Fort Worth Star Telegram Endorses

Unlimited Property Tax Increases for Everyone

by Ron West

    This information is presented with a clear understanding that the Editorial Board of the Fort Worth Star Telegram has both the right and privilege to express their views in editorials.  While this is a right, since they are the only newspaper in town, it would also seem incumbent upon this same Editorial Board to invite and to publish opposing view points.  The free flow of information and discussion of issues brings the brightest and the best minds to bear any issues.

    Unfortunately, it seems to be not only an editorial effort to sell their "opinions" but a directed effort to present their views in the most positive light possible, via very controlled (edited) reporting, unbalanced publication of letters to the editor and outright censorship of articles or columns that don't agree with their positions.  The Editorial Board is the group that controls what letters to the editor are published.    Again, this is their right and privilege.

    With the above in mind, I quote the following from the lead editorial in the Fort Worth Star Telegram on Monday, January 31, 2005:

Quoting:  "If you oppose a 3 percent cap on the philosophical grounds of local control, I can respect that position,"  Perry said. "But then I would hope that you would be consistent and advocate for the repeal of the 10% on the same basis. ... But let's stop this false pretense of taxpayer protection at 10 percent."

    The Star Telegram's exact response:  "In a heartbeat, governor.  The 10 percent cap on annual appraisal increases absolutely should be repealed.  Honest fair-market-value appraisals are essential to tax fairness.  Any sort of appraisal cap distorts the process."

    The editorial goes on to say:  "If the complaint is that taxes are too high, appraisals aren't the villains.  The culprits: elected officials who have declined to lower tax rates when appraised values go up."

    A copy of the entire editorial is available at this link:  FWST1_27_05.pdf

    Now in fairness to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, I might admit to over sensitivity due to my residence being in NRH where the City Council proudly proclaims that they have "held the property tax rate" for the past 12 Years!  Or in other words, they proudly proclaim they are the "villains or culprits" identified by the FWST.  The net effect is that all taxes on all property are going up at an alarming rate and now the FWST announces support for a repeal of the current 10 percent cap which would allow even bigger increases.

    I wonder what the editorial board thinks is reasonable?  15% per year?  20% per year?  25% per year?

    It is also interesting to note that the Star Telegram Editorial Board is openly opposing all efforts to freeze taxes for our Seniors and Disabled as evidenced in the recent election in Arlington (and perhaps others I missed.)

    I recently directed the following table to an NRH Council member to see if I could elicit a response as to intent to continue to "hold the rate" in NRH.  The question was simple - "Do you feel that we as citizens can sustain the current rates of increase in revenues to the city?  The council person declined to answer.  I wonder if the Fort Worth Star Telegram truly thinks that increases of this nature should be accelerated?  It seems tragic to me that not only do we have to fight city hall for governmental restraint but we also have to fight the media that seems to think that there is no such thing as too much spending or government.

    You might want to ask them - or even ask you local Council person.  (This information applies to all Texas cities.)

Notes:   The above numbers were extracted from data on line on the NRH city website.  The new budget for 2004/05 has just been posted to the web recently and anything extracted from it has been on a best efforts basis.  It is a real work of art and makes the finding of the real totals of income to the city almost impossible to determine.  Expenses are likewise carefully hidden.  See first notes on the budget at:  This is Your City Budget