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Opinion
Congress’ passage of unemployment benefits extension to help many Texans
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
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By Ed Sterling
Special to the Picayune
Out-of-work Texans will have until Nov. 27 to qualify for unemployment benefits, the Texas Workforce Commission reported July 23.
This is thanks to passage of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 by Congress on July 22. President Obama signed the act into law without delay.
About 150,000 Texans had exhausted their unemployment benefits, the Texas Workforce Commission said.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the federal government’s basic extended benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when a state is experiencing high unemployment.
The national unemployment rate was 9.5 percent for the month of June. Texas’ unemployment rate was 8.2 percent that month.
Milestone arrest made
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that as of July 13, his office’s Fugitive and Cyber Crimes units had combined for more than 2,000 arrests in the last seven years.
“Thanks to the hard work and perseverance of these dedicated peace officers, more than 2,000 criminals have been taken off the streets and held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” Abbott said on July 22. “We are grateful to the local, state and federal law enforcement officials from around the state who helped make this milestone possible and continue to work with us to protect Texas families.”
The 2,000th, Kirk Brandon Muller, 41, of Austin, was arrested in Travis County for having unauthorized contact with a child, a violation of his mandated parole requirements.
In 1993 in Travis County, Muller was convicted on four counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Muller’s victims were four young girls ranging from 9 to 4 years old, Abbott’s office reported.
Vets’ mortgage rates lowest
Mortgage rates for Texas veterans hit a record low last week of just 4.33 percent for a 30-year fixed rate loan, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced July 22.
Disabled veterans can borrow at even a lower rate of just 3.83 percent, he added.
“This is great news for Texas veterans,” Patterson said. “Rates this low help those who served buy homes now and keep them later.” The record low rate was set July 16 by the Veterans Land Board, which Patterson chairs.
Before, the lowest interest rate ever available to Texas veterans was 4.51 percent in June 2003.The highest rate ever offered by the Veterans Land Board was 10.145 percent in 1985.
Uninsured vehicles on decline
Since the launch of the TexasSure auto insurance verification program two years ago, the number of uninsured vehicles on Texas roads is showing signs of decline, the Texas Department of Insurance reported last week.
Soon after its launch, the database showed that statewide, nearly one fourth of vehicles registered in Texas could not be matched to an insurance policy.
By June 2010, the number of unmatched registered vehicles had declined to 21.65 percent.
TexasSure “uninsured notices” are sent to the owners of registered vehicles that appear not to have auto liability insurance.
Customers are provided with the vehicle registration information on file and instructions to resolve issues. Customers may respond by mail, phone or online.
The program’s database helps law enforcement confirm whether a Texas-registered vehicle has valid auto liability insurance. It is able to match nearly all reported auto insurance policies to a registered vehicle.
The database has been available to all 254 county tax assessor-collectors since June 2008 and to Texas law enforcement since October 2008.
Vote would help charter schools
The State Board of Education on July 23 voted 7-6 to allow up to $100 million of the Permanent School Fund to be used to build or buy buildings the state could lease to charter schools.
But the funds could only be used that way with approval from the attorney general or after passage of a new legislation.
Presently, the Permanent School Fund, which is currently worth about $22 billion, may only be used to purchase textbooks and other instructional materials.
DPS celebrates 75th anniversary
The Texas Department of Public Safety celebrated its 75th year on July 25.
To commemorate the anniversary, 20 motorcycle riders left the DPS office in Austin on a 2,376-mile tour of the state.
Clarification: Obama extended the unemployment benefits again by increasing the national debt, rather than utilizing existing stimulus funds which was the option in congress. Obama and his entourage in congress refused to utilize existing funds or make other concessions in order tofund these benefits, and instead is sending this bill to our grandkids. Isn’t it nice for future generations to do without so that we can have it all?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it. Obama is the bad guy here. Not the Republican administration that spent the surplus, started two wars, cut taxes on the rich, and sent us into an economic tailspin. Clarification, you must get all your news on Fox. Wake up and take responsibility for the fact that this economic meltdown–and the burden on future generations–was brought to you by George W. Bush and his C- in economics, his war mongering, evil Vice President, and a nation of sheep who watched as our way of life was systematically destroyed.
Clarification, I agree with you. The same circumstances apply here in Eanes ISD where, in the future, today’s kids will be maintaining athletics facilities and their kids will be “enjoying” increasingly cram-packed classrooms. The bonds proposed by our district “leaders” to fund their ever-expanding wishlist for athletics is a sure-fire way to burden the future Eanes ISD families with M&O costs. Have it all. Let the future generations pay for it.
Hopefully everyone will remember how poorly the country has been run in the last 20 months and vote in November.
To Broken Record: Get YOUR facts straight. By far the most damage, and the most spending has been done in the last year and a half. Quit blaming Bush and the democratic congress who helped him along. Look at what is happening now, and look at facts, not hype. We are now the nation of sheep.
Oh, and by the way, he cut taxes across the board and when those tax cuts expire, YOU will be negatively affected significantly (unless you are one of the 48% of Americans who already don’t pay any taxes…..)
Commenter #2 still doesn’t seem to understand that we have a problem that has exploded. It is the fault of many, but the deficit has increased most dramatically in the last year and a half. It did not have to be this way. What we are doing is taking care of ourselves and sending the bill on to our kids and grandkids, without any hope of them ever having ANY unemployment benefits (much less a year’s worth!!), or social security or much of anything else for that matter. We are selfish and shortsighted. Our country will have more debt than gdp, just like Greece.
Commenter #2 should realize this is something that could have been turned around. This is not “change”, nor is it “hope” as promised.
Please do vote in November to end this current destruction and madness.
Oh-Baaa-Maaaaaa… spoken like a true sheep.
If congress under Bush does it, its terrible. If this congress and Obama do the same thing to a much greater degree, its what’s needed. Doesn’t make sense to me. Talk about sheep watching our way of life being destroyed.
My facts are straight. This disaster was caused by reckless overspending by GWB; history is clear on that. Now Obama has done what has been done in each recession/depression since the great one in the ’30s: he has used the power of putting stimulus money directly into the ec0nomy. Proven results. And it is working. Banks are stabilizing, although they still like their bonuses, the car industry is profitable again (and we got paid back all except the $25 Billion that GWB refused to put strings on–that money we will never see again.)
Commenters #1 and #6 do not do independent research, they rely on Bill O, Sean H. and the boys at Fox for their analysis. Shame on them.
And by the way, when the Bush tax cuts expire, I’ll be just fine, thank you. I’m in the top 3% and I’m proud to pay taxes to support a nation that I love.
If you don’t want to pay taxes, well, then perhaps you need to live under a rock in the desert where they can’t find you.
Broken Record in wrong. I do independent research. So do a lot of people. Where does BR get off saying no one does unless they agree with him?
Reckless overspending by GWB began the mess – true. Wasn’t it a DEMOCRATIC congress that pushed that stimulus through under GWB? The current disaster that is being created is Obama’s baby and the democrats in congress. The hole is getting deeper. History has shown that what has been done in the past does not work. Learning from history seems to be difficult for our dear leaders.
Proven results? There is NO proof the stimulus did much at all except hurt our kids. We did not get paid back from the auto industry. The banks kept the money the taxpayers forked over to them at gunpoint and are refusing to lend to anyone. Try getting a loan. Ha.
Your assertion that if someone doesn’t want to pay taxes, they should go live under a rock in the desert. Already 48% of Americans don’t pay taxes. Should they go do what you said since they are obviously unAmerican, unlike you? Or just those who already contribute to pulling the overflowing wagon of those who feel they have a right to the fruits of the labors of others? I think you have a problem with your thinking. I pay taxes and have no problem paying taxes but so should everyone else. All Americans should contribute, everyone who already pays taxes should not pay more taxes to take care of those who don’t contribute.
China is paying the extended benefits to the unemployed. Is that the right thing to do? Our children will owe communist China the principal and the interest for our needs and desires. Yikes.
I am sure of one thing. Asking Eanes ISD taxpayers to fund a super-sized administration building, indoor football field, swim center and more goodies while the district is laying off teachers is just plain insane regardless of your political persuasion. They’ve lost their minds.
And let’s all rejoice at what a wonderful thing healthcare reform is for our country. That will pull us deeper into debt than we already are. As for George Bush causing this problem, I have four words for you: Chris Dodd & Barney Frank