Let's Count the Ways Local Taxes Increased Yesterday

1.  The $300 million Round Rock ISD bond package passed yesterday, increasing property taxes in Round Rock ISD.

2. The Austin ISD Prop 1 passed yesterday, giving us higher taxes to pay for increased teacher pay. Instead of budgeting for a cost-of-living adjustment, AISD put teacher pay increases on the ballot, knowing that the taxpayers would fund it so the school district can increase spending on other frivolous ventures within the existing budget.

3. Gerald Daugherty lost his re-election bid for County Commissioner in Travis County. Gerald is the only County Commissioner who consistently voted for tax and budget cuts in Travis County. We will miss him dearly.

4. Proposition 2 passed in Travis County. $65 million of our tax money will be given to a developer instead of going to pay for our city services. The City of Austin is faced with a $27 million "short-fall" this fiscal year. That $65 million check that taxpayers will give to Simon Malls really could have made a difference in keeping our city financially solvent without having to borrow more money through another bond package.

I'm sure there are more, but I'm going to stop there. I do not want to hear Austinites complain about high taxes...they keep voting to increase them!