Vote NO on all the proposed Texas Amendments

On Nov. 8, Texas voters will get a chance to vote on 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

These are constitutional amendments and once they are approved — by the voters — then they are part of the Texas Constitution.  It would require an amendment to the state Constitution to repeal any one of them.

Proposed Amendment No. 1 really irks me.

Back in the 1970's after the war in Southeast Asia, Texas voters approved special Disabled Veterans license plates. You have all seen them. These vets could receive a tax break on the licensing of their cars.   It sounded fair.  I'm for the veterans.  I'm a veteran myself.

I expected to see old junk cars sporting these tags with crippled veterans getting out and riding off in wheelchairs.  What I saw were healthy people — some driving Cadillac's — driving up and stepping out looking like the very picture of health.  GULP!  What's wrong with this picture?

Well fool me once, but not a second time.

Proposed Amendment No. 1 would authorize "the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a 100 percent or totally disabled veteran."

Listen up folks!  All military people volunteered for service.  We thank them. We live up to whatever we promised them ... if we can afford it. That's all!

So I'm a "disabled" vet. ( ...  which I am not!)  I'm living in a $200,000 house with a FREDDIE MAC / FANNIE MAE government subsidized sub-prime loan (...which I don't) ... and I want a tax break?  (...which I am not asking for!)

Sure!  It's like I  can't wait to give you a tax break so the powers that be can jack up MY taxes to pay for the loss in revenue.

No way!   Like I say, Fool me once, but not again!