There it is.  On my left.  The on-ramp to the toll road 130.  Hmm...Like a dealer hooking a junkie,  the toll road has been  free for two weeks.  It's the same strategy.  Hook a person mentally, emotionally, and physically and they'll pay for something they THINK they need.   But I stand strong and keep to the right and patiently drive north on the slower 183 access road.  But I know I won't always be so resolute.  I'll get tired or have extra money in my checking account, and then bam, I'll be riding that asphalt crack pipe all the way home.

So will more and more urban Texans.  As construction costs have increased and cars get better gas economy, or for that matter, don't use gas at all in the case of electric vehicles, the state tax on fuel that puts money in TxDot's coffers for road construction becomes less and less.  The urban regions of Texas are having to look for alternate means to fund road construction in order to decrease congestion and increase traffic flow. 

In a state where lawmakers risk defeat by proposing new taxes, Texas has instead turned to private enterprise who will build toll roads for profit.  An excellent article on toll roads from the Texas Tribune quotes Senator John Carona, Republican, Dallas, as saying, "The day will surely come when, if you want to get from point A to point B, you’re not going to have a choice but to get on a toll road.  Well then, suddenly, a toll is just another tax. Let’s not kid one another.” 

Indeed.  If Texas does not raise taxes to maintain its current roads  and  to build new roads for it's increasing urban population, then Texas roads will be in the hands of private enterprise.  Why don't our Texas leaders do their job?  Should we give our leaders' jobs to private companies as well?  For now, we as drivers and consumers of raw asphalt have choices: when to go to work or leave work to avoid traffic, alternate routes maintained by the state that are "free", (what a concept right?), or to only use a toll road when in a hurry.  What will the future hold?  Is it going to cost me 20 dollars just to go to HEB one day because lawmakers yesterday punted the responsibility of road finance to private for profit companies? 

The blog Blue Blooded in a Sea of Red, by Katy Armstrong, featured a well written post from November 02, 2012, titled "Cookies and Ice Cream for Education.   I would like to comment on it here in my own blog.


          "Cookies and Ice Cream for Education" blogs about a simple model thought up by Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's ice cream fame.  Nothing profound here in Mr. Cohen's presentation or, for that matter, in Mrs. Armstrong's blog.  But it works well and is effective in communicating and presenting information that is otherwise not pleasing to the palate nor good for the digestion.  Oh, bad blogger!!!  I promise no more food analogies. 
          The main thrust of the blog referenced is to let an Oreo cookie  represent 10 billion dollars in spending.  If forty cookies goes towards defense and only three and half cookies to education, then, essentially, we see that the Cookie Monster is our nation's military spending.  A cookie or two more for education and great forward progress could be achieved in preparing to fight a different kind of battle.  Primarily preparing the future generations of our nation and Texas to be competitive in a changing global economic market.
          Mrs. Armstrong then cleverly moves from the attention getter she borrowed from Ben Cohen to bring up current educational issues within Texas.  These include the recent budget cuts which have resulted in 600 school districts suing the state of Texas to get back the program money that was cut. 
          In conclusion, I like the blog because it gets our attention with an analogy anybody can understand.  Also, there are embedded links within the blog which make it convenient to go straight to sources and further information.  All in all a job well done. 
          


         

Cheech and Chong Texas Government or How Rick Perry Got the Munchies

Texas should be more like California and institute a state income tax!  Ha, got your attention.  Lower your weapon, easy does it, I was just kidding.  The question remains:  How should Texas deal with balancing its budget?  This includes expenditures for running the three branches of the state government as well as funding the state's five major programs of education, health and human services, transportation, public safety and corrections, and employee benefits. 

Currently, Texas revenue comes from sales tax, property taxes, and taxes on vehicle sales, motor fuels, and other sources, including what is commonly known as the "sin tax" which is levied on alcohol and cigarettes for instance.  Another important source of income, one third of Texas' total in fact, comes to the state in matching funds and grants from the federal government.  Finally, flat fees for professional licenses, hunting licenses, and driver's licenses raise a considerable sum, as well as fines and penalties.

I believe Texas should decriminalize marijuana and model a state program after Colorado's successful medical marijuana bill that was signed into law by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter.  Not only is Colorado taxing and regulating marijuana in order to raise much needed revenue, but portions of state government are pushing to legalize recreational use and possession in this year's elections in what is commonly known as "Amendment 64."  Supporters of the amendment and the medical use bill site the vast sums of money that could be allocated elsewhere that is being spent on criminalizing marijuana.  Other proponents in law enforcement realize that the War on Drug is not working and a new approach is needed.  Governments around the world are facing bankruptcy and top financial analysts that predicted the financial crisis of 2008 are warning that our states are next.

Texas could save and redistribute billions of dollars by decriminalizing marijuana.  Money spent on enforcement, prosecution, and jailing, could be allocated toward Texas' five major programs of education, health and human services, transportation, public safety and corrections, and employee benefits. Furthermore, billions would be raised in taxing and regulating marijuana sales.  Finally, as some Colorado authorities have stated, some power and control that gangs and cartels brandish would be diminished due to one major source of their economic illegal activity being taken over by government itself.  This could eliminate some of the violence in our border cities.

Texas and it's citizens could demonstrate their fundamental belief in the Texan Creed, principally individualism and the liberty and self-reliance of a state that takes its state budget and debt seriously.  What could be more libertarian and "Texas" than the state defying current federal laws that oppose marijuana legalization?  What could be more republican than minimizing the role of the federal government in Texas politics?  What could be more democratic than using money toward education and health rather than incarceration and ineffective prevention?