SENATE VERSION OF TEXAS HOUSE BILL 3 A WINDFALL FOR THE WEALTHIEST

George Bush learned all he needed to from Texas.

Despite offering limited tax relief for some of the poorest people, a Senate tax overhaul would raise taxes for most Texans, at least initially, legislative analysts reported Monday.

Only households with incomes of more than $140,853 a year would realize a net tax cut — an average of 1.52 percent — under the swap of higher state taxes for lower school property taxes in fiscal year 2007, when the trade-off is fully in place.

This bill is such a ripoff. I pay extraordinarily high property taxes and would love to see them come down, but under this plan my net "relief" will be zip. It's all smoke and mirrors, like everything the Republicans propose.