Have They No Shame?
     The answer is NO!  Don't Believe it?  Read Below!


                                                    Caught Red Handed!

While taxpayers were supporting the taxpayer protections in Rep. Carl Isett's
HB 1006, our taxdollars were being spent to oppose it.  TAC refers to it as
"Isett's terrible revenue cap bill" and to their "battle to defeat this bad bill."  

E-Mail Communication from the Texas Association of Counties from Elna Christopher.  Be sure to note Ms.
Christopher's response to our lawsuit in the Quorum Report artilce directly below Ms. Christopher's e-mail
to county officials

----- Original Message -----
From: Elna Christopher
To: tac-jud@list.county.org
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 5:02 PM
Subject: [Tac-jud] UPDATE ON HB 1006

Attached is an Excel document prepared by TAC's County Information Project showing the number of
signatures required for rollback elections under the Robby Cook amendment to HB 1006, Isett's terrible
revenue cap bill.  The numbers are listed county by county.  Shoot, there are more people at a family
reunion than it would take to call a rollback in a number of counties!

This afternoon, there is a rumor that Isett is seeking a so-called compromise that would set rollbacks at 4
percent and exempt counties with less than $5 million in property tax revenue, or something like that.  This
is nothing but an attempt to siphon off rural counties from the battle to defeat this bad bill.  It also shows
Isett has a weak position and is desperately trying to salvage remnants of the bill.

Counties and cities of all sizes will stick together to defeat HB 1006.  More hard work on your part is
needed to make it happen.  County officials are the ones the legislators will listen to, so please keep
working.

More updates to come Monday.

________________________________________________________


Ms. Christopher responds to our lawsuit with the following comments from The
Quorum Report

"The TAC's Christopher said Texas Local Government Code statute 89.002 clearly permits county
associations to provide information to members of the legislature and appear before a legislative committee
hearing.

"Our staff is very careful," Christopher said. "We have written correspondence from legislators on both
sides asking our staff to provide information on issues affecting counties. We provide information when
asked."

Some of the "big issues" counties faced this past session, Christopher said, were appraisal caps, revenue
caps, telecom, indigent defense, and unfunded mandates. She said it was important lawmakers heard from
TAC on these issues.

Christopher said she doubted whether many taxpayers realized the true motives of groups like AFP.

"A lot of taxpayers out there do not realize there are these anti-government groups that are trying to take
away important services, such as police and deputy sheriff protection, road maintenance, libraries, senior
citizens and youth programs, and keeping courthouse open," Christopher said. "

The Quorum Report 6/2/05


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