Thursday, March 6, 1997
Texas Midwest Day: Communities get their voices
heard in Austin
By LORETTA FULTON
Regional Editor
AUSTIN - If Rep. Bob Turner's axiom that "government is
run by those who show up" is correct, then the Texas Midwest
is the new capital of Texas.
More than 80 people from the Texas Midwest Community Network
traveled to Austin Wednesday to observe their "Day,"
recognized with resolutions in both the House of Representatives
and Senate.
Community leaders and elected officials from a 20-county region
surrounding Abilene that makes up the organization were enthusiastically
received by a large delegation of people, including the governor
and the legislators from the area.
Gov. George W. Bush set the pace for the day as his aides whisked
him in to the steps of the Senate gallery at 8:45 a.m. for a photo
session and brief speech. As the governor bent backward to look
up toward the group assembled on the steps, he joked, "this
is kind of a weird way to address people."
He briefly thanked everyone for putting forth the effort to
come to the Capitol to meet with their representatives.
"People who show up have a tremendous impact," he
said, a theme that would be repeated later in the day by Rep.
Turner of Coleman County.
The governor didn't waste any time getting to his favorite
topic - school funding and property taxes.
School funding is "unfair and unequal because it relies
on property taxes," he said.
Bush laughed as he began his short speech and almost apologized
for speaking on the same subject every chance he gets.
"I'm the most boring person to be around these days,"
he said.
The Texas Midwest folks didn't seem to think so, however, as
they applauded his remarks and gathered around for photos.
Tom Isbell of Anson, president of the Texas Midwest network,
presented the governor with a list of legislative priorities the
group had put together as well as a travel guide to the area.
Packets containing those legislative priorities and travel
guide also were distributed to all 31 senators and 150 representatives.
They covered a range of topics, including economic development,
government operation, health and education.
After being recognized in the House and Senate, the group heard
Rep. Rob Junell of San Angelo, chairman of the House Appropriations
Committee, elaborate on Bush's tax proposal, The Property Tax
Relief Initiative.
Junell said that in 1995, $15.4 billion was raised by local
government through property taxes. Of that, 60 percent was raised
by school districts.
Residential property owners paid 40 percent of that $15.4 billion.
The governor's plan would take much of that burden off private
property owners, Junell said. The alternatives to the current
tax structure would be:
1. The gross receipts tax
2. A business activity tax
3. Sales tax expansion/rate change
"What do I think is going to happen?" Junell asked.
"I haven't got a clue."
But, he added, "I think something is going to happen,
and I think it's going to be significant. I salute the governor
for putting this out there."
After the luncheon speech, group members met with representatives
of various state agencies.
Also recognized in the House and Senate Wednesday were a group
of community leaders from Comanche County and the Gifted and Talented
students from Rising Star High School.
The Rising Star students met with the governor, toured the
Capitol and the LBJ Library, and took in some Austin sights.
They didn't have to be Gifted and Talented to learn quickly
what all visitors to the Capitol learned: "We had a hard
time finding a parking place," said Kathryn Smith, a junior.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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