2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Monday, September 1, 2008

FBN: Bhuchar Issues Statement On FBISD Budget, Howard Criticism

In a statement issued late Friday afternoon, Fort Bend ISD Board President Sonal Bhuchar said “the record must be set straight” over the district’s recent decision to raise the district’s debt service tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year.

During a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate, State Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) criticized trustees for raising the tax rate when other public entities were either lowering or maintaining existing rates.

Howard’s remarks brought strong rebukes from trustees Steve Smelley and Bob Broxson. Smelley said he was “humiliated” by Howard’s statement, while Broxson suggested Howard did not support public education.

In a later statement to FortBendNow, Howard said he had not intended to insult trustees, but his goal in representing constituents was to see their property tax burden lowered. Howard also said he was addressing the board as a resident and taxpayer, and not in his role as a state representative.

In her statement, Bhuchar cited Howard’s remarks. She defended the board’s decision to raise the debt service tax rate, saying that voters approved the increase as a part of last year’s bond referendum. ...(get the full story at FBN)

FBW comment:
This is the same RECORD bond election that Howard and his edc PAC helped push. He then comes back to the district and complains when they have to increase taxes to begin to pay off this debt...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Related area blog comments:

« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 09:49 AM »
Another interesting, but illegal activity by our village idiot. Apparently he is attempting to re-title this story which would be a copyright violation (intellectual property). He also plagiarizes quite a bit in these threads, but what do you expect from a troll....

The title is AH:

"Howard Stands By His Comments On FBISD Tax Burden"

not "FBISD Tax Burden" - do you need some salt for more of that crow???

Now the facts that our "VI" can't refute so he engages in his red herrings....

No Jim (wadefishin/JohnBernardBooks/et. al.) Hitler wasn't a conservative, contrary to your elite corporate welfare neo thinking. What don't you understand about that neocon? No other politician on the bond/debt PAC spoke at the meeting, just your hero Howard. THAT AH is the contradiction, no one else, not the teachers, the union, the admins, the board, dems or repubs, libs, indeps, etc...(maybe if you had gone you would know something about it?). So now you are saying that any other politician who did not attend the meeting or join the RECORD bond/debt developer PAC, that helped cause this tax increase and first ever district budget deficit, needs to justify there position? Are you really just that stupid??? Seriously, are you???

YOU continue to ignore the bill by Patrick (R), a non neocon conservative repub, that could provide an effective appraisal cap (to counter actions like this developer PAC) and why don't any of our local neocon machine politicians endorse this proposal??? Why do you and your neocon buddies ignore the nearly 100 million surplus (fund balance).....no, no, no, it is election time and time for "JBB" (our VI) to spin his lies, not address real issues because that is the toadys job for the pol. network, obfuscate, misdirect, subvert, etc.....(YOUR a good democrat JBB because I don't know any repub or conservative that buys your sh**)...

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.--audio file)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

.......................

"JBBs" neocon roots:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul (R), Teague (R), Stansell (R), Campbell (R), McDougal (R), Tunstall, Dostal (R), Hilton (R), and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

You can see his behavior continue in this thread. . .

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 06:50 AM »
"theLiberal" exposed tries to divert...."FBISD Tax Burden" is the thread title....

but for some reason he won't "share" with us....his fav Rep Olivo's position on "the bond" "unions" or "tax increases.....because we already know....

« ragingbull wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 03:07 PM »
"JBB" (our village idiot),

Ordinarily people live and learn. You just live.

Your arguments are constantly reduced to nothing more than empty ad hominem. . . . didn't they have a song for lairs like you? And no everyone that doesn't do the corporate goose step isn't a "dirty liberal" (as you so often put it).

No Jim (wadefishin/JohnBernardBooks/et. al.) Hitler wasn't a conservative, contrary to your elite corporate welfare neo thinking. What don't you understand about that neocon? No other politician on the bond/debt PAC spoke at the meeting, just your hero Howard. THAT AH is the contradiction, no one else, not the teachers, the union, the admins, the board, dems or repubs, libs, indeps, etc...(maybe if you had gone you would know something about it?). So now you are saying that any other politician who did not attend the meeting or join the RECORD bond/debt developer PAC, that helped cause this tax increase and first ever district budget deficit, needs to justify there position? Are you really just that stupid??? Seriously, are you???

YOU continue to ignore the bill by Patrick (R), a non neocon conservative repub, that could provide an effective appraisal cap (to counter actions like this developer PAC) and why don't any of our local neocon machine politicians endorse this proposal??? Why do you and your neocon buddies ignore the nearly 100 million surplus (fund balance).....no, no, no, it is election time and time for "JBB" (our VI) to spin his lies, not address real issues because that is the toadys job for the pol. network, obfuscate, misdirect, subvert, etc.....(YOUR a good democrat JBB because I don't know any repub or conservative that buys your sh**)...

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.--audio file)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

.......................

"JBBs" neocon roots:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul (R), Teague (R), Stansell (R), Campbell (R), McDougal (R), Tunstall, Dostal (R), Hilton (R), and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

You can see his behavior continue in this thread. . .

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 02:29 PM »
"theLiberal" exposed tries to divert...."FBISD Tax Burden" is the thread title....

but for some reason he won't "share" with us....his fav Rep Olivo's position on "the bond" "unions" or "tax increases.....because we already know....

hahaha its hard being "theLiberal"....hahaha
« ragingbull wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 01:27 PM »
Yes "VI", it is hard refuting (spinning) against the truth, especially when neocons aren't practiced at truth telling. Too bad you don't understand that totalitarianism (elite corporatism) is not a conservative principle and Stalin, Hitler & Mussolini were not visionaries, but vicious dictators (that's what happens when you go too far to the right idiot). Corporatism subverts the constitutional and individual rights and subjugates the citizenry (it also relabels everyone as labor units, which I strongly reject)....you can keep your edc crony network AH and we will keep exposing it, along with your other falsehoods....let me know if you need further explanation regarding who instigated the RECORD bond/debt increase which lead to the first ever FBISD budget deficit and subsequent tax increase....

See supporting media again "VI":

"..the biggest threat to economic liberty and individual freedom lies in the new economic fascism. While the former Communist countries are trying to privatize as many industries as possible as fast as they can, they are still plagued by governmental controls, leaving them with essentially fascist economies: private property and private enterprise are permitted, but are heavily controlled and regulated by government." DiLorenzo

"..What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chronicle

"So, while the liberal economic agenda includes more taxes and spending, the neo-con economic program simply looks to target some tax cuts to preferred groups, but ignore the economic big picture. The neo-con economic agenda is to “borrow and spend” and it is that agenda, even more than the tax and spend ways of many liberals, that has cast us in economic peril at this time." Paul

PS I do have to admit one thing, you sure do a great job running conservatives away from the republican party with your banter. You are one hell of a democrat operative aren't you idiot? Too bad you can't make the facts fit your statements, reality just isn't that malleable yet....but keep talking. I always YAWN when I'm interested.

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 12:12 PM »
oh I understand....its tough being "theLiberal" when everyones knows.....

"FBISD Tax Burden"...stop trying to divert lib

« ragingbull wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 09:13 AM »
Jim (aka JohnBernardBooks/wadefishin et. al.) you reduce every thread to your usual name calling, finger pointing neocon disinformation campaign of one liners.

As repeated "VI" in the threads with REAL support (and not your made up crony-crap). The RECORD bond debt pushed by your crony clique in Nov. (as cited below), who directly benefits from the land sales and other spin-off business, at full market value and members of our GFBCEDC formed a PAC and pushed for the RECORD debt claiming it will "improve our property values" (code for higher appraisals, ergo higher taxes). They would not support a more moderate bond that would have prevented this tax increase. So no, the only thread diversion smoke-screen going on "VI"/neocon once again is you...for your pol. machine and faux conservative/pretenders to keep the finger from where it really belongs, on them.

I do have to admit one thing, you sure do a great job running conservatives away from the republican party with your banter. You are one hell of a democrat operative aren't you idiot? Too bad you can't make the facts fit your statements, reality just isn't that malleable yet....

PS Why do you take 3 or more posts for these very weak empty retorts?

"So, while the liberal economic agenda includes more taxes and spending, the neo-con economic program simply looks to target some tax cuts to preferred groups, but ignore the economic big picture. The neo-con economic agenda is to “borrow and spend” and it is that agenda, even more than the tax and spend ways of many liberals, that has cast us in economic peril at this time." Paul 8/08

-He's talking about you and your clique idiot! (see my 9:39p for more).....YOU know "jbb" you are a dim bulb in the marquee of life. . . .

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 07:16 AM »
to make matters worse you're "liberal educrat".....the worse kind.....now stop trying to change the subject.

I fully understand no "liberal educrat" wants to discuss taxes.....thats a no win for "liberal educrats"

unfoerunately the thread is called "FBISD Tax Burden".....damn a stake thru a "liberal educrat's" heart....
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 07:13 AM »
"theLiberal" wrote "What you don't seem to comprehend is that I will not vote for neocons"....no thats becuase as a "liberal" you support other "liberals"...ie Rep Olivo and Rep Lampson....both known "liberals"....we get it...."liberal"
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Sunday, Aug 31 at 07:10 AM »
for "the Liberal" "FBISD Tax Burden"

"theLiberal" wrote "You've repeatedly claimed in this thread that some other evil liberal entity is responsible for the tax increase,"....no what I said was you're a liberal.

stop trying to divert the thread....the admin/union loaded up the budget and the BOT rolled over....hence the tax increase.....and the deficit spending.

« ragingbull wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 09:39 PM »
"Village idiot" (aka JohnBernardBooks, wadefishin, unhappy, "jbb", viceLT, triumph110, anonymous, noodlz, etc..),

So what is it you don't understand about budgets, what you have repeatedly said in this and other threads, or your straight crony-neocon lever pulling for thefaux conservatives?

You've repeatedly claimed in this thread that some other evil liberal entity is responsible for the tax increase, even though it has been pointed out to you on several occasions and documented by numerous other sources (media/board minutes/eyewitnesses in attendance/etc.. that the RECORD bond/debt is the culprit for the recent tax increase.

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 05:38 AM »

"...its about taxes not about the bond" -Typical JBB public neocon Obfuscation

-What you don't seem to comprehend is that I will not vote for neocons (fakes). So here is the vote picking order for me if you are not able to grasp it. 1) Under no circumstances, if I know in advance, would I ever support a neocon (elite corporatist/fascism, not party exclusive and will say or do anything to get elected or hand on to power for self serving ends, opportunist) 2) Support and vote for constitutional conservatives 3) If none exist support moderates who are further from #1 4) If no other choice is present then record yourself as an undervote, but again under NO circumstances vote for "NEOCONS" (is that clear or do you need to hear it again neo?)...

Now, you need to stop chasing your tail in here and attempting to mislead the readers AH. You aren't by any definition a conservative and anyone who wants to know whom the members of our, not so local, political machine are just need to watch whom you defend or smear/lie for and it becomes very clear.....

Your mantra is simple, "From an economic perspective, fascism meant (and means) an interventionist industrial policy, mercantilism, protectionism, and an ideology that makes the individual subservient to the state. "Ask not what the State can do for you, but what you can do for the State" is an apt description of the economic philosophy of fascism.

The whole idea behind collectivism in general and fascism in particular is to make citizens subservient to the state and to place power over resource allocation in the hands of a small elite. As stated eloquently by the American fascist economist Lawrence Dennis, fascism "does not accept the liberal dogmas as to the sovereignty of the consumer or trader in the free market.... Least of all does it consider that market freedom, and the opportunity to make competitive profits, are rights of the individual." Such decisions should be made by a "dominant class" he labeled "the elite."

"..the biggest threat to economic liberty and individual freedom lies in the new economic fascism. While the former Communist countries are trying to privatize as many industries as possible as fast as they can, they are still plagued by governmental controls, leaving them with essentially fascist economies: private property and private enterprise are permitted, but are heavily controlled and regulated by government." DiLorenzo

-Can it be made any clearer for you. In this thread we see whom the beneficiaries of the RECORD bond are, some of the same companies who give to many of our local politicians including Howard. You sit on a special interest taxing zone for one of these companies so your agenda is very clear. I don't think anyone reading or following your finger pointing is being fooled.

The political tactic of being on both sides of an issue is an old one as the chronicle seemed to point out. You can keep making diversions and insinuations, but this quote says it all.

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

-You continue to state that you aren't calling this reporter a liar or the BOT president or the board (or those in attendance), but there is no other explanation for your deliberately misleading posts. THIS IS THE STANDARD PRAXIS OF NEOCONs and NO ONE should ever support them. I would vote for anyone before knowingly pulling a lever for one of them (and yes I have voted mixed tickets and will continue to do so until the vermin are run out of the major parties).

-And yes, I do agree with Dr. Paul that the enemy is not other true conservatives or liberals, but neoconservatives (fakes/liars/etc...).

"So, while the liberal economic agenda includes more taxes and spending, the neo-con economic program simply looks to target some tax cuts to preferred groups, but ignore the economic big picture. The neo-con economic agenda is to “borrow and spend” and it is that agenda, even more than the tax and spend ways of many liberals, that has cast us in economic peril at this time.

Simply, on spending, the neo-cons and the liberals share views, just as they share similar views on foreign policy. While each side tries to claim the mantle of change, reality is that more of the same is not change." Paul

-Sorry if you don't like it (not really), but there it is once AGAIN for you since you seem to have a problem reading and grasping the facts....I hope you are being paid enough jerk!

TELL Allen Owen and Bob Hebert hello for me now will you AH!

« MaryMcClure wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 02:14 PM »
Re my 1:13 pm post and posts below, please know you can click "Latest Items" (5th dark grey box to the left on my site, www.FortBendThinker.us) for older topics pushed down off the first page by newer topics. I may do some major reorganizing when I have time...but it does take time.
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 02:10 PM »
once again to "theLiberal"...this thread is about " FBISD Tax Burden"....why are you trying to divert it?
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 01:46 PM »
"theLiberal" cannot help himself....."He is correct about one thing though, I will continue to vote for true conservatives first"...as in Rep Olivo and Rep Lampson?......how conservative would rate them on a scale of 1 thru 10? These are your candates right?....

an example of the conservative Lampson
« MaryMcClure wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 01:13 PM »
Re my 8:33 pm post and posts below...no answer yet. Comments are not posted immediately to my site as I moderate www.FortBendThinker.us, yet try to check my mail daily and often sporadically throughout each day.

I do hope for a response from Olivo or her campaign soon as I would like to start contacting candidates in other races. The way my site is set up...it pushes the latest items down off the first page with the more I add and I want to give Host and Olivo time on my first page before contacting other candidates in other races.
« ragingbull wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 09:48 AM »
"theLiberal" wrote: "Too bad your neocon (faux conservatives) hero didn't stand up for us during the bond election in Nov."....your favorite candidate and rep is Rep Olivo...can you enlighten us on whether she stood up for us during the bond election in Nov.?....or are you again intent on just bashing Charlie Howard and diverting the thread? "....more of JohnBernardBooks (aka wadefishin, etc...) wordsmithing as a hired neocon crony-boy hack

Wrong once again JBB. If Howard hadn't pushed the RECORD bond with the edc boys in Nov. we wouldn't be facing this increase. Why would the dem candidate (Olivo) speak for and against the bond/tax increase if she supported the bond increase. Wouldn't that be hypocritical? BTW, I didn't see her or Host (R) on the elite dev. backed bond PAC or in the local papers pushing the RECORD bond. Perhaps if you were not engaging in propaganda and honestly discussing these issues or perhaps if you attended the meetings you would know why the papers/media pointed out that Howard appears to be on both sides of this tax debate...but neocons (which exist in both parties) deliberately engage in this type of chicanery and are not bonafide conservatives...

PS Jim (aka "JBB", our village idito) continues to attack through lie and deception and reaffirms my assertions as to his origin. If you stay around long enough Kyle you will witness his very redundant patter with most posters in these threads. Again everyone that doesn't agree with the "VI" is a "dirty liberal".

He is correct about one thing though, I will continue to vote for true conservatives first (not fascist) and encourage others to do the same. When there is no other choice and only a neocon candidate, I will become an outspoken under-vote! In other words I will never again make the mistake of voting for elite corporatist (anti-constitutionalist neocons). Follow the money folks!!!
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Saturday, Aug 30 at 07:25 AM »
Kyle I'm not sure the reason for your post...the thread is about FBISD raising taxes....You may or may not have noticed the article points out how Rep Charlie Howard stood up for the taxpayer.....does that bother you?

I know folks outing a liberal can be painful to watch...especially when they pretend to be a repub.

"theLiberal" wrote: "Too bad your neocon (faux conservatives) hero didn't stand up for us during the bond election in Nov."....your favorite candidate and rep is Rep Olivo...can you enlighten us on whether she stood up for us during the bond election in Nov.?....or are you again intent on just bashing Charlie Howard and diverting the thread?

I applaud Charlie for standing up to the BOT, who rolled over for the educrats/unions who gave us a loaded up budget. as Charlie pointed out with an average increase of about 7% in appraisals there was little if any reason for an increase in taxes. Instead we got 2cents.

Educrats are going to have to accept "competition" or "vouchers" which will put the emphasis back on edu.

and unions like anth'ny's are going to have to understand we need merit increases for teachers....not blanket raises where the best teachers are punished and poor teachers are rewarded.



« KyleStanley wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 08:54 PM »
This is really starting to get insane! We're talking about an article that affects the children of Fort Bend ISD, their teachers, and their futures. And yet, we're turning this into a neo-partisan Toughman Contest.

On one side, you have some launching baseless attacks and incorrectly calling certain people Democrats when in reality they are not necessarily from the Donkey Brigade; some are fiscally conservative Republicans who are sick and tired of their values being passed over in favor of what the Religious Right, the NeoCons, or the big-government conservatives (i.e. Governor Good Hair with his Trans-Texas Corridor) push. The Real Republicans are prepared to start fighting back. Don't believe me? Look at what happened in Congress. We got rid of those who squandered the party's "stay out of my wallet and my bedroom" tradition.

On the other side, you have ordinary Fort Bend citizens who are trying to be truthful about their comments even if they have to deal with the divisive tactics and impatient attitudes of some people. Now, being a Republican myself, I absolutely do NOT like the fact that there is a budget DEFICIT, and I do NOT like the prospect of increased taxes. The reality is, we have to do all we can to give our kids a bright future with a world-class education while ensuring we can do that in a reasonably balanced manner. After all, I emphatically agree with Howard that his job (and the Board's) is very difficult.

Just resorting to character assassination does not solve anything. Instead, it puts us in a deep black hole. But I can guarantee you that once the budget is available for all to see, it will get reviewed for the sake of scrutiny because there will be pork in the budget, and it will wind up being left up to people like myself to check for pork and cut it out, thereby holding the Board accountable.

Washington is broken. Austin is broken. Fort Bend is broken.

In other words, am I the only real Republican left?
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 08:33 PM »
...and my posts below re www.FortBendThinker.us were in answer to JBB's 6:33 pm inquiry.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 08:14 PM »
...and re my: "I have received replies from candidates and their campaigns in school board races, mayoral races, and in the Congressional District 22 primary race." posted below, I must add I have also received a response from Olivo's opponent's campaign (Steve Host's).
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 08:05 PM »
Excuse the "afterall" typo and any others...it should be "after all".
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 07:54 PM »
No answer yet from Olivo for my site, www.FortBendThinker.us...but I never hold a non-response from any candidate against them. E-mails may not get through, messages may not be relayed, or perhaps some candidates are hesitant to respond to a site run by someone they don't know, or they may simply be deluged with requests or too busy...and afterall, I'm no journalist or major media outlet. I'm your "average Jane voter" who is simply volunteering voting info to voters and free space to politicians who want to get their word out.

Also, I believe my site is helpful for novice voters or people who may be unaware of who is even running or who is running against who.

I e-mailed her site again and called a number on her site and left a message on her answering machine today....yet again, if anyone else wants to point it out to her, that would be great.

I know it seems simplistic to ask candidates to respond when I mostly just get campaign site links in reply...and obviously, anyone can do an Internet search on a candidate, but I like to offer candidates the opportunity to write more if they would like to. Also, I don't comment on candidates' submissions to my site, so no candidates need worry about bias. I also don't publish any unkind comments/personal attacks from any viewers in response to candidates' submissions, so they need not worry about that either. In fact, I publish no unkind comments/personal attacks under any of my topics. Sometimes other campaigns attack other campaigns in their general campaign statements and I wish they did not...but that is how they run their campaigns.

I have received replies from candidates and their campaigns in school board races, mayoral races, and in the Congressional District 22 primary race.

I do sometimes indicate whom I support in races, yet will still not comment on their comments or on an opponent's submission on my site. ...and if any candidate would be offended because of my support of an opponent and would not reply simply because of this...I think that says something also. Afterall, people can change their minds before they actually vote.

...and sometimes I think if a candidate and/or their campaign is willing to respond to a nobody's site such as mine...it may be indicative of their outreach to the general populace at large.

I don't run my site to influence votes...people can decide that for themselves.

« ragingbull wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 07:47 PM »
Too bad your neocon (faux conservatives) hero didn't stand up for us during the bond election in Nov. as reported and took his direction from the edc boys as normal, which is the reason for this tax increase. So how did he stand-up for us AH?

-Thank you for confirming my earlier assertions about you in my 8/28 8:00p, 4:24 and 9:51 posts. You really can't read and don't know a true constitutional conservative from your butt (speaking of that)....

"His mind is so open - so open that ideas simply pass right through it."

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 06:33 PM »
nope merely pointed out you were a lib....wear the title well you've earned it.

Thanks again to Charlie for standing up for the taxpayer.....still no answer from Rep Olivo?

I think we all know where libs stand on taxes...
« ragingbull wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 04:24 PM »
Let me see “JBB”, so what you are saying is that everyone who does not agree with you is a “dirty liberal”, whether they are or not, and that Mr. Howard isn’t contradicting himself and that the multiple media sources, the school board, official minutes of the meeting and especially the board president, those in attendance (because you weren’t a direct witness) and this article are all wrong (or liars as you put it). So you claim the tax increase to service the bond debt, as per the reports, minutes and direct eyewitnesses, etc., is incorrect and that it’s about some “evil” liberal conspiracy to make your hero look bad…….it couldn’t possibly be that he was grand standing? Or that you are involved in your usual propaganda war for the neocon political machine that runs this county?

-Ok, just ignore the facts and believe what you want.

"Brains aren't everything. In fact in your case they're nothing"

PS If you want me to piece it all together for you again NEOCON (faux conservative/ie. public deceivers), just let me know…When will you accept the fact that elite corporatism/fascism is NOT conservative and that monopolies and government sponsored corporate welfare directed to companies involved in the "pay to play" pol. system is anything but open or democratic (in the broader political sense)....

-Keep pointing that finger, but eventually it will come home to roost...

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 12:37 PM »
oic you're not a dem...you're a liberal...who lies..ie "the liberal" wrote: "Howard is running for the senate"

why are you bring up MC? This is about the FBISD Tax increase.....why are you trying to divert this thread?

Once again did your DEM Rep support the bond?

and did your DEM Rep show up like Charlie did...and hold the BOT accountable.....

let me know when you have answers....lib

Mary I already know Steve's answer....and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Rep Olivo to respond.....
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 10:46 AM »
Re Olivo who will be running against Host. I do have a response from Host's campaign on www.FortBendThinker.us. I have attempted to contact Olivo via her site, but am awaiting a response. If anyone else would like to point her out to my site to respond, that would be great!

***********************************************

I reposted my 9:24 post below above not to annoy, but for those who don't scroll down or read older articles. Also, I will try to contact Olivo again today, but appreciate any help.
« ragingbull wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 09:51 AM »
"JBB" you are correct, that is a mistake on my post (I should have said supporting the hand picked neo candidate, right?)

...now instead of cherry picking, why not respond to the substance of the piece? Not subversive enough for you neocon??? Just in case you didn't know already, I'm not a Dem (or dirty dem as you like to put it). I suggest you actually reread it this time for the news articles that directly refute your earlier LIEs regarding those in attendance at the meeting and their positions (which you were not in attendance) that opposed the tax increase (and some of them also the RECORD bond in November which Charlie fully supported via the developer PAC). Now for your hypocrisy, why are you supporting a tax increase again in Missouri City (for the new bond fro more of the project 20 million on your neighborhood golf course), while opposing the increase for the district (because you have no kids)....and NO Jim (jbb/wadefishin/triumph110/unhappy/viceLT/anonymous/etc...) vouchers won't end the unions or solve all the problems. It may bring more choice to the schools, which I think is good, but it will also bring its own issues. I have no problem either with charter schools because I believe all schooling is public (period)...associations/unions don't disappear in the private sector either.

Here it is again corrected. Stop ignoring the medias coverage of the meeting AH. It refutes your earlier lies and you can get the minutes online if you ever really do support your misinformation spin:

Howards involvement in the debt and the need for covering that RECORD bond is included in the media below. Yes, it would be nice to get more of the money back from the state (as "JBB" continues to misrepresent since the state sets a rate limit and gets the excess based on the appraisals, not the district), but a more reasonable bond may have kept us from a first ever deficit for FBISD and we are also not reading much about the surplus (fund balance, nearly 100 million). I noticed the self professed propaganda meister spinning his usual empty retort. If he HAD witnessed the meeting, as many of us, first hand, he would know that NO one spoke in favor of the tax increase, NO ONE (but of course that doesn't matter in his world... the closet). He is one of those lever pulling neocon idiots that doesn't care what the real issues are. So he just makes them up as he goes. Don't worry, if he isn't happy with what you are telling people, he will make up a quote about you in his usual "disinformation" campaign for the neocons and call you a dirty liberal, as he continues to do (see his 9:19 post as proof)

-see his background locally at the bottom of this post...

.........................

Remember this piece from last year when they were all pushing this RECORD bond debt (including Howard):

FBISD Bond Vote, Heavily Supported By Development Community, May Be Close

by Bob Dunn, Nov 05, 2007, 12 50 PM

Polling commissioned by supporters of Fort Bend Independent School District’s $428 million bond referendum shows about 57% of eligible voters would vote for it in today’s election, although the poll carries a margin for error that could make the election very close.

Andre McDonald, whose psephological consulting firm, WNW, did the polling, said earlier numbers gave the school bond issue just a 51% voter approval rating. By last weekend, following a series of newspaper ads, the approval rating rose to 57%, with a 5% margin for error, he said.

Money for the polling and the advertising came in the form of a total of $79,700 in contributions, largely from the development community, to a newly formed single-issue political action committee called “Excellence in Education for Everyone Committee.” Claude Leatherman, treasury vice president for the Fort Bend Education Foundation, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer.

At the top of the list of contributors donating money since Sept. 25 is Houston home builder Bob Perry, who gave $10,000 to the PAC, according to the committee’s financial reports.

Among business donors who contributed $5,000 to the PAC was Aliana Development Co., Bay Architects, PBK Architects, SHW Group architects, NNP Telfair LP and Southern Land Co.

Sienna/Johnson Development, Sugar Land Ranch Development, Hulft Zollars of Dallas and the Linebarger Goggan law firm each gave $2,500. And a host of businesses, mostly architects, engineering consultants and law firms, contributed $500 or $1,000 apiece.

Other individuals who contributed to the bond issue support PAC included Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Timothy Jenney, Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council President Jeff Wiley, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, Sugar Land City Councilman Michael Schiff and long-time educator and former FBISD board trustee Rita Drabek, according to finance reports.

A virtual whose who of our edc boys. Ck this out too:

While proponents of the bond issue are well-organized and well-funded, opposition to the referendum is loosely organized and much less visible. An opposition group is publishing a web site called FBISDWatchDogs, which says the group “here to serve the public and to keep them informed on how their tax dollars are being spent in the local school system.”

The bond issue support PAC spent $29,480 with Pamela Printing, $14,000 for polling and other services from WNW, and more than $8,800 on newspaper ads from the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend Star and Fort Bend Sun.

At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!”

Our "VI" apparently missed this local coverage too in his 5:38 retort:

"Howard was interrupted by trustee Bob Broxson twice, each time he was in the middle of a sentence. The first time, Broxson warned Howard about 30 seconds left to wrap up (standard practice of Broxson as the board secretary and public comment session's time-keeper). I'm not sure if Howard didn't hear him clearly or he was just flat-out annoyed by the interruption, but he asked Broxson to repeat a couple of times. Then after 30 seconds, Broxson told him his time was up. (Click here to hear Howard's complete comment.)

The public hearing also drew a couple of residents who told school officials they were not happy campers with the tax rate hike.

Among his comments, Chris Calvin also questioned the scheduling of the public hearing for 5 p.m. when most people are just getting off work from Houston and dealing with peak-hour traffic. The other speaker, Carlos Cain, was so angry that he didn't use up his full three minutes before he abandoned the microphone saying "I don't need your 30 seconds. Do not raise my tax!" (Click here to hear Cain's complete comment.)

The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

and from the FBSun

"Board members listened to several other comments from the public on the proposed budget, including

former school board candidate and Fresno resident Rodrigo Carreon.

“Some of our staff here have been working 23 years and never got a raise,” said Carreon.

Carreon questioned why funds from the district were going to the state.

The Fresno resident recommended the district look at alternative fuels such as natural gas versus diesel to save on fuel expenses.

A member of the Fort Bend Employee Federation encouraged the board to improve pay increases for classified employees and teachers above TASB recommendations.

“Equity adjustments and pay increases won’t lift our employees above the poverty level,” said the federation member, echoing a sentiment shared by an earlier speaker.

Richmond resident, Chris Calvin, said he would like to see the board take a closer look at the fund balance.

“Why with all of this money can’t we balance the budget without a tax increase this year,” said Calvin, citing open record information showing the district with a $93.8 million fund balance.

Fort Bend resident Carlos Kane told board members that he did not want to see his property taxes go up.

He expressed strong opposition to board members for proposing the .02 cent tax increase and encouraged board members to remedy the budget deficit through monies in the fund balance rather than by increasing taxes on homeowners.

“I have no objection to teacher’s getting their raises, they should have gotten them a long time ago,” said Kane.

“What I have an objection to is the $100 million dollars that you all had stashed in a trust fund,” said Kane"

...which seems to refute our resident neocon pol. troll (how's that for a nick?)-

"JBB" is a paid pol hack for the network and only supports them. We've followed his empty rhetoric for over 24 months. He used to post as wadefishin...

His background:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul, Teague, Stansell, Campbell, McDougal, Tunstall, Dostal, Hilton, and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

PS "JBB" - Let me know if you can't read any of this or need to have a hired reader do it out loud for you...

Anyone else, you can ck your favorite candidates campaign disclosure statements, click here... or the TEC site for the state and county statements (for city go to those entities)....you will see a veritable whose who of our local large dev. corporations.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 09:24 AM »
Re Olivo who will be running against Host. I do have a response from Host's campaign on www.FortBendThinker.us. I have attempted to contact Olivo via her site, but am awaiting a response. If anyone else would like to point her out to my site to respond, that would be great!
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 09:19 AM »
just as I thought...another lie.

June 30th is the filing date for SD-17 candidates are Furse, Harpold and Huffman.....

the lib wants us to believe Howard is running for senate...incredulous!!!!

so lib did you forget to answer the questions....was your handpicked candidate Olivo for the bond? did she support the tax increase?

as usual no answers....but another lie...and a personal attack.....

hey lib did you turn anyone else into the FBI?

« ragingbull wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 08:33 AM »
GR,

Howard is running for the senate and this posts clarifies his involvement in the debt and the need for covering that RECORD bond. Yes, it would be nice to get more of the money back from the state (as "JBB" continues to misrepresent since the state sets a rate limit and gets the excess based on the appraisals, not the district), but a more reasonable bond may have kept us from a first ever deficit for FBISD and we are also not reading much about the surplus (fund balance, nearly 100 million). I noticed the self professed propaganda meister spinning his usual empty retort. If he HAD witnessed the meeting, as many of us, first hand, he would know that NO one spoke in favor of the tax increase, NO ONE (but of course that doesn't matter in his world... the closet). He is one of those lever pulling neocon idiots that doesn't care what the real issues are. So he just makes them up as he goes. Don't worry, if he isn't happy with what you are telling people, he will make up a quote about you in his usual "disinformation" campaign for the neocons and call you a dirty liberal (see his background locally at the bottom of this post)...

.........................

Remember this piece from last year when they were all pushing this RECORD bond debt (including Howard):

FBISD Bond Vote, Heavily Supported By Development Community, May Be Close

by Bob Dunn, Nov 05, 2007, 12 50 PM

Polling commissioned by supporters of Fort Bend Independent School District’s $428 million bond referendum shows about 57% of eligible voters would vote for it in today’s election, although the poll carries a margin for error that could make the election very close.

Andre McDonald, whose psephological consulting firm, WNW, did the polling, said earlier numbers gave the school bond issue just a 51% voter approval rating. By last weekend, following a series of newspaper ads, the approval rating rose to 57%, with a 5% margin for error, he said.

Money for the polling and the advertising came in the form of a total of $79,700 in contributions, largely from the development community, to a newly formed single-issue political action committee called “Excellence in Education for Everyone Committee.” Claude Leatherman, treasury vice president for the Fort Bend Education Foundation, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer.

At the top of the list of contributors donating money since Sept. 25 is Houston home builder Bob Perry, who gave $10,000 to the PAC, according to the committee’s financial reports.

Among business donors who contributed $5,000 to the PAC was Aliana Development Co., Bay Architects, PBK Architects, SHW Group architects, NNP Telfair LP and Southern Land Co.

Sienna/Johnson Development, Sugar Land Ranch Development, Hulft Zollars of Dallas and the Linebarger Goggan law firm each gave $2,500. And a host of businesses, mostly architects, engineering consultants and law firms, contributed $500 or $1,000 apiece.

Other individuals who contributed to the bond issue support PAC included Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Timothy Jenney, Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council President Jeff Wiley, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, Sugar Land City Councilman Michael Schiff and long-time educator and former FBISD board trustee Rita Drabek, according to finance reports.

A virtual whose who of our edc boys. Ck this out too:

While proponents of the bond issue are well-organized and well-funded, opposition to the referendum is loosely organized and much less visible. An opposition group is publishing a web site called FBISDWatchDogs, which says the group “here to serve the public and to keep them informed on how their tax dollars are being spent in the local school system.”

The bond issue support PAC spent $29,480 with Pamela Printing, $14,000 for polling and other services from WNW, and more than $8,800 on newspaper ads from the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend Star and Fort Bend Sun.

At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!”

Our "VI" apparently missed this local coverage too in his 5:38 retort:

"Howard was interrupted by trustee Bob Broxson twice, each time he was in the middle of a sentence. The first time, Broxson warned Howard about 30 seconds left to wrap up (standard practice of Broxson as the board secretary and public comment session's time-keeper). I'm not sure if Howard didn't hear him clearly or he was just flat-out annoyed by the interruption, but he asked Broxson to repeat a couple of times. Then after 30 seconds, Broxson told him his time was up. (Click here to hear Howard's complete comment.)

The public hearing also drew a couple of residents who told school officials they were not happy campers with the tax rate hike.

Among his comments, Chris Calvin also questioned the scheduling of the public hearing for 5 p.m. when most people are just getting off work from Houston and dealing with peak-hour traffic. The other speaker, Carlos Cain, was so angry that he didn't use up his full three minutes before he abandoned the microphone saying "I don't need your 30 seconds. Do not raise my tax!" (Click here to hear Cain's complete comment.)

The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

and from the FBSun

"Board members listened to several other comments from the public on the proposed budget, including

former school board candidate and Fresno resident Rodrigo Carreon.

“Some of our staff here have been working 23 years and never got a raise,” said Carreon.

Carreon questioned why funds from the district were going to the state.

The Fresno resident recommended the district look at alternative fuels such as natural gas versus diesel to save on fuel expenses.

A member of the Fort Bend Employee Federation encouraged the board to improve pay increases for classified employees and teachers above TASB recommendations.

“Equity adjustments and pay increases won’t lift our employees above the poverty level,” said the federation member, echoing a sentiment shared by an earlier speaker.

Richmond resident, Chris Calvin, said he would like to see the board take a closer look at the fund balance.

“Why with all of this money can’t we balance the budget without a tax increase this year,” said Calvin, citing open record information showing the district with a $93.8 million fund balance.

Fort Bend resident Carlos Kane told board members that he did not want to see his property taxes go up.

He expressed strong opposition to board members for proposing the .02 cent tax increase and encouraged board members to remedy the budget deficit through monies in the fund balance rather than by increasing taxes on homeowners.

“I have no objection to teacher’s getting their raises, they should have gotten them a long time ago,” said Kane.

“What I have an objection to is the $100 million dollars that you all had stashed in a trust fund,” said Kane"

...which seems to refute our resident neocon pol. troll (how's that for a nick?)-

"JBB" is a paid pol hack for the network and only supports them. We've followed his empty rhetoric for over 24 months. He used to post as wadefishin...

His background:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul, Teague, Stansell, Campbell, McDougal, Tunstall, Dostal, Hilton, and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

PS GR - I often tell our toady "Don't let you mind wander - it's far too small to be let out on its own" . . . but he won't listen. He's the worst enemy of the neos he supports, but hasn't figured it out yet....
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 05:38 AM »
no liberal as usual you hide with no statement only sttacks...

You attack Charlie for supporting the bond....what about Olivo you're rep....I'll bet she was FOR the bond.

You castigate Charlie for holding the educrats/Union accountable....but what about the dem rep Olivo was she even there, was she for the tax increase.....any idea lib?....you said you voted for her...lib.

You've been exposed repeatedly....you lie whenever confronted, you hide behind pusedo, you hide when you lose, you change pusedos then lie about it.....once again whats your stance? Whats your fav dem's stance?

Should the educrats/Union be held accountable for this tax increase.....they got their bond....thanks to the teacher's vote.....they got 7% increase through appraisals....and they have 5% growth.....and they still loaded up the budget....when is it ever enough for the liberals/educrats like you....10% addition taxes for 5% growth...typical educrats...and the BOT rolled over.

Funny you didn't have an issue at the meeting with the tax....only the time it started.

Can you discuss the article...its about taxes not about the bond,it passed mostly with teacher votes...as they all do... thats crying over spilled milk....has a liberal/educrat ever heard of cuts...ever? the only way to get through to the educrats/unions is vouchers and charter schools.....competion........watch the liberal whine about competition. Its all about subsidies with libs becuause they hate competition and being held accountable.

you've been exposed...you post under so many pusedos, you attack, you threaten people with lawsuits....the FBI...you're nothing but a loser liberal.....now obfuscate, attack and avoid the issue....as usual....

and don't try to hide behind other posters...I'm calling you out lib.....hahaha

« KyleStanley wrote on Friday, Aug 29 at 04:40 AM »
Quite frankly, it is a classic battle between the veteran conservative that fights for the taxpayer and the school board that wants to do more for the children.

Of course, while the two sides do have difficult jobs to fulfill within their jurisdictions, I am with the BOT on this one...not only is keeping restraint on taxes and spending important, but a sound education system is also very critical.
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:51 PM »
GR, HU+,

Don’t you love how the “VI” redneck wordsmiths in his most recent and lengthiest foray in nearly 2 years (unsuccessfully venturing our beyond his one-liners). Still pretending to know the difference between classic paleo-conservatives and neocons (faux conservatives

, his claim to fame). Watching the paid political hack make one unsupported statement after the next. I’ve even seen him create quotes for posters that don’t exist. Nothing new for the
>servile toady

.

He clings to the lie that the debt service from the RECORD bond has nothing to do with the tax increase and pretends that the local good ole boys would ever support the cap behind the scenes. It’s really very funny catching so many local faux conservatives pointing the finger in the other direction. “JBB” et. al. likes to point it at the teachers and if you disagree with him you are a “thug” union boy, while the real culprit is the not so hidden surplus (fund balance and the RECORD bond debt from Nov that Howard supported). But we must smokescreen the public and make sure they are following the wrong house of cards or should I say shell.

It’s amazing how clear it all becomes if you just accept that the facts are in the documents (disclosure statements). Go to the FEC and TEC to check on Howards contributors and cross reference them with the RECORD bond PAC, which most local papers seemed to confirm, but our “VI” somehow knows better than all those other sources. Then, if he can’t continue the subterfuge, he attacks whomever brings attention to these issues and defames them from the slimy dark corners of the blog-sphere. He then wants us to believe that some of our local neocon (faux conservative) government officials are not opposed to a CAD cap and that we do not have a lobbyist we ironically pay for to make sure Mr. Patrick’s (R) bill is defeated. Yes, deception is in the air full swing at election time.

Further, our “VI” has the nerve to attack without having even attended these meetings. He is quoting from second, even third hand sources, when he isn’t making it up. I guess that is nothing to be surprised about, after-all that is what is expected of him. Sure wish he could read and comprehend the facts, but apparently that is asking too much of our
>flunky

. Everyone that doesn’t agree with him is a dirty democrat or liberal, all while not understanding that even many conservatives are now rejecting his neoC politics. No, someone needs to tell him, that neocons do not support free markets, but elite monopolies. They are anything but Friedman purest, although they spout off as if to beat the small business owners and taxpayers into submission, while the elite corporate monopolies dominate our bonds, tax dollars through the “pay to play” system of campaign donations (who ever pays the most gets the best access and delivery for the dollar). Think about it next time you hear a neocon defending an abatement to remodel a building for a very large national chain company deep in the back pockets of some of our local politicians. Do small to medium size businesses get this help? Of course not, but you will never see a faux conservative/elite corporatist walk away from such a deal and kick us with the sales pitch. Yes they can use Friedman’s “free markets” to defend their elite monopolies, at least until people speak up who have really read Milty.

I wonder what it is about this statement based on the facts that get by our “VI”?

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

-Well “JBB” et al. so, a thought crossed your mind? Must have been a long and lonely journey. . . . =- }

PS "JBB", see you when you clock in tomorrow. Make sure to get all the spots on your driveway this time (I hope you are getting compensated enough)...

« getreal55 wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:17 PM »
John you are clueless just about on everything...you are a loser in every aspect
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 09:15 PM »
here's my view lib.."The bond election and the tax increase are two seperate issues. What Charlie was very clear about was 1. The bond issue passed and 2. The Admin/BOT loaded up the budget. The high appraisals in themselves should have been enough to fund this budget w/o a tax increase. If not then responsible cuts should have been made.

Bottom line the Educrats/Union loaded up the budget and the BOT rolled over. Spin it anyway you want....but Charlie was right.

The next step is for Charlie to do his job and cap appraisals now."

what's yours lib?

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 08:48 PM »
so tell us raginBS/crazyChris/"theNut" what do you stand for...apparently what upset you was two things one Charlie spoke and the 5pm time...I'm not sure why thats an issue to you. If parents had deemed the meeting important they would have taken time off.

so Charlie supported the bond issue...what does that have to do with the tax increase. As previously stated two seperated issues.

So far you haven't taken a stance on anything you only point fingers and ridicule...and support the union.

Thats what a liberal does....no solutions only critism. You're not a classic liberal(your words) you're the neolib/socialist/marxist.....

so tell us lib...what do you stand for....you said you support Olivo and Lampson....both very liberal....yet you lie and say you used to be a repub....

see how confusing your lies are....

all you have stood for is I hate MC...I hate FBISD....I hate Ft Bend Cty.....sounds like you stand for nothing.....and aren't nothing but a pathetic finger pointing lib.

After the MC elections you hid for two weeks then came back under a new psuedo....so typical lib.....a cutNrun coward.

so enlighten us....what does raginBS stand for?....if anything....
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 08:37 PM »
"lightening" GRrr you now have a new name "that is the main reason why I do not mind lightening into you,"...omg let me guess public edu?
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 08:00 PM »
It's ok GR, often our "village idiot" confuses national socialism (corporatism/fascism/neocons) with classic constitutional or paleo-conservatives (he thinks Hitler was a visionary not a tyrant). His only one liner come-backs for anyone regardless of party, beliefs or anything not in the local neo political machine, is they must be liberals. He has driven many out of the party as was evident with the '06 local elections. He even mistakenly defines classic liberalism as some form of communism or socialism. He reduces ever thread he participates in to a crap throwing contest because of his limited intellect (probably due to his severe reading disorder). Maybe he will figure it out when he learns to read someday, NA.....that's why he hates teachers so much, he never paid attention in class and ended up an empty headed redneck sitting in the corner with a dunce cap on all day. That's why he grew-up into a hired bully crony-boy neocon toadie serving the special interests and often contradicting himself to divert these threads. He wouldn't admit the TRUTH if it bit him or the other cronies on the butt (he does what he is told, he is a disgrace to the memory of Mr. Wayne and his mom & dad)...... =- ]

Notice how he ignores the press that caught one of his associates playing the public deception game:

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

PS GR-

"He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."
- Groucho Marx

« getreal55 wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 07:38 PM »
John it amazes me that everything that you just described about another poster truly mirrors you.

You are one egotistical SOB, that is the main reason why I do not mind lightening into you, otherwise I am a pretty nice person that is well liked by most.

Barack Obama 08.....It feels sooooo good....
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 07:25 PM »
some wonder why I give raginBS such a hard time the answer is simple. raginBS/crazyChris/mudslinger is a liberal.....plain and simple.

He first started posting by saying he was an ex-repub who had left the party....the first sign of a liberal....but when I pinned him down he denied being in any party.

Then we caught him posting under many pusedos...

then we caught him in many lies....

Where do you stand on this issue....you say you're against the bond.....and you don't support the admin...or BOT....but you support the union.

yep just another name calling liberal
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 04:30 PM »
HU,

I don't mean this to insult you or anything, but our "VI" crony-boy thinks I was talking to him. Please don't take it wrong, I know that no one wants to be compared to our "idiot" hired pol. crony-troll. He can't figure out when someone is talking about him, rather than to him. Oh well, maybe he will get back to that driveway soon and finish his work for the day. Retirement and service on one of those special interest taxing zones he was appointed to for the network must be grueling once a month....
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 03:48 PM »
my official policy is I IgNoRe TRolls....

I'm gonna report you!!!!!
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 03:44 PM »
HU,

Why is it our spamming/troll (village idiot) can't refute the local media reports?

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

« heads-up wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 03:32 PM »
State capp is ten percent limit, but that cap isn't worn by FBCAD appraisal board.
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 02:39 PM »
Maybe if "JBB et. al." had attended the meeting and witnessed what went on he could provide intelligent comment here

troll IGNORE

« concernedparent wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 01:35 PM »
I wonder if this means we will see more budget deficits with FBISD next year too?
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 12:57 PM »
"The high appraisals in themselves should have been enough to fund this budget w/o a tax increase." -This is completely false since the state gets the amount above the set rate, not the district. Try again crony-boy...

Maybe if "JBB et. al." had attended the meeting and witnessed what went on he could provide intelligent comment here.
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 12:53 PM »
DK, Howard stood up to no one. He is running for the senate and this posts clarifies his involvement in the debt and the need for covering that RECORD bond. Yes it would be nice to get more of the money back from the state, but a more reasonable bond may have kept us from a first ever deficit for FBISD and we are also not reading much about the surplus (fund balance).

.........................

Remember this piece from last year when they were all pushing this RECORD bond debt (including Howard):

FBISD Bond Vote, Heavily Supported By Development Community, May Be Close

by Bob Dunn, Nov 05, 2007, 12 50 PM

Polling commissioned by supporters of Fort Bend Independent School District’s $428 million bond referendum shows about 57% of eligible voters would vote for it in today’s election, although the poll carries a margin for error that could make the election very close.

Andre McDonald, whose psephological consulting firm, WNW, did the polling, said earlier numbers gave the school bond issue just a 51% voter approval rating. By last weekend, following a series of newspaper ads, the approval rating rose to 57%, with a 5% margin for error, he said.

Money for the polling and the advertising came in the form of a total of $79,700 in contributions, largely from the development community, to a newly formed single-issue political action committee called “Excellence in Education for Everyone Committee.” Claude Leatherman, treasury vice president for the Fort Bend Education Foundation, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer.

At the top of the list of contributors donating money since Sept. 25 is Houston home builder Bob Perry, who gave $10,000 to the PAC, according to the committee’s financial reports.

Among business donors who contributed $5,000 to the PAC was Aliana Development Co., Bay Architects, PBK Architects, SHW Group architects, NNP Telfair LP and Southern Land Co.

Sienna/Johnson Development, Sugar Land Ranch Development, Hulft Zollars of Dallas and the Linebarger Goggan law firm each gave $2,500. And a host of businesses, mostly architects, engineering consultants and law firms, contributed $500 or $1,000 apiece.

Other individuals who contributed to the bond issue support PAC included Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Timothy Jenney, Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council President Jeff Wiley, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, Sugar Land City Councilman Michael Schiff and long-time educator and former FBISD board trustee Rita Drabek, according to finance reports.

A virtual whose who of our edc boys. Ck this out too:

While proponents of the bond issue are well-organized and well-funded, opposition to the referendum is loosely organized and much less visible. An opposition group is publishing a web site called FBISDWatchDogs, which says the group “here to serve the public and to keep them informed on how their tax dollars are being spent in the local school system.”

The bond issue support PAC spent $29,480 with Pamela Printing, $14,000 for polling and other services from WNW, and more than $8,800 on newspaper ads from the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend Star and Fort Bend Sun.

At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!”

"JBB" is a paid pol hack for the network and only supports them. We've followed his empty rhetoric for over 24 months. He used to post as wadefishin...
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 12:27 PM »
DK wrote: " It is readily apparent that he has no clear understanding of the funding problems that exist in the public education arena. He does not understand how the funds flow"

actually DK the video is posted right here...and it does look like Charlie does know what he's talking about.

seems like Charlie struck a nerve with educrats/Union/BOT...thanks Charlie for standing up for the taxpayers.
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 12:05 PM »
DK wrote: "JBB says that Charlie Howard was holding the school board accountable. Yet, where is his accountability?"....DK you're a voter correct?....then he's accountable to you. Hopefully you remember he was in a primary in March...and a general in Nov.

The bond election and the tax increase are two seperate issues. What Charlie was very clear about was 1. The bond issue passed and 2. The Admin/BOT loaded up the budget. The high appraisals in themselves should have been enough to fund this budget w/o a tax increase. If not then responsible cuts should have been made.

Bottom line the Educrats/Union loaded up the budget and the BOT rolled over. Spin it anyway you want....but Charlie was right.

The next step is for Charlie to do his job and cap appraisals now.
« concernedparent wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 11:24 AM »
Thank you DK because this helps a bit. It would also be very nice if the representatives from our area would support the limits on our appraisals.
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:43 AM »
"Unfortunately, increasing values do not truly benefit any school district."

Very true, because the state captures the excess over the state approved amount. CAD caps are needed. Ask Howard why he has not pushed the caps and ask Hebert (R), our chief county judge, why we have a county lobbyist who fights the caps (even Allen Owen has come out in media against the caps). Quite a network if you remember these were the boys pushing for "higher property valuations" as a reason for the last RECORD bond.

This is our edc at work and I might add we pay them $300k a year from the county, our taxes, for these services. When will the politicians stop the deception game???
« LHS_Graduate wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:38 AM »
I "second" that emotion! It seems to measure-up with my projected tax rates of the past. The year 2007, for example indicated a debt service tax rate of $0.244.

Unfortunately, increasing values do not truly benefit any school district.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:20 AM »
concernedparent,

Maybe DK is right about the 2 cents per $100, but if you want to double check, you could also go to:

http://www.fbcad.org/Appraisal/PublicAccess/

or go to the FBISD site (which is accessible under "County Education"--dark grey box on the left on my site, www.FortBendthinker.us. When you are at the FBISD site home page, look to the left for "Board of Trustees"...maybe you could contact one/some of them also.
« DK wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 10:09 AM »
The comments on this thread are beyond comprehension. Go to the FBISD website and listen to what Charlie Howard actually said to the BOT. It is readily apparent that he has no clear understanding of the funding problems that exist in the public education arena. He does not understand how the funds flow. The state legislature, in their wisdom, said they were going to bring tax relief to property owners and unilaterally lowered school taxes. However, there was no real relief seen because the CAD had no restrictions placed on them to continue to increase property values. Add to this the fact that the school districts only get to keep a portion of the "new revenues" from higher assessed values and the budget problems appear very quickly. JBB says that Charlie Howard was holding the school board accountable. Yet, where is his accountability? Can't have it both ways here. Take a look at the Houston Chronicle today. You will read that over 200 school districts in Texas are placing Operations and Managment tax increase measures on the ballot for November. That's right, more than 200!!

Concerned Parent - - the impact of the tax increase is 2 cents per $100 of valuation. If you have a $100,000 house that is $20.
« concernedparent wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 09:56 AM »
It would seem quite a bit is going on behind the scenes on much of this. I still would like a response to my question earlier though.
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 08:15 AM »
I'm sorry LHS, Howard has been in office many years and promised many things. He promised to bring term limits and is on both sides of this FIRST ever budget deficit he supported via the RECORD bond increase in Nov. He has done nothing, IMO, to support CAD caps as has Patrick and others. I fully supported Stansell in the last election and will support anyone running against this politician. Pull his campaign disclosures and you will see why.....we need people in office we can trust to do our bidding, not the special interests favors.

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

« LHS_Graduate wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 07:12 AM »
Actually, Charlie will touch upon this hot-topic next session? It's confusing to me. FBISD is not happily alligned with my district in LCISD? Sure, I've sat in on a few BOT meetings, yet I am not puzzled as to why some issues are "tabled" upon further analysis. It appears rationally reasonable to me, so why does it seem to fail without success for FBISD? Is it pro-actively possible to listen to every grievance as if it were your own?
« ragingbull wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 07:06 AM »
Once again out troll speaks, but produces no sound. The taxes were increased to cover the RECORD bond debt. Here is the full piece from those that pushed the bond and then turned around and opposed paying for it.

Our troll doesn't have children in the system and knocks teachers on a regular basis in these threads.

See the TRUTH:

"At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!” FBN (11/5/07)

From the other local paper

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

-Maybe the BOT, who also pushed for the RECORD bond should consider the suggestions made at the public meeting to draw down the surplus (via the fund balance) and institute a balanced budget this year. Of course it is just a little late now.

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Thursday, Aug 28 at 06:26 AM »
lets keep this in perspective...the Union had turned up the heat asking to provide paraprofessionals and classified employees with a 7% raise for the coming year, and 4.5% for teachers....the BOT/Admin caved and gave 3% raises.

We're saying we want a lean budget and the ADMIN/BOT both act irresponsibility....loading the budget with pay raises and extra positions.

You have a choice you can finger point or hold both accountable. Charlie was holding them accountable.
« heads-up wrote on Wednesday, Aug 27 at 06:49 PM »
The same old party Humiliating each other, stae and local officials. These are Non- democrats.

Taxpayers will pickup an pay the price, for failing to get voter to vote for a change.
« concernedparent wrote on Wednesday, Aug 27 at 05:07 PM »
So what's new. Politicians do this sort of thing all the time to grab headlines. Isn't Charlie running for a senate seat? Can someone answer my question about how much this increase will cost the average homeowner per year?
« ragingbull wrote on Wednesday, Aug 27 at 04:26 PM »
I can only suggest that those really concerned about this issue should attend and speak at the public hearings. As was reported in another local paper and discussed on this thread, Mr. Howard supported the RECORD bond/debt on 11/5/07 as conveyed here at this site and via the Chron ad and covered in local news and blogs. Should he condemn the tax increase that is being used to service this debt he supported? If you read it, he is saying he supports HIGHER PROPERTY VALUATIONS, which means higher property appraisals. Doesn't this directly contradict his comments from Monday night? I guess it's a politicians duty to be on ALL sides of an issue, right???:

"At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. “We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!” says a headline at the top of the photo. “Because it protects our property values!” FBN (11/5/07)

From the other local paper

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

-Maybe the BOT, who also pushed for the RECORD bond should consider the suggestions made at the public meeting to draw down the surplus (via the fund balance) and institute a balanced budget this year. Of course it is just a little late now.
« heads-up wrote on Wednesday, Aug 27 at 04:07 PM »
Doen't CAD appraisal limits, define justify value caps or limits? Or cap CAD members behind bars.
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Wednesday, Aug 27 at 03:37 PM »
Charlie, yes property taxes are too high. Seems we only needs to look at Austin and the legislature to find the problem.

Yes the FBISD BOT caved into the unions and saddled us with another increase.

Austin gave us appraisals and Austin can cap them.

Anonymous said...

« ragingbull wrote on Tuesday, Sep 02 at 07:54 AM »
Sorry "annesmith" if you think I'm a dem and that this is some sort of political football to be kicked around before the national election. It is not, nor am I. Did you even bother to attend the RECORD bond public hearing at the end of '07? Did you follow the current property tax budget proposal workshops or attend the last public hearing and speak up? NO you did not. No one at that session supported the tax increase including Anthony (who posts here as Anthony1 and is a association rep./I am not, nor a member as 1 or 2 of you are attempting to spread around). He thought they should have drawn down the surplus too (fund balance, which is almost 20 million dollars over state guides and approaching 100 million of our tax dollars). Again, if you had attended and spoke with these people then you would know much of this and not be operating in the blind as you are. If they had drawn down the surplus as suggested, we would not be operating the first budget deficit ever for FBISD.

Mr. Howard, whom I can only assume you are defending, was on the developers PAC that pushed the RECORD bond that made the increase inevitable. Are you denying these facts??? I might add that there are NO democrats currently serving on the board and we were critical of them too for the increase. What would have been equally hypocritical, IMO, would have been if any other pro-RECORD bond/debt PAC members had run down to the public hearing and done the reversal that Howard did. Or are you saying this reversal by CH is a 'change of heart' and that he would have gladly opposed the RECORD bond/debt (for a more reasonable one with accountability) had he seen this increase and deficit coming???

Does this mean the BOT or admin get off??? No, we were critical and still are of them. Certainly they can find areas to cut, but most importantly they have a massive surplus that COULD have been used to balance it and make the tax increase, at least for this year, non-existent. Naturally, that does not solve the problem long-term, as long as the state is recapturing the "$15 billion surplus" (as mentioned above)....and that is a function of the legislature.

Get more background by clicking here...

« JimmyK52000 wrote on Tuesday, Sep 02 at 04:25 AM »
In 1997 the top National Institutes of Health researchers was brought in FBISD and made a presentation reading research. the district ignored our pleas than and continue today using "balanced literacy" model and Reading Recovery. Considering 1 in 5 students will have a problem why does the district continue using a failed approach?

Balanced Literacy has been the demise of replicated reading research.

Klein: Tacitly admitting failure of reading program he picked in

RIGHT ON READING - NYC SCHOOLS FINALLY GET SMART

New York Post

By DIANE RAVITCH

LAST week, Schools Chancel lor Joel Klein announced the start of a pilot program that will introduce a new way to teach reading to children in kindergarten, first grade and second grade in 10 low-performing schools. Good for him!

The program, developed by the Core Knowledge Foundation, stresses the importance of content knowledge, along with phonics and vocabulary. Most of us learned to read with some form of phonics - that is, by learning the sounds of letters and then "sounding out" new words.

So the Core Knowledge Program may not sound revolutionary to most parents - but it's a stark contrast to Balanced Literacy, the reading program that Klein mandated across more than 800 elementary schools in 2003.

Balanced Literacy remains the city's standard today - after all, Mayor Bloomberg and Klein awarded multimillion-dollar contracts to train thousands of the city's elementary teachers in this unproven method.

Yet Balanced Literacy doesn't stress content knowledge, vocabulary or phonics. And we now know that it didn't work.

Last fall, the federal government released the latest test results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress - and they showed that New York City students made no progress in reading in fourth grade or eighth grade from 2003 to 2007.

When the city Department of Education gives letter grades to schools, it bases the marks mainly on whether the schools made progress in their test scores. By this measure, Balanced Literacy gets an F.

On the federal test, there were no significant gains in reading for black students, white students, Hispanic students, Asian students or lower-income students. Forty-three percent of fourth-graders in New York City were "below basic" - the lowest possible rating.

Worse yet, the year before Balanced Literacy was imposed citywide, our fourth-grade students did make significant gains on the national test. But those gains ceased once Klein installed his program.

The launch of the Core Knowledge program suggests that Klein has finally recognized the failure of Balanced Literacy.

In contrast to Balanced Literacy, which has no specific curriculum, Core Knowledge teaches specific content knowledge. For example, children in kindergarten will learn nursery rhymes and fables while learning about Native Americans, plants, farms and seasons. Children in first grade will learn about astronomy, Mozart, Mesopotamia and Egypt and colonial biographies. Children in second grade will learn about ancient Greece, Greek myths, insects, holiday stories, westward expansion and civil rights.

And while they're learning to read, they will gain important knowledge about the world through activities and projects, not rote memorization.

Some may well wonder whether little children can understand such big topics, but the experience of Core Knowledge schools for the last decade shows that they can.

Indeed, they not only can do it, but mastering all this knowledge prepares them to become better readers as they move on to the next grade. The more children know, the better prepared they are to read more challenging subject matter and to understand it.

E.D. Hirsch Jr., the founder of the Core Knowledge Foundation, has long maintained that children in the United States suffer from a "knowledge deficit." Children need to know lots about science, history, geography, the arts, the world and their society so that they can understand new words and new ideas. The content knowledge that children acquire in the Core Knowledge reading program will enable students to learn more in science, social studies and other subjects. As children learn more about science and history, they also improve their vocabulary and comprehension.

The other aspect of the Core Knowledge reading program that is a significant difference from Balanced Literacy is its emphasis on phonics.

Forty years ago, the eminent reading expert Jeanne Chall demonstrated in her book "Learning to Read: The Great Debate" that beginning readers need to learn the connection between letters and their sounds, as well as the alphabet. A generation of research into reading has proven her right. "Decoding skills" - understanding how to sound out letters and words - should be learned early, as a foundation for lifelong reading.

Congratulations to Joel Klein for recognizing that New York City's children suffer from a "knowledge deficit." Ten of the city's elementary schools will benefit. Meanwhile, though, most of the city's children will continue to use the failed Balanced Literacy method.

We can only hope that Chancellor Klein will insist that all schools begin to teach history, geography, science, civics and the arts and do it soon.

Diane Ravitch is a research professor at the New York University School of Education, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a trustee of the Core Knowledge Foundation (for which she receives no compensation).

« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 11:16 PM »
I'm joking when I say paralegal's union...none that I know of.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 11:08 PM »
I wish I belonged to a paralegal's union like that...I never once played on the Internet at work...but I would see other paralegals who did...and I wondered why they were not fired.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 11:01 PM »
...a teacher's union like one an online professor would belong to also? One that posts all day and all night under multiple pseudonyms for years and years defaming countless numbers of people and somehow manages or managed to stay employed?
« annsmith wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 10:26 PM »
Bingo Mary. A teacher's union, you got it. They don't want education to change unless they say what the change is and how to do it. They want to protect their turf and keep it up until our educational system is so far in left field we can never find our way back.

Oh and ragingbull, I like living in Fort Bend County and I appreciate the environment and living standards those Rs have managed to attain. You are more than welcome to go live with the Ds in any city you choose that they run.

Don't want to? I understand.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 09:32 PM »
I meant Wait, not "What a minute..."
« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 09:31 PM »
What a minute...as far as I know, he is not...it would probably be some sort of teacher's union if anything.
« MaryMcClure wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 09:29 PM »
He is not a union boss, anonymous.
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 09:25 PM »
Actually Jimmy, I've never opposed the choice movement in schools and we've had that conversation before too. What I do oppose is grand standing by politicians who claim to be one thing, but actually practice something else (you know, like being on both sides of an issue). Several of us attended and spoke up against the tax increase as well as the RECORD bond/debt pushed by the dev. PAC that directly benefits from the land purchases, so we witnessed the game playing. I'm also quite sure you remember that campaign too as supported in the media clips.

These days there are quite a few operating on both ends of the aisles in this county (and country). Look up the strings for the special interest purses before attacking the wrong crowd, often you will find both candidates taking from the same special interest industries (how does this benefit the average taxpayer?). Use the FEC and TEC reports, don't be played like so many. Trying to soften the rhetoric only perpetuates the lie... BIG Government and BIG Business using our taxes for their special interest projects is recorded in the billions, creating massive debt for our children and their children. These are not insignificant issues and strike to the heart of limited government, fiscal responsibility, electoral accountability and individual rights, as well as the diminishing middle class. Pretending won't help and throwing in with the neocons won't either. It is very well documented and Jimmy, whether you know it or not, you are not in that 1% (nor are most of us). You are part of the masses they are misleading with their diatribe. I don't really believe you are that gullible and it isn't a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. It's a matter of people getting involved and doing something about it, not just paying lip service to it.

PS I see "JBB" ducking for cover in here once again with his usual lame sycophant diatribe.....no more corporate welfare for the elite queens. Conservatism is about less government, individual rights (+). FBC, according to the Tax Foundation, is the most highly taxed county in TX:

"According to a recent study by the Tax Foundation (2006-07), Fort Bend County property taxes are higher than any other Texas county, and sixth-highest in the nation in terms of taxes as a percent of the median home value. Only 5 upstate counties in New York have a higher amount." FBN

How much do you think we are losing in abatements, special taxing zones, etc.. as we urbanize our area for these neocons??? And when you say anything you get standard tripe BS like "JBBs" 8:42 below...what a bunch of crap. He still thinks vouchers will destroy the "horrible" associations/unions even though they don't in other private sectors, unless the neos intend to outlaw them as the Natzis and Communist did? You see Jimmy Kilpatrick, there are fine distinctions between elite corporatism/fascism (closed pay to play corporate-political systems not open to all business, or elite monopolies) and conventional conservatism (constitutionally based)...

And if Hebert, Howard and the others running this pol. machine were really on the taxpayers side they would heartily endorse Patricks CAD cap proposal and our county boys would stop using the lobbyist we pay for to oppose such legislation (Owen has come out publically against cad caps because it impacts our deep pockets)....sorry if the truth sucks...

Too many times I've attended these meetings and seen the same thing repeated over and over. Start attending and speak up, don't just comment blindly in the blogs (do the background, see the duplicity of some of our supposed local conservatives)...

PS JBB, I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth...
« anonymous wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 08:42 PM »
Gimme, gimme, gimme, that is all raginbull knows.
« anonymous wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 08:41 PM »
Ragingbull equals liberal union boss. Sure sounds like one to me. They want to run your life and charge you for doing what you can do for free.
« JimmyK52000 wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 08:38 PM »
ragingbull

Just a FBISD taxpayers that should qualify me as well as anyone for posting comments. Sure I signed it and will never vote to give the district a dime.

Best re-read the post you applied towards me and see if the nasty response wasn't inline my friend. I m not getting my butt kicked but I guess there are no moderators anymore considering the language being used on the site.

Regarding FBISD and public schools in general they are a lost cause. Considering the vast majority of kids are getting a sub-standard education these days why waste time, effort and emotions on the system? With the huge number of kids requiring remedial education at the college level, drop-outs and such we are paying dearly for failure.

I am a strong supporter of the charter schools as Green Dot, KIPP, Edison and the like.

The Neo-Con stuff is a tad over played for our area!

« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 08:06 PM »
Now the facts that our "VI" (JBB/wadefishin/unhappy/noodlz/etc...) can't refute so he engages in his red herrings as usual....

No Jim (wadefishin/JohnBernardBooks/et. al.) Hitler wasn't a conservative, contrary to your elite corporate welfare neo-thinking. What don't you understand about that neocon? No other politician on the bond/debt PAC spoke at the meeting, just your hero Howard. THAT AH is the contradiction, no one else, not the teachers, the union, the admins, the board, dems or repubs, libs, indeps, etc...(maybe if you had gone you would know something about it?). So now you are saying that any other politician who did not attend the meeting or join the RECORD bond/debt developer PAC, that helped cause this tax increase and first ever district budget deficit, needs to justify there position? Are you really just that stupid??? Seriously, are you??? . . . . . Ok, ok...no really???

YOU continue to ignore the bill by Patrick (R), a non neocon conservative repub, that could provide an effective appraisal cap (to counter actions like this developer PAC) and why don't any of our local neocon machine politicians endorse this proposal??? Why do you and your neocon buddies ignore the nearly 100 million surplus (fund balance).....no, no, no, it is election time and time for "JBB" (our VI) to spin his lies, not address real issues because that is the toadys job for the pol. network, obfuscate, misdirect, subvert, etc.....(YOUR a good democrat JBB because I don't know any repub or conservative that buys your sh**)...

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.--audio file)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

.......................

"JBBs" neocon roots:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul (R), Teague (R), Stansell (R), Campbell (R), McDougal (R), Tunstall, Dostal (R), Hilton (R), and other local conservatives not in this CORPORATE WELFARE clique?????

-I guess we can add all the repubs on the BOT too now, right "village idiot"??? rotflmao

-You can see his behavior continue in this thread. . .

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 07:46 PM »
"theLiberal wrote: "we can lawyer up and start the real games...."...or better yet you can turn him into to the FBI.....hahaha omg....

thats it now that "theLiberal" has been outed it back to IGNORE
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 06:53 PM »
JimmyK,

Well, let's see you joined a group opposing the record bond last year and got involved with the tax watch group, or are you going to deny that too? At one time your were involved with SOS too or was all that just opportunism on your part??? Perhaps you have some games you'd like to play in here??? BTW, just let me know if you want your contact information removed and I will be more than happy to take it off the list. You really don't belong on it anyway. Your politics seem more aligned with the thread neocon trolls than anyone elses and btw, "village idiot" is already taken by your close posting partner as awarded to him by another REAL conservative "joeshmoe" (maybe closer than we all recognize, right Jim)...

Now why didn't you attend the BOT meeting and watch the duplicity for yourself or are you perhaps one and the same (if so I would really like to know, we can lawyer up and start the real games....it should be fun if you are "VI"/JBB, et. al.....that's the only mystery left in here...

"What's your claim to fame?" . . . exposing fake conservatives like JBB and Howard via their campaign disclosures, what's yours???

Now fess up, if you are posting under the JBB pseudo just admit it and we can begin the fun!

Question (if you admit the above): Why would you attack Stansell (R) during the primaries after witnessing the latest round of Howards duplicity? Why would you defend delay, while attacking Campbell (R) when he ran the last time? Let's completely out your neocon crony-boys.

PS JBB, take your kissbutt side-kick and say something worth responding to. I noticed JK actually had a decent post in the other thread, but then reverted to your type name calling and one-liners....bring it on (dare I say singular)...YOU must be getting your butt kicked again in that other thread to wonder over here, but what's new, you seem to live for these things (narcism), so enjoy tripping over your own words repeatedly...

PPS Background on "JBB" -THE "village idiot" (watch the video JK). We've been running it here for some time...

In case you missed it AH:

Funny that you keep repeating the same question and ignoring the answer, but you already are aware of the response, but it makes for good foder to point the finger, as is so typical in your neocon trolling case, and act as if the opponent is being evasive.

REPEAT: No other legislature was present at the meeting speaking against the tax increase. Further, your hero was on the developer PAC pushing the RECORD bond in Nov THAT MADE THE TAX INCREASE inevitable (rather than supporting a more reasonable bond as we were advocating VI). KEEP ignoring the contradiction with your red herring, even though it is a VERY puerile tactic....but hey they don't call you the neocon faux conservative hired crony-hack for nothing...

Dr. DiLorenzo on Corporatism (as advanced by "JBB")

"Many American politicians who have advocated more or less total government control over economic activity have been more devious in their approach. They have advocated and adopted many of the same policies, but they have always recognized that direct attacks on private property, free enterprise, self-government, and individual freedom are not politically palatable to the majority of the American electorate. Thus, they have enacted a great many tax, regulatory, and income-transfer policies that achieve the ends of economic fascism, but which are sugar-coated with deceptive rhetoric about their alleged desire only to "save" capitalism." -Dr. DiLorenzo is Professor of Economics at Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 05:55 PM »
so "Liberal" kumon....whats your fav rep's stand on the bond and the tax increase?....can libs ever discuss issues or do they just name call?
« JimmyK52000 wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 05:54 PM »
ragingbull - out in the open I have never hidden my name you village idiot! What's your claim to fame?
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 05:47 PM »
One word for you faux conservative....KUMON, they can teach you to read AH...

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul, Teague, Stansell, Campbell, McDougal, Tunstall, Dostal, Hilton, and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

-Now he also attacks the entire republican school board....ROTFLMAO...which conservative is next neocon??? Do you feel surrounded (liberals, moderates, REAL conservatives)??? Only the neocons waving the elite corporatist flag.
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 05:38 PM »
"theLiberal" wrote "Funny that you keep repeating the same question"...its because you won't answer it....hahaha...omg how stupid are libs?
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 05:28 PM »
Funny that you keep repeating the same question and ignoring the answer, but you already are aware of the response, but it makes for good foder to point the finger, as is so typical in your neocon trolling case, and act as if the opponent is being evasive.

REPEAT: No other legislature was present at the meeting speaking against the tax increase. Further, your hero was on the developer PAC pushing the RECORD bond in Nov THAT MADE THE TAX INCREASE inevitable (rather than supporting a more reasonable bond as we were advocating VI). KEEP ignoring the contradiction with your red herring, even though it is a VERY puerile tactic....but hey they don't call you the neocon faux conservative hired crony-hack for nothing...

Dr. DiLorenzo on Corporatism (as advanced by "JBB")

"Many American politicians who have advocated more or less total government control over economic activity have been more devious in their approach. They have advocated and adopted many of the same policies, but they have always recognized that direct attacks on private property, free enterprise, self-government, and individual freedom are not politically palatable to the majority of the American electorate. Thus, they have enacted a great many tax, regulatory, and income-transfer policies that achieve the ends of economic fascism, but which are sugar-coated with deceptive rhetoric about their alleged desire only to "save" capitalism." -Dr. DiLorenzo is Professor of Economics at Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 04:52 PM »
calling a liar?...why you.... how many lies have we caught you in lib?

you didn't say...but we all know you support Rep Olivo...so did she support the bond....and this tax hike?...

or is that too tough for "'theLiberal" to answer?
« concernedparent wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 04:19 PM »
I'm not sure who to believe in all this, but I know I don't want my taxes going up!
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 03:57 PM »
We can't forget this little piece too:

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

-So which source are you calling a liar AH?
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 03:53 PM »
Speaking of our hired neocon (faux conservative) hack, it's our "village idiot"....(again authentic conservatism is not synonymous with fascism/corporatism toady)...

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November." Chronicle

"political action committee called “Excellence in Education for Everyone Committee.” Claude Leatherman, treasury vice president for the Fort Bend Education Foundation, is listed as the PAC’s treasurer.

At the top of the list of contributors donating money since Sept. 25 is Houston home builder Bob Perry, who gave $10,000 to the PAC, according to the committee’s financial reports.

Among business donors who contributed $5,000 to the PAC was Aliana Development Co., Bay Architects, PBK Architects, SHW Group architects, NNP Telfair LP and Southern Land Co.

Sienna/Johnson Development, Sugar Land Ranch Development, Hulft Zollars of Dallas and the Linebarger Goggan law firm each gave $2,500. And a host of businesses, mostly architects, engineering consultants and law firms, contributed $500 or $1,000 apiece.

Other individuals who contributed to the bond issue support PAC included Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Timothy Jenney, Chief Communications Officer Mary Ann Simpson, Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council President Jeff Wiley, Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Commissioner Grady Prestage, Sugar Land City Councilman Michael Schiff and long-time educator and former FBISD board trustee Rita Drabek, according to finance reports.

A virtual whose who of our edc boys. Ck this out too:

While proponents of the bond issue are well-organized and well-funded, opposition to the referendum is loosely organized and much less visible. An opposition group is publishing a web site called FBISDWatchDogs, which says the group “here to serve the public and to keep them informed on how their tax dollars are being spent in the local school system.” FBN

PS "JBB" learn to read and comprehend or get a tutor from Kumon, your never too old to learn to read...Oh and which republican are you calling a liar now???

« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 03:35 PM »
speaking of "coming out" its our token lib....
« ragingbull wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 12:16 PM »
Glad you came out into the open Jim Kilpatrick. Last time I read your posts in here you were defending Howard against fellow republican Stansell in the primaries. Do you remember his original platform to bring about term limits? Now you are defending him against a pure republican school board.....so you are ignoring Howard being on both sides of this issue and the surplus fund balance of nearly 93.8 million dollars that could have been used to balance this first ever deficit budget for the district??? And in another thread you go on and on about "free markets". What free markets? The ones for the few monopolized elite corps that we spend billions of our taxes on to prop them up along with their crony politicians that maintain that closed system (not Friedman by any means)...

Now the facts that our "VI" (JBB) can't refute so he engages in his red herrings and endless ad hominems....

Hitler & Missolini weren't conservatives (respecting individual rights, free markets), contrary to your elite corporate welfare neo thinking. What don't you understand about that neocon? No other politician on the bond/debt PAC spoke at the meeting, just your hero Howard. THAT AH is the contradiction, no one else, not the teachers, the union, the admins, the board, dems or repubs, libs, indeps, etc...(maybe if you had gone you would know something about it?). So now you are saying that any other politician who did not attend the meeting or join the RECORD bond/debt developer PAC, that helped cause this tax increase and first ever district budget deficit, needs to justify there position?

YOU continue to ignore the bill by Patrick (R), a non neocon conservative repub, that could provide an effective appraisal cap (to counter actions like this developer PAC) and why don't any of our local neocon machine politicians endorse this proposal??? Why do you and your buddies ignore the nearly 100 million surplus (fund balance).....no, no, no, it is election time and time for "JBB" (our VI) to spin his lies, not address real issues because that is the toadys job for the pol. network, obfuscate, misdirect, subvert, etc.....(YOUR a good democrat JBB because I don't know any repub or REAL conservative that buys your sh**)...

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.--audio file) -listen to the file on the chron site "VI"

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." Chron

.......................

"JBBs" neocon roots:

Some think Jim (jbb et. al.) is a democrat plant to make republicans and other conservatives look bad, while I just think of him as a neocon corporatist repub who attacks all outside of the cronyboy network. We saw this when he went after not only local democrats, but conservatives, independents and yes quite a few republicans not in the political machine that runs this county to divert your taxes and bond debt to their crony projects. As a matter of fact Jim here was appointed to serve on one of those special interest taxing zones by just one of those insider pol. machine elected officials. He doesn't like it when we talk about it or ask too many questions like why did he attack Dr. Paul (R), Teague (R), Stansell (R), Campbell (R), McDougal (R), Tunstall, Dostal (R), Hilton (R), and other local conservatives not in this corporate welfare clique?????

You can see his behavior continue in this thread. . .

« JimmyK52000 wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 10:58 AM »
You got that one right. If the board members would face the public in a real open forum we could run all the criminals out of FBISD.

Jimmy Kilpatrick

SpecialEdAdvocate.org
« JohnBernardBooks wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 10:53 AM »
I can't find on my tax bill where the ops budget and debt service are seperated.....it all goes into one pot and is stirred up.....hence a tax increase is a tax increase.

JimmyK the admin/union loaded up the budget and the BOT rolled over....its called a tax increase.

I'm waiting for Sonal to roll out the AlGore "lock box"....
« JimmyK52000 wrote on Monday, Sep 01 at 10:44 AM »
Rep Howard is solid as a rock. Unlike others that chime in with a degree from ITT Tech, Howard was well trained in business and finance at Harvard.

Bhuchar needs to wake up and stop looking at Austin to balance a checkbook. She should be cutting the fat out of the budget! I though she has some sense and why she got elected so may a recall is in order. Smelly is well known for years of lapdog licking the superintendent. I haven’t seen anything he has ever done that has increased outcomes for the students.

Having watched the district spend in excess of 100,000 on a special ed due process case no wonder we are broke.

Katy and CyFair have taxed there people to death and we are catching up fast.

Jimmy Kilpatrick

SpecialEdAdvocate.org

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Comments

I don't think Mr. Howard should claim to support increased property valuation, as he did during the bond election last November and turn around and criticize the BOT when they had to raise taxes to pay for that record debt.

Posted by: NMT at August 27, 2008 04:02 PM

Mr. Howard supported the RECORD bond/debt on 11/5/07 as conveyed here at this site and via the Chron ad and covered in local news and blogs. Should he condemn the tax increase that is being used to service this debt he supported? If you read it, he is saying he supports HIGHER PROPERTY VALUATIONS, which means higher property appraisals. Doesn't this directly contradict his comments from Monday night? I guess it's a politicians duty to be on ALL sides of an issue, right???:

"At least one of the ads consists mostly of a large color photograph of businessmen Don Russell, John Null and Bill Jameson; Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council Chief Executive Herb Appel; Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner James Patterson; and District 26 State Rep. Charlie Howard. "We will vote yes for the FBISD bonds!" says a headline at the top of the photo. "Because it protects our property values!" FBN (11/5/07)

From the other local paper

"The tension prompted board president Sonal Bhuchar to explain that the tax rate increase was the result of a bond issue approved by voters last November. (Click here to hear Bhuchar's explanation.)

What seems hard to be grasped is that Howard was one of the proponents of that bond issue. You may still remember that ad that supports the bond, in which he appeared with County Commissioner James Patterson and members of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council." FB Chron 8/26

-Maybe the BOT, who also pushed for the RECORD bond should consider the suggestions made at the public meeting to draw down the surplus (via the fund balance) and institute a balanced budget this year. Of course it is just a little late now.

Posted by: Chris Calvin, Ph.D. at August 27, 2008 04:30 PM

I'm sick of my taxes going up and the subsequent inflated property appraisals. Please do something about all this. At least institute a yearly valuation cap!

Posted by: fbisdparent at August 27, 2008 04:37 PM

I would like to see the CADs come down. I think our teachers deserve a raise.

Posted by: SLW at August 27, 2008 05:16 PM

We can only hope that future elections will produce board members that remember where they came from.

Posted by: children1st at August 27, 2008 09:16 PM

I like the Dan Patrick plan he is pushing with the legislature. If that plan were to pass we should start seeing a slower increase that many of our local government officials seem to oppose.

Posted by: SLW at August 28, 2008 08:25 AM

I'm sick of the finger pointing and want to see people that do what the voter asks!

Posted by: delmar at August 28, 2008 12:34 PM

Its the same officials( state & local) of the GOP party members failing to do the job done in Ft. Bend Texas.

Misspending public funds. The CAD district needs to go.

Posted by: Voice ! at August 29, 2008 10:13 AM

I noticed the commissioners just ok'd many raises from the sheriff's ofc. to other employees. They talked earlier in the year like the budget was so tight they would have to raise taxes, but why should they do that when all they have to do is keep over-valuing our homes and land while cutting those fat tax abatements for their campaign givers. Don't worry the CAD works for their budget not yours or mine.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

When does the tax increase kick-in?