After the weekend’s vote in favor of the new jail bond proposal, I must admit that I’m still unsure what to think. Local politics has certainly made some strange bedfellows. Much to my surprise, many people I know and respect in our area have come out in support of the modest tax increase in order to finally put the prison issue to rest. The new prison will cost thirty- five million, but proponents say that some of those costs can be made up by housing state and federal prisoners from outside our area.
Even Tyler’s budget hawks have been divided on the issue. The “Grassroots America” organization supported the measure, while the Tyler Tea Party opposed it. Personally I certainly recognize the need to ease prison overcrowding, but as a Tylerite, I can’t help but feel somewhat duped. Every time the city has pushed for some new bond or other, citizens have said “no we can’t afford it!” whether it was school bonds or the continually re-emerging issue of a new jail. Well, in the latter case persistence has finally paid off. I wish I could say that I trusted our local bureaucrats to take the most frugal approach with our money, but sorry to say, I just don’t.
At the end of the day the passing of the jail bond may not be entirely bad news. Certainly building the new jail will have positive implications, namely local jobs and fresh outside funds. But I’m concerned that every other local committee is going to employ the same kind of grind us down, tactics the pro-jail people used. My advice is this; keep your hand on your wallet folks! There are always going to be things we need to buy or build. But let’s prioritize. There’s nothing wrong with making do with less, now and again!
Municipal Surcharge Bureau, Again!
October 26th, 2011Well as it turned out, recent financial challenges made it necessary for me to request an extension in order to avoid a suspension of my license. Upon making the request I was condescendingly lectured to by the vogon on the other end of the line, that the extension was only being granted as a courtesy, and the next payment would have to be on time. “That’s ok,” I replied; “this is my last payment.” “Well, actually,” it replied hesitantly, “you’ll be required to make another payment of one hundred dollars next year… uh… a… and the following year” the unisex voice stammered, clearly nervous about breaking the news. I hit the ceiling. “Are you kidding me?!” I yelled. “I’m afraid not,” it squeaked. “According to the driver responsibility act of two thousand whatever…” and it proceeded to quote me chapter and verse of some recent legal code, no one but an expert in legal blather could possibly understand.
I’m becoming more and more aware of how buried we are becoming in stupid red tape which serves only to complicate our lives and separate us from our money, in exchange for absolutely nothing! And unfortunately, no one can seem to stop it because its government that’s doing it! If only we could manage to elect representatives willing to divest the government of at least a portion of other people’s money. Until then, maybe we should all start to pay these fines in pennies! The bean counters may actually enjoy counting them.
To read my original article on the municipal surcharge bureau, click on the following link Municipal Surcharge Bureau and the Driver Responsibility Program in Texas
Tags: Blather, Chapter And Verse, City Of Tyler, Collections Agency, Department Of Public Safety, Driver Responsibility, Financial Challenges, Grammar, Hawks, Infraction, Installments, One Hundred Dollars, Perceptive Readers, Red Tape, Responsibility Act, Sheriff Of Nottingham, State Of Texas, Surcharge, Tax Collectors, Thief, Tyler Texas, Vogon
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