Consistent. Principled. Action.

Citizens,

Memorial Day is Monday.

A day of remembrance of those who died in military service to our nation, Memorial Day has been observed for 138 years.

Memorial Day is always fresh because our freedom requires sacrifice from every generation. Most of you reading this letter personally know an American who served or is serving in our Armed Forces, many in harm's way today. Celina's remembrance, for example, will honor Peter Burks, a hometown son who died in Iraq last year. This is not only history, this is also now.

I encourage you to include one of the many Collin County Memorial Day programs in your weekend plans. I, for one, will be participating in the McKinney Memorial Day program at the Pecan Grove Cemetery at 10:00 AM.

If you want to hear patriotic music and moving tributes to our fallen military by Congressmen Sam Johnson and Ralph Hall, see a flyover by an open cockpit WWII aircraft, and eat Texas barbeque, then you want to be at the Pecan Grove Cemetery on Monday, May 26 at 10:00 AM. Congressmen Johnson and Hall know a thing or two about serving our country in the Armed Forces during combat, and they remember - as we need to do.

Pecan Grove's historic headstones reflect the presence of 203 veterans from conflicts of the 1800s - 1 from the Texas Revolution; 7 from the Mexican War and 195 from the Civil War (193 Confederate and 2 Union.) A Twentieth Century Flying Ace lies in this famous cemetery, General Royal Baker, who fought in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam.

Plan to attend one of the Collin County remembrance programs on Monday. Check out your own hometown. Honor the Americans who died for us.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

The constant drumbeat for higher taxes continues. Many regional and local government and quasi-government organizations are developing detailed plans to lobby the state legislature for higher taxes in several different areas: a new transit tax, higher sales tax, higher gas tax, higher property tax, and even a new hospital taxing district that I will discuss at the end of the blog. Even with the current state surplus, there seems to be no end to the appetite for higher taxes. This is not some far-away effort in Austin, it is right here in North Texas. As you watch media reports, you can see the outlines of the efforts to come next year during the legislative session.

I want to address a flawed idea that we see again and again as the tax-and-spend crowd tries to convince you that they need more of your hard-earned dollars. Time and time again, we read and hear the argument that all our new citizens who are moving to Collin County require greater services and therefore citizens who currently live here need to contribute more tax dollars to fund those greater services that our new citizens require. The tax-and-spend crowd never heard of Phil Gramm's Dickie Flatt test.

What this argument does not bother to mention is that all our new citizens are paying property tax on the houses they buy, they are paying sales tax on the goods they buy, and they are paying fees for registering and inspecting their cars. They are paying their taxes, just as you are. More citizens are shouldering the tax load, so your tax burden should be able to stay steady, or even decrease. This is the beauty of a fast-growing area - we have more people to help us continue to provide you with the infrastructure that contributes to our excellent county in which to live and work.

We have the preliminary figures for the growth of our tax base this year. When the final figures come in, our tax base should grow by a healthy percentage - not the blowout 10.9% of last year, but still a healthy number.

If we can control the growth of government this year, we should be able to give you tax relief. Remember that slowing the growth of county government DOES NOT mean that we will have to CUT services. Even if county government grows more slowly, there will still be dollars available to fund the most pressing increases, such as in the cost of construction materials. And when you see the small amount of savings for you that the tax-and-spend crowd suggest when they discuss tax relief, remember what someone said once, "Why does a slight tax increase cost you two hundred dollars and a substantial tax cut save you thirty cents?"

I am also very concerned about a renewed effort to include Collin County in a new hospital district with Dallas County. This will do no more than force you, the Collin County taxpayer, to support Parkland Hospital with a new property tax. Dallas County citizens already pay a HIGHER TAX RATE JUST FOR PARKLAND HOSPITAL than you pay for your Collin County taxes. Let me say that in a different way. You pay 24.5 cents per hundred dollars in appraisal to Collin County. Dallas County citizens pay 25.4 cents per hundred dollars in appraisal just to support Parkland Hospital. Their county taxes are over and above that Parkland tax.

Let me assure you, Collin County pays for treatment for our indigent citizens who receive treatment at Parkland, despite media reports to the contrary. I send a letter every month to the Dallas County Commissioners Court members detailing our payments.

Notwithstanding the uncertain national political scene, within the next year you may face a new hospital district tax, a new transit tax, higher gas tax, higher sales tax, and higher property tax.

And this is one reason why tax relief at county level is important.

This is why your vote matters. The people you elect are making these decisions.

Sincerely,
Keith

One other note on the 2009 legislative session. State Representative Ken Paxton, who represents McKinney, Frisco, Allen, and Prosper, has been named the Vice Chairman of the House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform. This committee will directly study possible tax relief. Ken Paxton is a friend of taxpayers and I encourage you to watch as this committee's work unfolds.

Citizens,

I have just read a wonderful book, "The Law," by Frederic Bastiat, a French economist, who penned the short work in 1850.

"The Law" could be describing our 21st century nation, rather than 19th century France.

"The Law" lays out in simple, understandable terms the underlying concept of individual liberty as the foundational concept for a just and enduring society.

Given his regard for liberty, Bastiat could have been an author of our own Declaration of Independence. In "The Law" Bastiat states, "Life, faculties, production - in other words individuality, liberty, property - that is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation, and are superior to it."

On the last page, Bastiat ends with, "Try liberty."

Our Founding Fathers gave us a republic based on liberty - not a perfect republic, but a republic nonetheless. I pray that we will not stray any further from the foundation for a just society. That's right - first and foremost a just society. Let's continue to "Try liberty."

Bastiat was an economist and the work was translated by the Foundation for Economic Education, demonstrating that individual liberty is tied to economic freedom and private property. I know that at least two organizations are distributing "The Law;" The Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Foundation for Economic Education. I encourage you to read it carefully - it is only 85 pages. You may read it on-line at http://www.fee.org/pdf/books/The_Law.pdf or you may purchase a copy at http://www.fee.org/store/detail.asp?id=387

As the county enters another budget cycle, I see more desire to provide property tax relief and I eagerly look forward to the budget discussions as we examine the best way to do that.

I am scheduled to discuss the county budget on the Debbie Davis Show on KVCE AM 1160 this morning, Monday, May 5, at 9:30 AM. Listen in if you get the opportunity.

Sincerely,
Keith