Hays Free Press - Latest Comments

Re: Sales tax grab is on in Kyle

CaptHappy — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 14:46:18 -0000

Seems like the City and ESD should play better with each other. One is not more important then the other and both have needs.

I know and have lots of respect for David Wilson, but believe in this case he is wrong as I would not see the ESD having additional revenue as "giving away sales tax".

Having more police officers is vital to a growing city, but so is having additional fire fighters. This city has gotten by many years with volunteers donating their time and risking their lives for neighbors without much to any cost.

Having 10 police officers standing around a burning house will not help much.

When I left the department, there were an average of 5 paid personal on duty. 5 for a city of 30,000 + IH35 + rail road with hazards and with AB Int flight paths above.

The main problem for ESD is that Kyle was, and still is for most part, residential. The commercial is where the real source of taxes for Fire Departments come from. This is why Buda fire has less people to support but a better budget to do it with then Kyle.

Seem the City and ESD could have reached some agreement where the FD gets the sales tax for property outside annex areas until they are annexed, then maybe 1/2 the tax for 1 - 2 years after the annex, and then all goes back to the city.

An agreement as exampled above would give the ESD an infusion for time being allowing other commercially to be built and taxes from those to start flowing in, but would also allow the city to annex when time is right, and to get the sales tax back.

Not that the above is a perfect solution, it just an example of how they could work "together" rather then against one another.

In the end, if have police, but not sufficient EMS and Fire services, we the taxes payers still suffer.

Re: Plant deemed hazardous downstream

mpchristie — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 18:17:58 -0000

I left a message on the Facebook page this morning and have not yet received a reply. Why are 6 of the names in the Kyle listing of Residential Water Users in Kyle listed as confidential?

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

Donn Brooks — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 18:10:39 -0000

I miswrote: The proper sentence in my memo to JK should read "a desire not to wait too long." As one who has been closely involved with municipal government for over fifty years, I have concluded that there is no real savings connected with not raising taxes when the need arises.

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

Donn Brooks — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 18:01:56 -0000

Memo to JK: I would speculate that council took the advice of Ms. Altmiller over time and expressed to the finance director a desire to wait too long on raises taxes and utility rates in order to avoid Kyle's dilemma. It sounds to me that they have a handle on their finances. Financial policy is the business of the council and not the administration. It seems to this Kyle resident that Buda is doing just fine.

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

Donn Brooks — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:40:58 -0000

I do not live in Buda. I live in Kyle. However, what goes in Buda and in Kyle impact upon our school taxes in what is known as over-lapping taxes. Me has made a broad and sweeping statement. I am wondering if he/she would share with us the personal experience that fosters this statement? All cities need more expertise in the financial field as councilpersons, chairmen of committees, etc. Can you give us more data regarding your background and experience with municipal budgets?

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

JK — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:39:45 -0000

There seems to be a lack of understanding of the fundamentals at the City of Buda. They should be keeping the utility fund and the general fund independent of each other. Raising the tax rate (which goes into the General Fund) should not impact their decision to fund a well out of the Utility Fund. These actions should raise a red flag for the citizens of Buda. I am also concerned about the 180 degree change in the staff recommendation regarding the tax rate and budget in general. It sounds like they don't have a handle on their finances.

Re: Sexual assault arrestee was HCISD bus driver

lizzienicole — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:04:48 -0000

This is plan scary.....especially for the students of his bus routes

Re: Jail fight not over

Donn Brooks — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:25:11 -0000

Settlement time. This Shawnessy clown talks a big game, but things change when everybody is under oath and pain of perjury. Counties, schools and cities are all afraid of going to trial despite words to the contrary.

Re: Kyle plan would raise taxes, water/wastewater

Lila Knight — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:15:27 -0000

In 1988, the tax rate was .4688
In 1992, the tax rate was .6623
It started really going down in 2001, after Tom Mattis was hired as city manager. Even though that was the beginning of the city issuing a great deal of debt for new infrastructure.

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

Me — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:32:55 -0000

It really helps to stop spending money and live within the budget. Its amazing how well this works.

Re: Kyle plan would raise taxes, water/wastewater

Dawn — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:25:33 -0000

Why is the city's debt my fault? They want all these people to move in so they receive more income from property tax, yet are punishing those of us who have been here for 10+ years. What I was told previously when I asked about why the utility rates were skyrocketing was that it was previous mismanagement and the failure to raise rates earlier and at a more moderate pace. That is not my fault nor my problem. The only ones who suffer in that scenario are the citizens. I am not a government employee so I do not receive automatic cost-of-living pay raises every year. My pay rate remains the same while more and more of money is taken to make up for other people's lack of planning. I enjoy living in Kyle, but it is seriously becoming too expensive to do so. And I honestly do not understand why Buda seems so much better managed than Kyle (SEEMS- I can't say for sure, but it appears to be).

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Chili_twonine — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 21:52:34 -0000

Falsifying birth certificate? Still livin' in the bubble are we?

Re: Plant deemed hazardous downstream

Nick — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 20:30:41 -0000

Actually the $20,000 fine was for a raw sewage discharge in 2010.

Re: Buda changes course: Opts to raise property taxes to 29.79 cents

Donn Brooks — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 20:07:22 -0000

The issue is plain, though nobody wants to admit it. If you dance you must pay the fiddler. Kyle, where I live, chose to not raise taxes and it has resulted in a drastic escalation, all at one time, in order to right the ship. Hays CISD is in worse shape, since they postpone debt retirement for a whopping twenty-two years. We dance and we pay the fiddler, sooner or later.

Re: Kyle plan would raise taxes, water/wastewater

Donn Brooks — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 18:24:57 -0000

Go to Buda. But, remember that the Hays CISD and the City of Kyle have largely been populated by folks that came from Austin to avoid higher taxes. Lots of people had that idea and then came the debt followed by taxes and utility rates to service the debt. But, good luck to you.

Re: Kyle plan would raise taxes, water/wastewater

Y.F.C — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 23:15:42 -0000

As a renter who can now afford to purchase, I am most definitely looking to settle down in Buda. And I'll be sure not to let the knob hit me on my way out. Have fun with your water bills and high taxes.

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Donn Brooks — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 19:27:40 -0000

Memo to All: For the most part this has been a healthy discourse. We have not heard from the individual posting as "He's Black, get over it" This interjection changed the tone of the conversation and, as I read and think about it, the change was not for the better. I ask once more to this individual: Do you honestly believe that any criticism directed to the president results from racial prejudice? Based on your earlier post, I cannot help but believe that is your point of view. Frankly, I am not prepared to be that cynical. Are you saying that, absent his race, he would not be receiving any criticism? That is a difficult proposition for me to subscribe to.

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Lila Knight — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 01:43:42 -0000

Okay. So you "clarified" it by using an "archaic" term? How did that clarify anything? I'm sorry. we should LEAVE IT ALONE. ROFL I have no idea what that means.

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

AJOHN151 — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 01:24:17 -0000

LILA You dont read properly do you

i said another poster refered to his color

QUOTE (he's black get over it ).. UNQUOTE

i replied to that

i did not bring up the race issue just clarified it

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Lila Knight — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 00:21:42 -0000

John, no one brought up the word "mulatto" until you did. Is that what you call "political correctness"? Or, now that you have brought it up - we are supposed to LEAVE IT ALONE ROFL

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

AJOHN151 — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 23:52:29 -0000

to me obama is just another president i wish to take issue with, his color whatever we may wish to call it was not part of my thinking .
until a unnamed poster referenced it .

which makes my point once race is propelled into a discussion/happening /event /etc it lowers it into a racially charged argument which ends having no bearing on the original subject matter .

SO ONCE AGAIN to best overcome racial tensions which abound at this present time DONT FAN IT address each situation as required but otherwise LEAVE IT ALONE

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Donn Brooks — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 22:26:17 -0000

Concerning the definition of mulatto, I would invite your attention to this definition:1590s, "offspring of a European and a black African," from Spanish or Portuguese mulato "of mixed breed," literally "young mule," from mulo "mule," from Latin mulus (fem. mula) "mule" (see mule (n.1)); possibly in reference to hybrid origin of mules. As an adjective from 1670s. Fem. mulatta is attested from 1620s; mulattress from 1805.
American culture, even in its most rigidly segregated precincts, is patently and irrevocably composite. It is, regardless of all the hysterical protestations of those who would have it otherwise, incontestibly mulatto. Indeed, for all their traditional antagonisms and obvious differences, the so-called black and so-called white people of the United States resemble nobody else in the world so much as they resemble each other. [Albert Murray, "The Omni-Americans: Black Experience & American Culture," 1970] This etymology might prove useful in determining when to/when not to use the word. For myself, I think I will be very careful about when I will use the word, but as I read this, I think most of us are mulatto if ybrid is the defining factor.I would certainly agree with AJOHN151 in recognizing the danger of political correctness. I think, to take issue with Lila Knight, that there is a tendency to call out those with whom we disagree by calling them incivil. One needs only to study what happened in 1997 to the Hays CISD to see the fruits of political correctness, a disease that favors the mediocre.

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

Mike Fulton — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 00:29:16 -0000

If anyone ever calls you a fool, point them to this post as your defense.

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

AJOHN151 — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 00:03:02 -0000

Just like the losers did when G BUSH beat his opponents ass .
as i said in a earlier post they ALL do it both parties are same con artists of the highest order

Re: Group protests for president’s impeachment

AJOHN151 — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 23:52:33 -0000

Lila dont muddle the line between civility ( politness ) and pc political dogma .

we can be polite no need to insult people and be rude

point taken.

but to link anything you conveniantly dont like cus of some political agenda to something that happened 150 age is WRONG its censorship for political gain .
. every day as happened today something is *written and low and behold somebody replies we cant *say / write use* that because it might be objectionable to some because of happenings over a century ago

something is said every that i object to WHEN DOES PC END ??

do we refuse to acknowledge germany because of ww2 ?
do we not buy japanese cars because of ww2 ?
do we not support the catholic church because of the inquisition ?

this **hate * will never go away if folks like all sharpton flame the fires and you support that action.

not I or any of my family has ever done a injustice to a minority .. and i doubt there is anybody alive today who suffered pain and sorrow during those early days of this great country of ours .
its sad we started with aggression and injustice to innocent fellow humans, most of the world were part of it including the countries that * supplied the victims of slavery* to sea going merchants ,

lot has been done to make sure it does not happen again . cant ignore the past just learn from it.
whatever we do wont change it and there will always be folks who will find something to bitch about

.lets move on....
past the hate that is being flamed by the likes of obama and co and live in harmony with each other .