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Texas has a $1 billion surplus, or at least had it in 1998. When people were polled about what to use the surplus in, the overwhelming majority said to raise teacher pay (Texas lags in education) or repair roads and other civil constructions. Instead Gov. Bush and his Republican allies decided that the surplus go to a unsupported tax break that only affects the very rich. For you see, the tax break is only one for people that own large areas of land (hmm... what a coincidence, Bush just acquired a huge ranch near Waco). So millionaires and billionaires are receiving a tax break on their land that amounts to $1 billion, while the rest of Texas is not getting squat, and still has to pay high sales taxes.
Oh, and what else are they using most of the new budget in? That's right: building prisons (although reform/rehab programs for prisoners are progressively being cut). The main concern of Texans right now is education, and has been over the last few years, yet only 1/10 of what is spent on prisons is spent on education. Meanwhile, Texas legislators keep on thinking of new laws to restrict vices and "that which is offensive and un-Christian" (racism not included), particularly the Republicans and the ultra-conservative old wing of the Democrats.
Hooray for conservatives and Republicans! You know they want a smaller government, not to mention less taxes [for them, not for you that earn less than $1m a year]!
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