Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Funds Money



E

Earl Bollinger

Guest
It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
It sort of urks me a lot too.
Heck I was going to get a plate for my truck, but what for? So the state can
use the money to pay for some big party at the capital?
Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too.

Legislature urged to stop raiding dedicated funds
By JAY ROOT and JOHN MORITZ
STAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU
AUSTIN - Whether it's the money Texans pay to get a horned lizard license
plate or the 65-cent fee collected on utility bills, the Texas Legislature
has been using dollars dedicated for one cause to boost spending on others.

On Monday, state leaders and politicians said it's time to stop the
practice.

The calls for reform come amid recent reports that millions of dollars
raised from "conservation" license plates, such as the one heralding Texas
bluebonnets, aren't funding state parks even though motorists who agree to
pay an additional $30 for the plates are told that's where the money goes.

All of the leading candidates for governor criticized the use of dedicated
funds for other programs.

"This is a shell game being played by the politicians," said independent
candidate Kinky Friedman. "It's just like the lottery. We're told that was
supposed to fix education, and that was a sham. The people are being duped
and the politicians are getting rich."

Chris Bell, the Democratic nominee, said lawmakers are "perpetrating a fraud
on the people of Texas." Although Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed into law
the appropriation bill allowing the funding diversions, his spokeswoman,
Kathy Walt, said he opposes the concept.

"If lawmakers are going to have dedicated funds, they ought to meet their
commitment to the people of Texas and use those monies for their intended
purpose," Walt said. "If they cannot do that, the governor believes they
ought to eliminate the fees that go into those dedicated accounts."

Despite the outcry, a leading state legislator and co-author of the last
state spending bill said he expects the practice to continue. Rep. Jim
Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican who heads the budget-writing House
Appropriations Committee, said that in recent years lawmakers have diverted
funds earmarked for one purpose to another "to meet more pressing budget
needs, such as public education and health and human services."

Pitts said state leaders probably will retain the option of using dedicated
funds when the Legislature considers the 2008-09 budget during the next
regular session starting in January.

"We will be looking at all of these dedicated accounts next session," Pitt
said, "and will consider appropriate levels of funding for specific programs
in light of all of our budget demands."

Here's how the process works: Money flows into dedicated accounts from a
variety of fees, such as the $30 nature-loving motorists spend on specialty
license plates, or the 65-cent utility fee ratepayers are charged, on
average, to help low-income Texans pay their electric bills.

But instead of giving all the money to the programs or departments that the
dedicated funds were supposed to support, lawmakers hold back some or all of
it. And since it's sitting in the state Treasury, it's deemed available to
spend.

Lawmakers can restore the funding, pass legislation that raids it outright
and uses it elsewhere, or just keep relying on the balances every two years
to prop up the budget. The conservation license plate revenue, supposedly
dedicated to parks and wildlife projects, is one tiny example. Parks
officials say the account into which the license plate revenue goes will
have $4.3 million at the end of August. But lawmakers voted to give the
parks department only $106,000 a year out of that account when they passed
the state budget in 2005.

They get to use any unused funds to offset spending elsewhere. Nevertheless,
when Texans buy the plates, they're told that the money "goes to Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department for acquisition and development, maintenance or
operation of parks, fisheries and wildlife projects," according to the
Transportation Department's Web site.

The use of dedicated funds for nondedicated purposes has been going on at
least since the early 1990s. However, the amount of dedicated money used
this way has grown dramatically in the past six years. Less than $500
million in dedicated money was diverted to balance the 2000-01 budget.

Over the next two years, a record $2.75 billion in "dedicated" state revenue
will be used to free up money for other spending priorities, state officials
say.

Former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, a Republican, said the more lawmakers use
dedicated funds for unrelated projects, the less people trust them.

"I think it creates a credibility problem," Ratliff said.

-------------------------
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a ride!!!"
 
Earl Bollinger wrote:
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.


<snip the rest of a well written post>


Disingenuous politicians in Texas - what a shock!

:-o

Paul D Oosterhout
(from SAIC)
 
Earl Bollinger <[email protected]> wrote:
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.


There are several places on the Web where you can buy "Share the Road"
and other cycling-related bumper stickers. Same message, no funds for the
political porkers. Google it.


Bill


__o |Weaning our nation from fossil fuels should be understood as
_`\(,_ |the most patriotic policy to which we can commit ourselves.
(_)/ (_) | --Robert Redford
 
It doesn't say much for Rick Perry's "leadership" does it? By doing this,
the Republicans can say they kept taxes down or didn't raise taxes, etc.,
but it is all a shell game....

Pat in TX
 
Oooops ,,, I read this and then realized it was TEXAS .............

Last time I checked ...................... TEXAS SUCKS!

=========================================
"Earl Bollinger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
> It sort of urks me a lot too.
> Heck I was going to get a plate for my truck, but what for? So the state
> can use the money to pay for some big party at the capital?
> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too.
>
> Legislature urged to stop raiding dedicated funds
> By JAY ROOT and JOHN MORITZ
> STAR-TELEGRAM AUSTIN BUREAU
> AUSTIN - Whether it's the money Texans pay to get a horned lizard license
> plate or the 65-cent fee collected on utility bills, the Texas Legislature
> has been using dollars dedicated for one cause to boost spending on
> others.
>
> On Monday, state leaders and politicians said it's time to stop the
> practice.
>
> The calls for reform come amid recent reports that millions of dollars
> raised from "conservation" license plates, such as the one heralding Texas
> bluebonnets, aren't funding state parks even though motorists who agree to
> pay an additional $30 for the plates are told that's where the money goes.
>
> All of the leading candidates for governor criticized the use of dedicated
> funds for other programs.
>
> "This is a shell game being played by the politicians," said independent
> candidate Kinky Friedman. "It's just like the lottery. We're told that was
> supposed to fix education, and that was a sham. The people are being duped
> and the politicians are getting rich."
>
> Chris Bell, the Democratic nominee, said lawmakers are "perpetrating a
> fraud on the people of Texas." Although Republican Gov. Rick Perry signed
> into law the appropriation bill allowing the funding diversions, his
> spokeswoman, Kathy Walt, said he opposes the concept.
>
> "If lawmakers are going to have dedicated funds, they ought to meet their
> commitment to the people of Texas and use those monies for their intended
> purpose," Walt said. "If they cannot do that, the governor believes they
> ought to eliminate the fees that go into those dedicated accounts."
>
> Despite the outcry, a leading state legislator and co-author of the last
> state spending bill said he expects the practice to continue. Rep. Jim
> Pitts, a Waxahachie Republican who heads the budget-writing House
> Appropriations Committee, said that in recent years lawmakers have
> diverted funds earmarked for one purpose to another "to meet more pressing
> budget needs, such as public education and health and human services."
>
> Pitts said state leaders probably will retain the option of using
> dedicated funds when the Legislature considers the 2008-09 budget during
> the next regular session starting in January.
>
> "We will be looking at all of these dedicated accounts next session," Pitt
> said, "and will consider appropriate levels of funding for specific
> programs in light of all of our budget demands."
>
> Here's how the process works: Money flows into dedicated accounts from a
> variety of fees, such as the $30 nature-loving motorists spend on
> specialty license plates, or the 65-cent utility fee ratepayers are
> charged, on average, to help low-income Texans pay their electric bills.
>
> But instead of giving all the money to the programs or departments that
> the dedicated funds were supposed to support, lawmakers hold back some or
> all of it. And since it's sitting in the state Treasury, it's deemed
> available to spend.
>
> Lawmakers can restore the funding, pass legislation that raids it outright
> and uses it elsewhere, or just keep relying on the balances every two
> years to prop up the budget. The conservation license plate revenue,
> supposedly dedicated to parks and wildlife projects, is one tiny example.
> Parks officials say the account into which the license plate revenue goes
> will have $4.3 million at the end of August. But lawmakers voted to give
> the parks department only $106,000 a year out of that account when they
> passed the state budget in 2005.
>
> They get to use any unused funds to offset spending elsewhere.
> Nevertheless, when Texans buy the plates, they're told that the money
> "goes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for acquisition and
> development, maintenance or operation of parks, fisheries and wildlife
> projects," according to the Transportation Department's Web site.
>
> The use of dedicated funds for nondedicated purposes has been going on at
> least since the early 1990s. However, the amount of dedicated money used
> this way has grown dramatically in the past six years. Less than $500
> million in dedicated money was diverted to balance the 2000-01 budget.
>
> Over the next two years, a record $2.75 billion in "dedicated" state
> revenue will be used to free up money for other spending priorities, state
> officials say.
>
> Former Lt. Gov. Bill Ratliff, a Republican, said the more lawmakers use
> dedicated funds for unrelated projects, the less people trust them.
>
> "I think it creates a credibility problem," Ratliff said.
>
> -------------------------
> "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
> in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,
> thoroughly used up,
> totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a ride!!!"
>
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
> It sort of urks me a lot too.

....
> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too.


You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a
warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can (and
usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example from a
collegiate plate page:

"The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license plate
sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the
Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to
reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license plate
sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year
2006."

Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate.

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)
 
When you think you got it bad with corrupt politicians, just be glad you are not in Louisiana. This place really sucks.



Kristian M Zoerhoff said:
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
> It sort of urks me a lot too.

....
> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it too.


You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a
warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can (and
usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example from a
collegiate plate page:

"The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license plate
sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the
Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to
reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license plate
sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year
2006."

Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate.

--

__o Kristian Zoerhoff
_'\(,_ [email protected]
(_)/ (_)
 
Well at least they put the warning up about them "raiding" the accounts.
Here in Texas, no warnings, they just steal it all, leaving a tiny bit left
for whatever organization was supposed to get it.
Sneaky lying scumbags.
It is really bad when you have to check the politicians out at election time
to see who is "the lesser of two evils".
Sigh.

"Kristian M Zoerhoff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
>> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
>> It sort of urks me a lot too.

> ...
>> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it
>> too.

>
> You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a
> warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can
> (and
> usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example
> from a
> collegiate plate page:
>
> "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license
> plate
> sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the
> Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to
> reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license
> plate
> sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year
> 2006."
>
> Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate.
>
> --
>
> __o Kristian Zoerhoff
> _'\(,_ [email protected]
> (_)/ (_)
 
Yes that is a better idea. Thanks

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Earl Bollinger <[email protected]> wrote:
>> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
>> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.

>
> There are several places on the Web where you can buy "Share the Road"
> and other cycling-related bumper stickers. Same message, no funds for the
> political porkers. Google it.
>
>
> Bill
>
>
> __o |Weaning our nation from fossil fuels should be understood as
> _`\(,_ |the most patriotic policy to which we can commit ourselves.
> (_)/ (_) | --Robert Redford
>
 
I noticed that they left out the part about the fact that 99.99% of the
funds was reallocated, didn't they.

"Kristian M Zoerhoff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
>> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
>> It sort of urks me a lot too.

> ...
>> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it
>> too.

>
> You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a
> warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can
> (and
> usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example
> from a
> collegiate plate page:
>
> "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license
> plate
> sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the
> Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to
> reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license
> plate
> sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year
> 2006."
>
> Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate.
>
> --
>
> __o Kristian Zoerhoff
> _'\(,_ [email protected]
> (_)/ (_)
 
"Kristian M Zoerhoff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
>> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.
>> It sort of urks me a lot too.

> ...
>> Plus it isn't just texas doing it either, all the states are in on it
>> too.

>
> You got that last part right. The IL Secretary of State web site now has a
> warning on some of the speciality plate pages that the legislature can
> (and
> usually has) raided the earmarked funds for other purposes. An example
> from a
> collegiate plate page:
>
> "The Secretary of State's office collects the fees for collegiate license
> plate
> sales and deposits the proceeds in the appropriate accounts. However, the
> Governor and the General Assembly have the authority under state law to
> reallocate those funds. A portion of the proceeds from collegiate license
> plate
> sales were reallocated to the state's General Revenue Fund in Fiscal Year
> 2006."
>
> Needless to say, I'm not rushing out for a speciality plate.
>
> --
>
> __o Kristian Zoerhoff
> _'\(,_ [email protected]
> (_)/ (_)


I was going to say, that might be news in Texas but it's as old as
"Bathhouse John" Coughlin here.

I have to laugh for the people that run out and spend the extra fee for an
environmental plate and realize all that money was 'reallocated'. Probably
into George Ryan's pocket at some point.

Charles of Schaumburg
 
"Earl Bollinger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.



Here, the extra cost of a "share the road" plate goes to the Bicycle
Alliance. See: http://www.bicyclealliance.org/shareplate/share_plate.html.
Mine's on order.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
"Rudolf Schmidt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> Here, the extra cost of a "share the road" plate goes to the Bicycle
>> Alliance. See:
>> http://www.bicyclealliance.org/shareplate/share_plate.html. Mine's on
>> order.

>
> Why not just send the 30 bucks directly to the Bicycle Alliance and leave
> the government out of it?
>

Unfortunately,
I think if you check carefully you will find that only 0.01% or so of that
money actually gets there.
What the state does is budget some paltry sum like $100,000.00 for example
to the Coalition account, and the rest of the all the money (usually like
several million dollars a year) goes into a general fund. The state
actually collects all the money into their special account for this purpose
and the state legislature votes on how to budget and use it.
Now the general fund can be used for any other thing the government wants to
use it for.
What makes it so disgusting is that it is legal.
And all the states are doing it to fix their budget shortfalls. A few states
might actually mention that in the fine print of the caveats, but most
states do not.

I have to agree with the others that it is better to donate directly to your
state's bicycle organization and leave the governments out of it.
 
"Rudolf Schmidt" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> Here, the extra cost of a "share the road" plate goes to the Bicycle
>> Alliance. See:
>> http://www.bicyclealliance.org/shareplate/share_plate.html. Mine's on
>> order.

>
> Why not just send the 30 bucks directly to the Bicycle Alliance and leave
> the government out of it?



I'm a lifetime member of the Bicycle Alliance, so it isn't like I've never
given them money, now or in the past. Plus, I'm doing one of their
fund-raising rides in a week, so I support them in other ways. As for the
plates, think of it this way: as long as I had to replace my license plate,
why not get a Share the Road one, and they get a bit of a benefit, too?

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
http://www.bicyclemeditations.org/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
Earl Bollinger wrote:

> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.--


The answer is LESS Government, not more.
Once you "feed that cat" it will not go 'way and always wants more.




Tp,

-------- __o
----- -\<. -------- __o
--- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<.
-------------------- ( )/ ( )
-----------------------------------------

No Lawsuit Ever Fixed A Moron...
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Earl Bollinger" <[email protected]> writes:

> It is sort of disgusting, if I pay the extra $30 for a "Share the Road"
> license plate the money will never go to promoting cycling at all.


Heh. My knews reader truncates the subject line to:
"Re: Our State Governments Are Stealing the Dedicated Fun".
Perhaps it's apropos.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca