The Texas Lege: Tax cops and targeting illegals

There is nothing more scary in the great state of Texas than its Legislature. And they’re almost back. In fact, Texas lawmakers are already pre-filing for the 81st Session which begins in January and trotting out products guaranteed to make you scratch your head a time or two, or perhaps leave the state, such as:

County Tax Cops?

House Bill 115 filed by Rep. Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, relates “to the authority of a county tax assessor-collector to commission certain employees as peace officers.” This bill would add to the already long list of state and local agencies that can employ their own police force such as school and hospital districts to include county tax assessors-collectors.

These commissioned cops would act as “enforcement” officers if such a division is so sanctioned by that county’s governing commission. What is left out and I don’t know the answer to this is will these peace officers have power to arrest those who don’t pay their property taxes? Whoa! That would go over like a lead balloon. Thank goodness this would require approval by voters to amend the state constitution. Maybe I’m just missing something.

Illegals: Stay in the designated areas

State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, filed House Bill 254 today which would restrict illegal immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities.” These are cities, as defined by Berman’s legislation, which “do not discriminate or deny municipal services on the basis of a person’s immigration status and are treated equally regardless of immigration status.” Hmmm. Yeah, that ought to work. He also filed HB 255 today which would prohibit illegal immigrants from public colleges and universities. But wait, there’s more …

Not only does Berman want to make life difficult for illegal immigrants he wants to make it hard for Texas residents to help out friends or family down South. HB 263, part of Berman’s serial pre-filing today would require money transmission companies to charge a fee of 8 percent of the amount sent for “personal, family, or household purpose” from Texas to Mexico, Central or South America. Those who are legally in the United States could apply, under such a law, to seek a refund of this fee from the state upon submitting proof they are lawfully entitled to be in this country. The fee collected by the state would go to a fund for indigent health care, which is at least shows a little sense but not an overabundance.

Now if you think that’s all for our Tyler friend who, wants to make life difficult for illegal immigrants and give back all those great power-washing and dishwashing jobs to Ah-mer-cuns, think again. Berman’s House Joint Resolution 27 proposes a constitutional amendment to make English the official language of Texas and that all official governmental acts be taken in English. Oh and he encourages shooting illegal immigrants as well. House Concurrent Resolution 13 would ask the U.S. President, who will be named Barack Obama, to pardon convicted rogue Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who shot an illegal alien drug dealer and tried to cover up the incident.

These are just a few of the wonderful proposals from our esteemed state legislators. Many, many more bills will come. No one is safe be them legal or illegal.

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