Politics

Each year that I have served District 9 on San Antonio City Council, I have proposed a reduction in the property tax rate.  It is city budget season again, and this year I have the support of several of my colleagues in calling for a one-cent cut to the city’s tax rate for FY 2008.  As you may have read, the City Manager is currently advocating a one-sixth of a cent reduction.  This is a good start and I hope it will become the foundation for a trend toward the tax relief District 9 taxpayers deserve.

Prudent budgeting of city dollars is just as vital as the tax rate reduction, and I have advocated a modest increase in spending for basic services such as police, fire and street improvements.  Conversely, I have opposed any increases in funding for programs like Project Quest, as I believe that workforce training is not within the purview of city government.  In May, I successfully passed an ordinance which forces the City to open up all workforce development dollars to a competitive bidding process.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, successfully added and helped advance an amendment Thursday targeting “cheese” heroin, a lethal drug causing addiction and death among a growing number of Texas youths.

Sen. Cornyn’s measure adds “cheese” heroin to the list of illegal drugs in the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. His amendment was included in the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007, S. 456, which the Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously advanced to the full Senate for consideration.

“We must work now to crack down on this lethal drug before it spreads further and destroys the lives of more young people,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Raising awareness of the dangers of ‘cheese’ heroin is critical in the effort to stamp it out.”