A FORCED RECESSION

The State of Texas is forcing its recession on Fort Bend County. The "Fort Bend Herald" has more.

Fort Bend County has cut the budget by 18% in the last 2 years. The County is running lean and efficient. We were expecting flat revenues or small growth. In other words, Fort Bend was coming out of the recession and was poised for growth.

Now, Austin will claim that it has balanced the budget. But what it has really done is pass it on to the Cities and Counties. Austin is too cowardly to raise revenues, so it forces its problems to the Counties, and the Counties are forced to raise revenues to pay for the State's mandates.

A shell game indeed.

Write your state rep and state senator and tell them to have courage and face the problem.

I will be posting a series on the cuts and how they could effect our tax rate. Stay tuned.

JANICEK IS NEEDVILLE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

This is well deserved. Hat tip to the Herald.

THE JUSTICE CENTER

This is the inside dome of the new Justice Center. The building will be complete by April and move-in will be complete by mid June.

PAYBACKS ARE HELL...

Jim Russ, a noted Aggie, had a wager with Commissioner Meyers, a noted Tiger, on the outcome of the Cotton Bowl. Jim lost.