CLOUT has had great success in court but we need your help immediately.  Please read the attached letter to all CLOUT members by clicking on the letter below:

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Taxpayer Hero - Former HPD Officer Tom Nixon

Several weeks ago CLOUT challenged City of Houston candidates to show up at Houston’s public hearing on taxes and ask Council to lower the property tax rate. Only one - Former HPD Officer Tom Nixon who is running for Council at Large, position 5 bothered to show up and speak for the taxpayer.

Also, at this public hearing standing up for Houston taxpayers, but not running for City Council, were our own “Taxman”, Paul Bettencourt and Bruce Hotze the Chairman of Let the People Vote PAC.

Ballot Propositions - “Paul’s Prop Picks”

People have been asking for CLOUT’s advice for Tuesday’s Election.   The ballot is full of statewide and local bond issues.  When it comes to watching out for taxpayer’s money, there is no better source than our “Taxman”, Paul Bettencourt.  Paul reports that the good news is the State now has a big and growing surplus of $8.5 Billion. He asks why are we borrowing the money for Props 2, 4, 12, 15, & 16 when it will cost us Billions in interest charges plus the bond principle?  All these Bonds are just like your home mortgage, they must be paid off with interest over decades.* 

“Paul’s Prop Picks” for Statewide Propositions

On Wednesday, Houston City Council will vote on a tax proposal which will increase the average homeowner’s taxes by over 10% and bring almost $100 Million more into the city of Houston coffers.  While Mayor White is proposing a nominal 1/8th of a cent rate reduction, CLOUT says that anything less than one cent is a joke.

At last week’s Houston Council tax debate the Hon. Paul Bettencourt held sway against a very liberal council that had very few reservations about placing a record property tax increase on homes and businesses this year. Paul had to fend off Council Member Adrian Garcia’s aggressive questioning like “Mr. Bettencourt, when was the last time you spoke up in public for property tax relief?” (He was serious folks!)  He didn’t even know what hit him after Paul blasted him with the facts of his own history in speaking up for Taxpayers Statewide.

Hat’s off to Bruce Hotze, Bob Lemer, Jeff Daily, GOP Chair Jared Woodfill, Trustee Michael Wolfe, SD Chair Mona Lisa Chambers, and all those CLOUT stalwarts that came out to help!

Call to Action.

Call the Mayor’s office at 713-247-2200 and ask him for real property tax relief. Shame him into cutting his tax rate by at least a penny to at least match the County’s tax rate cut. The city could cut the rate by 4.1 cents to reach the “effective tax rate”.  Call the Mayor Today at 713-247-2200!

– Regards, Stan Stanart - Executive Director CLOUT

Dear CLOUT Members,

The City of Houston is conducting their last Property Tax Hearing on Wednesday, October 24th, at 9am in the City Hall Council Chambers. We need you to come and testify against the current proposed property tax rate that would have the average Houston home paying 12.7% more on their property tax bill just this year alone! That’s right the city will get over 90 Million dollars more in property tax revenues because businesses will see a double digit increase too; allowing City of Houston Coffers to rake in 11.75% more property tax revenues!

These astounding increases are even with the city slightly lowering their tax rate by 0.125 pennies when the truth-in-taxation property tax code effective tax rate says they can lower it by 4.11 cents. I’ve never seen such large across the board property tax increases headed the taxpayers way, and now is the time to let your voice be heard before this nearly $90 jump in just your cities portion of the property tax bill shows up in your mail box! Call the mayor’s office at 713-247-2200, and tell him you want a real property tax rate cut just like I did on Friday. I expect the Harris County Commissioners Court to cut their tax rate by at least one penny on Tuesday, so CLOUT members really need to turn out on Wednesday.

Look, once appraised values on homes and businesses go up they rarely go down. Tax rates have to be cut when these values increase or taxpayers will pay the increase year after year. Check out the “Case for a Property Tax rate cut in City of Houston” by clicking on the link for more information on this public policy debate that needs your involvement today.

See you there,

Paul Bettencourt  

WHEN:    Wednesday, October 24th, at 9am
WHERE:  Houston City Hall Council Chambers, 2nd floor, 901 Bagby, Houston.

ACTION 1: Attend Wednesdays meeting and testify against tax increase.

ACTION 2: Call your elected officials and tell them you want a real property tax cut!

Mayor Bill White, 713-247-2200
City Council District A, Toni Lawrence, 713-247-2010
City Council District B, Jarvis Johnson, 713-247-2009
City Council District C, Anne Clutterbuck, 713-247-2004
City Council District D, Ada Edwards, 713-247-2001
City Council District E, Addie Wiseman, 713-247-2008
City Council District F, M. J. Khan, 713-247-2002
City Council District G, Pam Holm, 713-247-2007
City Council District H, Adrian Garcia, 713-247-2003
City Council District I, Carol Alvarado, 713-247-2011
City Council Position 1, Peter Brown, 713-247-2014
City Council Position 2, Sue Lovell, 713-247-2013
City Council Position 3, Melissa Noriega, 713-247-2005
City Council Position 4, Ronald Green, 713-247-2012
City Council Position 5, Michael Berry, 713-247-2006

Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes (CLOUT) today announced their readiness to move forward into the jury trial phase of a taxpayer lawsuit challenging illegal state spending.

The lawsuit, Hendee v. Dewhurst, was originally filed in June of 2006 to uphold the Texas constitution’s cap on discretionary state spending.  In a series of court victories, CLOUT has proven that taxpayers have a legal right to challenge state spending.

CLOUT attorneys are now moving into discovery and deposition, which will call on members of the Legislative Budget Board to explain their decisions in the budgeting process. 

In a strong court showing this week, CLOUT effectively argued the merits of the case before a Travis County District Judge.  While the judge did not grant CLOUT’s motion for temporary injunction of $931 million in illegal state spending, she listened to the arguments of both sides, and CLOUT will now move forward to trial.

CLOUT Executive Director Edd Hendee responded to today’s ruling: “We’ve been successful in defending taxpayer rights so far and I’m very confidant going forward.  After listening to both sides argue in court, I think we have a stronger case than even we realized.”

“We’ve factually established our case, we’ve know the arguments, and we’re ready for trial.  Assuming the state provides the discovery we’ve awaited for over a year, our case is only growing.”

Hendee concluded, “We’ve been before judges at every level, now it’s time to let a jury decide.”

Please help CLOUT fund this effort by making a generous donation today.  Click here to donate byway of PayPal™

Citizens Lowering our Unfair Taxes are pleased to announce another legal victory for taxpayer rights.  Today the Supreme Court of Texas rejected the Attorney General’s motion to delay and deny taxpayer standing, affirming a series of previous CLOUT victories in the lower courts. 

CLOUT filed an original petition with the district court in Austin on June 14^th, 2006, seeking injunctive relief to stop illegal state spending.  The lawsuit seeks to uphold an amendment to the Texas Constitution requiring a cap on state spending.  In a series of victories at every level of state court, CLOUT has overcome the state’s attempts to stall. 

Today’s ruling from the Supreme Court resulted from a move by the state’s attorney to seek relief from a 3^rd Court of Appeals order that also sustained CLOUT’s standing in court. 

Lead plaintiff and Executive Director Edd Hendee explained the urgency of the case: “The Attorney General has made every possible effort to deny taxpayer standing and drag this suit out while the state continues to spend beyond its means.  Now the Supreme Court of Texas has spoken, and it is time for the bureaucrats to recognize taxpayer rights and proceed with this case.” 

CLOUT attorney Gary Polland added, “While we have been disappointed with the Attorney General’s repeated stall tactics, the ruling from the Supreme Court today is a great win for the legal rights of Texas taxpayers, and we’re ready to move forward.” 

Hendee concluded: “After 14 months of this chess game with the Attorney General, it’s time for taxpayers to have our day in court.”

Please help CLOUT fund this effort by making a generous donation today.  Click here to donate byway of PayPal™

After winning at the Texas Supreme Court (see below), the Third Court of Appeals of Texas has now unleased CLOUT to pursue our lawsuit against the State of Texas to enforce the constitutional limit on spending.   Our legal team has filed a First Amended Suit (copy available here) seeking an injunction against unconstitutional spending among other things.

The case is set for a hearing in August on a temporary injunction in a Travis County District Court.   The Texas Supreme Court has fully established the right for taxpayers to sue to stop unconstitutional spending over the objections of the Attorney General’s legal team.

Quite frankly, a lawsuit of this magnitude is very expensive and we need your financial help for our legal fees.   $100, $50, $20 or any amount.  It all adds up.   Thank you for making a difference and thank you for your support of CLOUT.

Please help CLOUT fund this effort by making a generous donation today.  Click here to donate byway of PayPal™

Why Texas firms are keeping cattle on the back forty

Major corporations have found out how to avoid Texas property taxes by way of the state’s agricultural exemption.  A Wall Street Journal article tells how:

• Fidelity reduces property-tax bill from $319,417 to $714.57
• Samsung Electronics cut real-estate taxes from $21,080 to $135.68
• Michael Dell cut property taxes on his ranch from $580,780 to $1,355
• Exxon Mobil lowers appraised value of 3,909 acres from $38 Million to $1.2 million
• Nokia reduces annual property taxes from $85,000 to $95

Simple math tells me that if they are paying less, then someone WE will be paying more. 

The full article can be found at: http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/why-texas-firms-are-keeping-cattle-on/n20070730122209990011

Read the article, call your representative, and email your friends a link to www.clouttexas.com.  Together we can and will make a difference.

The Texas Supreme Court refused to hear the State of Texas appeal of the CLOUT Lawsuit filed by Edd Hendee as reported by the lead counsel on the case today, Gary Polland. The State of Texas claim, offered by the Attorney Generals office, that Edd Hendee didn’t have “standing” to sue the state over the Constitutional budget spending cap provision has now lost at both the appellate and supreme court levels so the discovery efforts for the trial can proceed in 10 or so days at a minimum. Therefore, Taxpayers once again have the right to go to court to enforce the constitutional provisions voted on by the citizens of Texas in the first place. It seems like such a simple concept for Government to accept, but what a fight! 

Basically, the dispute can know get down to the facts of whether or not the State’s budget grew too fast or not, and how this check and balance is administered by the Legislature. We’ll have additional updates on this issue as having an effective “yardstick” to measure the growth of government is essential to conservative philosophy and is at the heart of what CLOUT is all about. I hope all parties concerned would take the time to sit down and fully discuss this case on its merits with Edd, Gary, and the rest of the CLOUT team. More later,

Paul Bettencourt

Please help CLOUT fund this effort by making a generous donation today.  Click here to donate byway of PayPal™

Americans for Prosperity Partners with CLOUT on
Defending the American Dream; The Texas Challenge Conference

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan said that “The American Dream is the herat ans soul of America; it’s the promise that keeps our nation forever good and generous, a model and hope to the world.”

AFPF and CLOUT are partnering for the a Texas Taxpayer conference in Houston on Friday, June 22, 2007, from 3pm to 6pm. A post-legislative session wrap-up, the conference will serve as a springboard for action to empower taxpayers to rein in spiraling property taxes and out-of-control government spending and ultimately, to take back Texas government.

An exciting line-up of elected officials and community leaders from the Houston area will be speaking about their legislative successes and the challenges facing Texas.  The event is open to the public free of charge.    

WHO:
o       Paul Bettencourt, Harris County Tax Assessor/Collector
o       Ben Streusand, Advisory Board Chairman AFP Foundation-Texas
o       The Hon. Tom Pauken, Chairman, Appraisal Reform Task Force
o       Cheryl Johnson, Galveston County Tax Assessor/Collector
o       Peggy Venable, Director, Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Texas
o       Michelle Korsmo, Executive VP, Americans for Prosperity Foundation
o       Chris Cottrell, Co-founder, Katy Citizen Watchdogs
o       State Reps Charlie Howard, Robert Talton, Corbin Van Arsdale, John Otto
o       Michele Connole, AFPF-Texas Grassroots Coordinator 

WHAT: Defending the American Dream; The Texas Challenge Conference hosted by AFPF-Texas  www.afptx.org in conjunction with CLOUT (Citizens for Lowering Our Unfair Taxes) - http://www.clouttexas.com/

WHEN:   Friday, June 22, 2007, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.               

WHERE:  Sheraton North Houston Hotel; 15700 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Houston TX 77032

Don’t Forget - Taxpayer Appraisal Protest Seminars
Wednesday, May 30

We’re going back to Basics at CLOUT with dual seminars on Wednesday the 30th to help teach taxpayers how to protest their taxes. As the legislative session in Austin has yet produced a single taxpayer relief bill to date, the quickest way to a “tax cut in any Texas town” is a successful property protest. 

Edd Hendee has once again donated space at the Taste of Texas on Wednesday May 30th, and Sheryl Johnson will run the same seminar out of her office in Galveston Counties’ North Annex in League City. Come Join Paul Bettencourt and HCAD’s Jim Robinson in Houston or Cheryl Johnson’s crew off of I-45.

At either location, we’ll explain how easy it is to protest your property appraisal and show you how to do your homework before your hearing in June or July. Remember the protest deadline for most accounts is May 31st, so if you’re not sure if you should protest or how to do it come on out to this free seminar on your way home from 2pm to 6pm. – Paul Bettencourt

P.S. 750,000 homes are up in value, and only 60,000 down in Harris County. That should tell you how strong the appraised value increases are this year in Southeast Texas!

How to Protest your Property Appraisals

Wednesday, May 30, 2007  — 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Harris County - Taste of Texas, 10505 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024

Galveston County - Galveston County North Annex, 174 Calder, League City, TX 77573

Click here for Edd Hendee’s Handy-Dandy Property Tax Appraisal Protest Form to help with your protest.  For the Harris County appraisal district’s data go to: www.hcad.org. Protesting your tax appraisal is free and you don’t have to hire an agent, but you certainly can if you chose to do so. 

For more information on protesting your property appraisal, visit the Harris County Tax Office Web at www.hctax.net or the Galveston County Tax Office Web at www.co.galveston.tx.us/tax_offices.