A Harris County Precinct Chair, Texas State Senator, Big City Mayor and Congressional Representative have attempted to reduce their individual tax burden while publicly championing “fair share” tax increases for Texas families and small businesses. These “tax reductions for me, but not for thee” hypocrites support tax increases for everyone else, but made an effort in 2012 to mitigate the impact of rising taxes on themselves.
The #4 “tax reductions for me but not for thee” honor goes to this Harris County Democrat Precinct Chair. Charles gnashed his teeth in 2011, bemoaning school funding cuts, yet in the 2012 tax year sought to protest the value of his Houston home. Protesting the value of his home would, ironically reduce his school tax burden. An informal hearing was scheduled for June 14th, 2012.
Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis receives the #3 prize for penning this April 16th, 2012 Houston Chronicle opinion piece. While publicly grumbling about perks, tax breaks and loopholes for the “wealthy”, State Senator Ellis also filed a protest notice with the Harris County Appraisal District to reduce his school & property tax burden. (Note the “Protest Received” entry below:
Houston Mayor Annise Parker takes home the # 2 award for Democrat tax reduction hypocrisy. How many taxes, most notably the “Rain Tax” have been implemented under her regime? In 2012, Mayor Parker also, yep you guessed it), sought to protest the value of commercial real estate she & Katherine Hubbard own in Montrose. An informal hearing was scheduled for May 25th, 2012:
But the 2012 trophy goes to my favorite Congressional Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. Not only did she and husband Elwyn file a protest to lower the 2012 taxes on their Third Ward home (note the “Protest Received” entry:
but they both continue to reduce their current income tax burden by contributing earnings to a tax sheltered 403b plan (page 8).
While all these (oh, what was that phrase Rodney Ellis used?)… LOOPHOLES… are legitimate mechanisms to reduce ones tax burden, the double-standard and deceitful class warfare rhetoric exhibited by these elected officials must be called out and pushed back against in 2013 like never before.
Tom Zakes says
nice thought, but I don't begrudge anyone their right to protest their tax appraisal.
Erin Anderson says
Tom, the point isn't whether YOU begrudge THEM the right to protest their tax appraisal – THEY begrudge YOU the right to minimize YOUR tax payments and keep more of what you earn to spend as you see fit.
Marilyn Jo Harper says
It would be foolish not to try to lower your own property taxes if the appraisal is out of line. There is nothing underhanded or deceitful for any elected official to do so.
Erin Anderson says
Maybe not "deceitful" but certainly hypocritical. Why aren't these wealthy people who promote higher taxes and more government spending willing to pay just a little bit more to help support teachers and the children? They can afford it.
Simple Simon says
Hypocrisy…the world is full of it. I would not blame anyone for trying to decrease their
property taxes via the protest process, which is not an avenue open just to the well heeled
and powerful; Anyone can protest the property valuation and should because they are
generally wrong.
I wish I could sell my home for the value that the HCAD has placed on my home.
This really smacks of the petty nit-picking that has turned politics into a toxic
environment.
Simple
Yvonne Larsen says
The class warfare rhetoric is what is deceitful…and dangerous.
Tom Moran says
What? There is something wrong with people holding high and powerful positions like Democratic precinct chairman following the law and seeking review on what they consider overvaluation of their taxable property? Are there any Republican officeholders from precinct chair to governor who protest their property tax valuations?
I guess officeholders should just accept what the government says they owe in taxes. So, if a U.S. Senator is audited by the IRS, if the IRS contests a deduction the senator is somehow acting improperly by saying it is a proper deduction.
What cheapshots.
Ronald L. Heck says
Our "betters" will not get away will their pious lecturing to Texans on paying more in taxes while they mitigate the impact to their own wallets…