Vote Early & Vote Often...

....just kidding.  Just vote once, but JUST DO IT!  As my step-dad says, "If you don't vote, then don't complain." There is a lot of logic to this statement.

So what are we voting on anyway? Prop 1 is a BIG deal.  Some of those folks in Austin would like for there to be a transfer tax when a property is sold.  So this would be an additional tax, on top of your property taxes.  Prop 1 will add an amendment that will ban this from happening.

Additionally, it will double the homestead exemption to $25,000.  This is good for everyone.

Lastly, it reduces taxes on seniors and disabled Texans. Who can't agree that is a good thing?

If you'd like more information, visit www.texansfor prop1.com.

If you live in a school district, they might be having a bond to vote on this go round.  Vote YES!  Here's the deal, the district doesn't come to you lightly, willy-nilly and ask for money.  Visit your local schools, talk to teachers...do they have the supplies they need?  do they have plenty of room in their schools?  are there portables in the back?

I will go out on a limb (as an educator of 20 years) and say, no they don't have all the supplies they need, they are very over-crowded and if there aren't already portables, there is talk of them!

What many people don't understand is how school finance works...and I admit that I don't know the ins and outs.  But there are a few things I do know.  One I hear often: "Why don't they use all the money from the football games for stuff?"  Why?  Because that money is in a different fund and you can't just move over money from one fund to another. That might be how you do your finances, but schools can't.  At bond time, schools need to do a little more educating of the public and explain some of these things.

I don't know any district that isn't growing and doesn't need lots of stuff.  I also don't know a teacher that doesn't spend his/her own personal monies to pay for things for his/her classroom.  Even small things like paper towels (not the nasty brown ones in the bathrooms), tissue and hand sanitizer are always at a premium and that doesn't include the "fun" stuff for projects and activities.

So, instead of automatically saying no to the bond, do some research and find out what is needed.  It takes 2-3 years to build a new campus, so districts seem to be behind the ball when it comes to new facilities.  Why?  Because they can't just go out and purchase land and facilities like you and I can do when we want a new home. It takes time and it is a process.

Ask, ask, ask....if you have questions about what is going on in your school district, send an email, make a call. I know someone will be more than happy to answer your questions.

And remember: GO VOTE!!

Blessings my friends.