I have been doing some checking and I want you to take a look at some of our surrounding counties tax rates!  I am going to back up what I am telling you with the figures straight from the horses mouth with a link at the bottom of this page.  These figures are from 2005, but I guarantee you that 2006 figures will be close to the same.  These taxes are black and white facts, and not editorial opinion!

In 2005:

Lamar Counties tax rate was 0.4354 

Bowie Counties tax rate was 0.309

Titus Counties tax rate was 0.265

Red River Counties tax rate was 0.67166

 Lets take a look at Lamar County.  They have great places to eat, and stores to shop at, and entertainment.  What do we have in Red River County?  Not very much!   The western part of our county goes to Paris to shop.  They also take the Paris News.  What is it that we have that they don't have?  0.23626 higher taxes!!!

This means that for every $1,000.00 of valuation on your property you are paying $2.3626 more in taxes than they are paying for theirs!

Now lets take a look at Titus County.  They have Mt. Vernon, and Mt. Pleasant.  These are progressive towns with places to eat, shop and entertain.  What do we have in Red River County? Not very much!  The southern part of the county goes to Mt. Vernon, Mt. Pleasant or Paris to shop.  What is it that we have that Titus County doesn't have?  0.40666 higher taxes!!!  This means that for every $1,000.00 of valuation on your property you are paying $4.0666 more in taxes than they are paying for theirs!!

Now lets take a look at Bowie County.  They have New Boston, a nice town, the county seat.  They have a super Wal-mart, fast food places, Brookshire's and a progressive town.  They also have Texarkana with all the great places to shop, eat, and entertainment.  The eastern part of our county goes to New Boston or Texarkana to shop.  They also take the Texarkana Gazette  What is it that we have that Bowie County doesn't have?  0.36266 higher taxes!!!  This means that for every $1,000.00 of valuation on your property you are paying $3.6266 more in taxes than they are paying for theirs!!

Is anyone beginning to get the picture about the Red River County JUST-US Appointed system of Government?

We have a lot of entertainment here.  We have the "VV Express", and our great Sheriff's department and law enforcement.  We have a progressive Just-Us system!  They go out and solve crimes right and left, and Murders..... why they solve murders like no one has ever seen!!  If you call them about some theft or such, my lord they race out to your place with lights and sirens blazing and take a report and get your property back to you right away, and if they can't get it back to you right away and don't like what you say, why then they will just threaten you with bodily harm or your life, because you pay $6.7166 per thousand dollars of valuation, and they will get away with it!!

We also have our fine county roads!  Our Commissioners have the best heavy equipment like you have never seen, and they work their tails off making sure our county roads are the best!!  When there is a disaster, they are there on the spot clearing the road so you can get into town.   And if you call them about a huge limb in the road, they come right out and put it in the ditch in front of your house for you to pick up, because they don't have the time to do it!!  We also have cheerful appreciative county workers, who love working in this county!!  Yes folks, we do have entertainment. 

We also have representation here. Our elected officials listen intently to the people!!  Why our Commissioners Court is the most efficient Court in the State of Texas at appointing elected officials left and right!  They are so fast and efficient  at picking an elected official that they don't even have to look at a resume or have a discussion.  They leap over the election process in a single bound and appoint someone that the clique can control in a heartbeat!!  They can also keep our taxes higher than any other county around us!! 

And lets not forget about travel.  Why anyone "innocent" or "guilty" can be thrown onto the "VV Express and ridden down the RR County Tracks through the Just-Us System  and get their ticket punched to the Big House whether they have a ticket or not!!

Are you entertained sufficiently yet!

Now lets get serious.....

The reason that this county has such high taxes and nothing to show for it is because our government does not listen to the people.  They don't have too, because they have control of everything.  They set the tax rate at $6.7166 per thousand and take our tax dollars and do (what is it that they do with our tax dollars?)  The reason that they do not listen to us is because they have a strangle hold right around our throats.  They appoint who they want into the positions that should be elected, and then those appointed officials that should be elected set a tax rate that is $2.3626 per thousand dollars of valuation higher than Lamar Counties rate, $4.0666 per thousand dollars dollars of valuation higher than Titus County, and $3.6266 higher than Bowie counties tax rate.

Is it serious enough for you yet?

Commissioner  Joseph (Bobble Head) Hausler made the statement that they don't want business and industry in this county.  Why don't they want it?  Because industry and business will not stand for a bunch of thieves holding a gun to their heads for taxes, and you will!!!  You have no choice.  How do you get a choice?  Right now all you can do is raise ....  with your Commissioners and County Judge.  I am working on something that may help, but right now it won't.  But you......  that's right, you have to get involved.  It is up to you as a citizen and voter to do something.  I cannot do it alone. I would like to get some opinions from you the readers, about what is happening here.  Also when I bring out what I am working on, everyone needs to be ready to get involved.  If you don't.......  it will remain the same at $6.7166 or more per thousand dollars of valuation on your property, and while every county around us is enjoying the progression of elected leaders, we will be still enjoying the regressive thinking of our appointed ones.   So, do we make a change or just keep letting them do what they do best?  Maybe we need a recall or two, or maybe three of some appointed leaders who won't listen.  It can be done!  Put some honest elected leaders into the positions, and we will find out where all of our money is going!

Was that serious enough for you?

I am still wondering what they are doing with all that extra money?

Do any of you see anything that we have that I am missing?  If so, please e-mail me As Soon As Possible, and enlighten me!!  Also, without industry and business, we can forget having anything in this county other than not very much and Higher Taxes and Valuation!

I almost forgot the proof.   Click here to see it!

P.S.  In the 1700's, I believe our founding fathers called this "Taxation without Representation" if I am not mistaken.  Something else to also think about:  They keep raising valuations on our property, which makes the taxes we pay even higher!!  A significant double dip into your back pocket if you get my thought.