taxes, etc., but it is all a shell game.... Pat in TX |
#5
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
Oooops ,,, I read this and then realized it was TEXAS .............
Last time I checked ...................... TEXAS SUCKS! ========================================= "Earl Bollinger" wrote in message . .. It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. It sort of urks me a lot too. Heck I was going to get a plate for my truck, but what for? So the state can use the money to pay for some big party at the capital? Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too. Legislature urged to stop raiding dedicated funds By JAY ROOT and JOHN MORITZ STAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU AUSTIN - Whether it's the money Texans pay to get a horned lizard license plate or the 65-cent fee collected on utility bills, the Texas Legislature has been using dollars dedicated for one cause to boost spending on others. On Monday, state leaders and politicians said it's time to stop the practice. The calls for reform come amid recent reports that millions of dollars raised from "conservation" license plates, such as the one heralding Texas bluebonnets, aren't funding state parks even though motorists who agree to pay an additional $30 for the plates are told that's where the money goes. All of the leading candidates for governor criticized the use of dedicated funds for other programs. "This is a shell game being played by the politicians," said independent candidate Kinky Friedman. "It's just like the lottery. We're told that was supposed to fix education, and that was a sham. The people are being duped and the politicians are getting rich." Chris Bell, the Democratic nominee, said lawmakers are "perpetrating a fraud on the people of Texas." Although Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed into law the appropriation bill allowing the funding diversions, his spokeswoman, Kathy Walt, said he opposes the concept. "If lawmakers are going to have dedicated funds, they ought to meet their commitment to the people of Texas and use those monies for their intended purpose," Walt said. "If they cannot do that, the governor believes they ought to eliminate the fees that go into those dedicated accounts." Despite the outcry, a leading state legislator and co-author of the last state spending bill said he expects the practice to continue. Rep. Jim Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican who heads the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, said that in recent years lawmakers have diverted funds earmarked for one purpose to another "to meet more pressing budget needs, such as public education and health and human services." Pitts said state leaders probably will retain the option of using dedicated funds when the Legislature considers the 2008-09 budget during the next regular session starting in January. "We will be looking at all of these dedicated accounts next session," Pitt said, "and will consider appropriate levels of funding for specific programs in light of all of our budget demands." Here's how the process works: Money flows into dedicated accounts from a variety of fees, such as the $30 nature-loving motorists spend on specialty license plates, or the 65-cent utility fee ratepayers are charged, on average, to help low-income Texans pay their electric bills. But instead of giving all the money to the programs or departments that the dedicated funds were supposed to support, lawmakers hold back some or all of it. And since it's sitting in the state Treasury, it's deemed available to spend. Lawmakers can restore the funding, pass legislation that raids it outright and uses it elsewhere, or just keep relying on the balances every two years to prop up the budget. The conservation license plate revenue, supposedly dedicated to parks and wildlife projects, is one tiny example. Parks officials say the account into which the license plate revenue goes will have $4.3 million at the end of August. But lawmakers voted to give the parks department only $106,000 a year out of that account when they passed the state budget in 2005. They get to use any unused funds to offset spending elsewhere. Nevertheless, when Texans buy the plates, they're told that the money "goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for acquisition and development, maintenance or operation of parks, fisheries and wildlife projects," according to the Transportation Department's Web site. The use of dedicated funds for nondedicated purposes has been going on at least since the early 1990s. However, the amount of dedicated money used this way has grown dramatically in the past six years. Less than $500 million in dedicated money was diverted to balance the 2000-01 budget. Over the next two years, a record $2.75 billion in "dedicated" state revenue will be used to free up money for other spending priorities, state officials say. Former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, a Republican, said the more lawmakers use dedicated funds for unrelated projects, the less people trust them. "I think it creates a credibility problem," Ratliff said. ------------------------- "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a ride!!!" |
#7
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
When you think you got it bad with corrupt politicians, just be glad you are not in Louisiana. This place really sucks. Kristian M Zoerhoff Wrote: In article , says... It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. It sort of urks me a lot too. .... Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too. You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can (and usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example from a collegiate plate page: "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license plate sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license plate sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year 2006." Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate. -- __o Kristian Zoerhoff _'\(,_ (_)/ (_) -- gawnfishin |
#8
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
Well at least they put the warning up about them "raiding" the accounts.
Here in Texas, no warnings, they just steal it all, leaving a tiny bit left for whatever organization was supposed to get it. Sneaky lying scumbags. It is really bad when you have to check the politicians out at election time to see who is "the lesser of two evils". Sigh. "Kristian M Zoerhoff" wrote in message .net... In article , says... It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. It sort of urks me a lot too. ... Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too. You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can (and usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example from a collegiate plate page: "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license plate sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license plate sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year 2006." Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate. -- __o Kristian Zoerhoff _'\(,_ (_)/ (_) |
#9
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
Yes that is a better idea. Thanks
wrote in message ... Earl Bollinger wrote: It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. There are several places on the Web where you can buy "Share the Road" and other cycling-related bumper stickers. Same message, no funds for the political porkers. Google it. Bill __o |Weaning our nation from fossil fuels should be understood as _`\(,_ |the most patriotic policy to which we can commit ourselves. (_)/ (_) | --Robert Redford |
#10
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Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money
I noticed that they left out the part about the fact that 99.99% of the
funds was reallocated, didn't they. "Kristian M Zoerhoff" wrote in message .net... In article , says... It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road" license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all. It sort of urks me a lot too. ... Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too. You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can (and usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example from a collegiate plate page: "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license plate sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license plate sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year 2006." Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate. -- __o Kristian Zoerhoff _'\(,_ (_)/ (_) |
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