If you have ever wondered to what extent liberal Democrats (redundant, of course) will go in order to raise taxes on the people, well, wonder no more: liberal Democrats are willing to be arrested and serve jail time in order to hike taxes on the citizenry.
Three council women from Von Ormy, Texas (near San Antonio) were arrested this week. Their crime? Oh nothing, they just held private city council meetings, which is illegal thanks to the Texas Open Meetings Act. This situation is even more absurd when we learn that the three Democrats elected their own Mayor Pro Tem at these get together. Not only that, but they fired the city marshal. This is too juicy to make up.
At one of these “meetings,” the three women tried to reimpose the property tax, which had been cut to zero by then Mayor Art Martinez de Vara.
This story is simply unbelievable. But…it’s true!
From Robert Taylor via the KSAT website:
VON ORMY, Texas – Three council women in Von Ormy were arrested Friday on corruption chargers.
Carmina Aguilar and Jacqueline Goede were booked into the Bexar County Jail. Verna Hernandez was checked into a local hospital.
All three women were indicted for violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act and are accused of holding a series of illicit meetings.
On Oct. 15, the women attempted to replace the city marshal and reimpose the city’s property tax. The next day, Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara filed a restraining order against the women.
The case was later settled and a criminal investigation was opened by the Texas Rangers.
Benjamin Olivo has more at MySA.com:
The councilwomen had been at odds with former Mayor Art Martinez de Vara, whose term expired Saturday, over property taxes.
Martinez de Vara wanted to abolish the Von Ormy property tax, calling them a “serious threat to home ownership,” while the councilwomen wanted to keep them.
“In our town we have a lot of folks who are retired — seniors citizens and all that,” Martinez de Vara said Saturday.
Goede declined to comment for this story, but in an interview with Express-News columnist Brian Chasnoff last fall, said: “As new as we are and as small as we are, to grow we need those taxes. We need them desperately.”
As the Von Ormy Star reported in October:
Despite the warning, the meeting was attended by three Council members, Jacqueline Goede, Verna Hernandez and Carmina Aguilar. City Attorney Wilson attended the meeting and again advised the three Council members present that holding the meeting would be in violation of the TOMA and any actions taken could be void by law. Stating their disagreement with the City Attorney, the council members present conducted a meeting.
So, if you were at the local IHOP or Burger King one night and you wondered what those bizarre discussions were about, they were illegally-held city council meetings where local Democrats were trying to raise your taxes and overturn the policies put in place by a fairly, properly elected city Mayor.
And now you know the extent that liberal Democrats will go in order to raise taxes. Butch up ladies!
Background from Joe Conger, KENS 5: Von Ormy ‘Tax Wars’ lead to restraining order
(David Jennings contributed to this post)