Home of Today's Common Sense

Submitted 8/25
In an article in the Brownsville Herald dated August 19, 2004, I read that The University of Texas and Texas Southmost College will be asked to vote on a smaller version of the $97 million dollar bond proposal that was sneaked into a special election two years ago.
The University of Texas at Brownsville wants the taxpayers of Brownsville to shell out a 38% increase in the taxes that we pay to the Southern Union Jr. College District to pay for a larger University library, more University classrooms, a Day Care Center, the establishment of a University workforce training center, expanding University campus parking, and funding for University research for Diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s Disease.
All of the uses mentioned are admirable and valuable goals and would certainly improve the University.
My understanding of the purpose of Junior Colleges is not to support the dreams of a State University but to provide opportunities for folks to seek higher education who may have less resources or be less prepared than others as well as providing specific training to support the residents of the Junior College District. While the workforce training center qualifies, it would appear that the other things do not.
These proposals to extort more money from a relatively disadvantaged community just go to support my belief that the partnership between the Junior College and the University was only a way to circumvent the state law and constitution and increase the state’s tax bite on the most disadvantaged residents.
This year the appraised value of my property increased by 17%; so the taxing authority already got a 17% raise. I think that was more than enough.
I would urge the District Board of Trustees to vote against the tax rate increase and in the event it is passed I would hope that the voters will again soundly defeat any property tax rate increase by any of the taxing authorities.