Gov. Rick Perry spoke at a luncheon during the Texas Association of Realtors Government Affairs Conference Wednesday in downtown Austin. The group’s directors unanimously voted to endorse Perry, announced Brooke Hunt, chairman of the association.
This was Perry’s first public appearance in Austin after a week of appearances by Republican rival Kay Bailey Hutchison. While his remarks at the podium were fairly standard compared to other campaign appearances, Perry’s responses to press questions afterward were not. In a rather heated answer to a question about the arson investigation that led to the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham in 2004, Perry called Willingham a “monster” and urged members of the press “not to get caught up in procedure” but to focus on the horrendous nature of the alleged crime.
Perry removed three of the eight members of the Texas Forensic Science commission (including its chairman) two days before they were scheduled to review evidence in Willingham’s capital murder trial — a move which has drawn some skepticism from Hutchison and others. The commission was created by the Legislature in 2005. Commissions normally have staggered terms, with at least three of the positions cycling out after the first four years in most cases. If the legislation to create the forensics commission went into effect in September 2005, and if the commission follows the pattern of other commissions and agencies, then three of the terms would be up in September 2009.
“We changed the commission like we change commissions all across the state,” Perry said. “We put members on commissions and when their time is up, by and large in the state, we change — this commission’s time was up and it was time for change.”
Perry said much of the criticism could be distributed by anti-death-penalty groups, concerned that an innocent man may have been put to death.
Willingham is accused of intentionally setting his home in Corsicana on fire in 1991, allegedly killing his three children. Willingham, Perry said, was known for domestic violence and a had a pattern of socially destructive behavior.
“This guy murdered his three children. He tried to beat his wife into an abortion,” Perry said. “Person after person has stood up and testified to the facts of this case, that, quite frankly, you guys aren’t covering … This was a bad man.”
Several prior arson investigations have reported that the fire was not intentionally set. Willingham’s trial has been postponed indefinitely due to the new appointments.
“Go look at the facts,” Perry added, to further questions. “The facts show this was a heinous individual who murdered his kids.”
During his speech, Perry highlighted the usual subjects: That Texas created more jobs this year than 49 states; Texas leads the nation in the number of Fortune 500 companies; that Texas is an innovator in alternative energy such as wind generation plants; and that Texas kept a significant sum of money in the state’s Rainy Day Fund.
“Back in 2003 we crawled our way out of a $10 billion budget hole by making tough choices and cutting spending. Six years later, our Rainy Day fund in the state of Texas is on its way to having $9 billion in it. I gotta think that there are some other governors who’d like that,” Perry said, meeting much applause by a room full of real estate brokers.
Perry said he supports border security initiatives (though not noting much in specific), he called for penalties for business owners who hire illegal immigrants, mentioned his support for Proposition 11 which pertains to protecting private property rights, and called for an amendment to the Texas Constitution to require a 2/3 vote before raising any taxes.

Rep. Tommy Merritt is responding to confusion about ballot language for constitutional amendments for the November 3 General Election. Propositions 2, 3 and 5 have caused confusion among constituents of Rep. Merritt’s district.
“I understand that erroneous emails have been circulating about the ballot language, and that voters may be confused by the information provided in the emails,” Rep. Merritt stated. “I want to make sure people understand what they are voting on before November 3rd.”
The legislation for these amendments passed both the House and the Senate unanimously and will help to ensure that tax appraisals in Texas are fair to property owners and are uniform from county to county.
Proposition 2 will require county appraisal districts to value a home as a home. Currently, appraisal districts can use the “best and highest use” method to value a residence based on its potential use. For example, a residence in a neighborhood zoned for mixed use could be appraised at a higher amount for its possible use as a commercial property.
Proposition 3 gives the state the ability to make sure appraisal methods are consistent throughout the 254 counties in Texas. Proposition 5 will make it acceptable for two adjoining appraisal districts to combine their boards of equalization if they wish – an option that rural counties may find attractive.
“It’s important for voters to understand the meaning of the ballot language so they can make an informed decision when they vote,” Rep. Merritt said. “I will work with legislators next session to try to make ballot language for constitutional amendments easier to understand.”
Rep. Merritt is Chairman of the House Committee on Public Safety and serves on the House Committees on Transportation, Local & Consent Calendars and Redistricting. He represents Gregg County and northern Smith County to include Winona, Lindale and Hideaway Lake.

In the depths of the recession the government passed the 2009 economic stimulus bill and tweaked the federal tax code to help boost consumer spending and assist people who were losing their jobs, homes and benefits. Now, several of those tax breaks, rebates and other incentives are due to expire at year’s end.
Congress and the Obama Administration may ultimately decide to retain some or all of these benefits. But just to be safe, here are a few you may want to tap now, if they make sense for your individual situation:
Homebuyer tax credit. If you haven’t owned a home in the past three years and meet certain income guidelines, you may qualify for a tax credit of up to $8,000 on homes purchased before December 1, 2009. This is a tax credit, not a deduction, which means your taxable income is reduced by the credit amount. For more details, search for the First-Time Homebuyer Question and Answers document posted on the IRS website (www.irs.gov).
Property tax standard deduction. If you don’t qualify to itemized deductions on your federal income tax but do pay state or local real estate taxes, you may qualify to add up to $500 ($1,000 for joint filers) in property taxes paid this year to your standard tax deduction. Rules and filing instructions are complex, so read IRS Tax Tip 2009-47 at www.irs.gov for details.
Sales tax deduction for new cars. If you buy a new car, light truck, RV or motorcycle before December 31, 2009, you may be able to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes on up to the first $49,500 of the purchase price, even if you don’t itemize deductions. The deduction gradually phases out for those whose adjusted gross income is over $125,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly). Please note that this is different from last summer’s expired “Cash for Clunkers” program.
Health insurance. If you are laid off before December 31, 2009, and your employer has 20 or more employees and offers health insurance, you may qualify for a 65 percent subsidy of the cost to continue coverage through COBRA, the federal law that allows many people to retain such coverage at their own expense. Check with your human resources department and visit the Department of Labor’s website for more details (http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/cobra.html).
Deduction for education expenses. Through 2009, parents or students may deduct up to $4,000 for college or other post-secondary education tuition and other qualifying fees, even if they don’t itemize deductions. There are certain restrictions and income limits, so refer to the IRS’ “Top Ten Facts About the Tuition and Fees Deduction” for more details (www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=205361,00.html).
Educator expenses. Teachers and other educators who work at least 900 hours during a school year may deduct up to $250 for eligible unreimbursed expenses they paid for out of pocket, including books, supplies, equipment and software used in the classroom. They may do so even if they don’t itemize deductions on IRS Schedule A. Read Topic 458 at www.irs.gov for details.
You may want to confer with your tax preparer or financial advisor to make sure you qualify before acting on these tax benefits.

Suppose your teenager came to you needing help answering homework questions on finance – would you be able to answer correctly or know where to find help? Consider questions like these:
Which are the two most important factors when determining someone’s creditworthiness?

Payment history and amounts owed

Length of credit history and amounts owed

Types of credit currently used and payment history

Number of credit inquiries made and amounts owed

When you buy stock in a company, you buy:

A guaranteed profit from the company

A certain quantity of the company’s products

A part of the actual company itself

A piece of paper with the company’s logo

Those are just two of the hundreds of questions found in Financial Soccer, a free, interactive and multilingual video game created by Visa Inc. and the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which is the international soccer governing body that sponsors the World Cup competition.

Incorporating soccer’s structure and rules, Financial Soccer is designed to teach children and young adults how to achieve personal financial literacy; that is, to acquire the knowledge and tools they will need to establish and maintain sound financial habits over a lifetime. A computer-based game, Financial Soccer can either be played online or on CD-ROM.

Avid fans are drawn by soccer’s rapid pace and the need for strategy and teamwork to win. They know that simple missteps can quickly change which team controls the ball. Financial Soccer replicates the game’s “beat-the-clock” atmosphere, as questions flash on screen in rapid succession.

Players can choose among easy, medium and hard questions. The harder the question you answer correctly, the more ground you gain. But if you answer incorrectly or too slowly, however, the other team steals the ball, forcing you to answer the next question correctly in order to recapture it.
Players can compete either individually against the computer or on teams. There are three distinct game difficulty levels: children, teens and adults.

Supplemental teaching modules are also included for parents and teachers who want to take the learning process to the next level.

Topics covered by Financial Soccer include:

Different types of interest

Advantages and potential pitfalls of overdraft protection

Consequences of having a poor credit rating

What to do in case of identity theft

Items covered under renter’s or homeowner’s insurance

Different types of banking and credit card fees

How mortgage points work

Ways to improve creditworthiness

Financial Soccer will be called Financial Football in other parts of the world, where the game we know as soccer is called football. The game was unveiled at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York City in late September. Governments, educators, non-profit organizations and businesses will roll out Financial Soccer in over a dozen countries leading up to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa next summer.

To play Financial Soccer online for free visit www.practicalmoneyskills.com. Oh, by the way, the correct answers for the questions above are: Question 1 (a); Question 2 (c).

Report cards are part of every child’s academic experience. While the first report card of the year will create feelings of pride, happiness, and excitement for many students and parents, for others it will produce feelings of anxiety, frustration, and even surprise. In fact, according to a recent survey, 66% of North American teachers say they have been contacted by parents who were “unpleasantly surprised” by their child’s report card. Sylvan Learning Center offers the following suggestions for minimizing the “report card surprise”:

Communicate with your child. Don’t wait until report cards are issued to talk with your child about school and grades. Talk with your child every day about school, homework, and other assignments. Ask how your child is doing in school and find out what subjects are especially challenging.

Communicate with your child’s teachers. Your child’s teacher is the best source for information about your child’s scholastic performance. Develop a parent/teacher relationship and talk with this teacher at least once a month throughout the year. Ask about ways to help your child and request progress reports between report cards. Remember that teachers are busy people, too.

Find out the easiest way to communicate – by email, phone, or in person – so that it will be easier to stay in touch on a regular basis.

Set expectations. Teach your child that education is important to your family. Explain that you won’t be upset if he doesn’t bring home all A’s, but that you will be disappointed if he doesn’t try his hardest and doesn’t ask for help. Not every child will earn all A’s, but that does not mean your child should strive for less.

Set goals for improvement with your child. If your child is currently a C student, setting a goal of getting all A’s may not be reasonable. However, creating an improvement goal for each subject will help your child work toward an attainable level for each class.

Establish a study plan with your child. Organization is an essential part of a student’s education. Your child should keep a schedule of all classes, assignments, and important deadlines. The schedule should include specific time for studying, projects, and extracurricular activities. The more comprehensive the schedule, the more efficient and successful your child will be.

Seek outside help. Some children may need additional attention that cannot be provided in school. Consider tutoring or supplemental education providers to help your child work towards better grades in school.

Praise your child’s successes. Always praise your child for earnest effort, for improvement, and for what he is doing well – whether it is in a specific academic subject or in an extracurricular activity. Look for ways to provide positive experiences for your child.

Texas College has embraced high-tech education. While maturing as an institution its curriculum continues to expand, so now scholars can attend classes anywhere and at any time. With students everywhere already going to school via laptops, creating online studies was a natural next step for the college. The program is being called E-TC, and students are already delighted with it. Vice-President for External Relations and Evening and Weekend Programs, the Reverend Orenthia Mason, explains the new project’s advantages.

“Distance education will fundamentally transform Texas College,” she said. “E-TC represents a convergence of multiple issues: technological advances, pedagogical change, business model change, organizational adaptability, knowledge management and increased access to education.”

Additionally, Mason pointed out that the increased educational access will provide students with alternatives in pursuing their educations. Students who are working their way through college or are caring for family members will be able to schedule their classes around their responsibilities instead of being forced to choose between education and family. They will no longer be required to leave home for their formal studies because sitting in a classroom will not be required. Still, at Texas College the new online courses will not be that different from the traditional classroom instruction the school has always so expertly provided. The only difference is that curricula will be delivered electronically. The college is also planning to start providing such community service courses as Karate, photography and computer technology for those wishing to simply brush up on specific skills without going through the whole degree-earning process. With the internet having altered the means through which students acquire a higher education Texas College has adapted its teaching process to the new technology. This makes it possible to provide one of the most crucial aspects of a person’s life–his education. The school’s new online studies make educational goals that much more attainable for East Texans. The coming autumn semester will offer online courses in biology, business, marketing, management, accounting, computer science, English, mathematics, Spanish, speech, religious studies and education. For additional information on Texas College’s new online study program contact Mason at (903) 593-8311 or at omason@texascollege.edu.

Every five-and-a-half minutes, a car is stolen in Texas, and every two-and-a-half minutes, a vehicle is burglarized for contents or parts. Historically, July and August are the two months when the most vehicle thefts and burglaries occur in Texas. Stolen vehicles can be used to commit other crimes, including theft, drug and weapon smuggling, human trafficking, domestic/international terrorism, and countless other offenses.
In addition, vehicle burglary incidents that result in the theft of personal identification items, house keys, and garage door openers left inside vehicles are leading to cases of identity theft. Now, more than ever, Texas drivers must become actively involved in vehicle crime prevention by practicing “Hide, Take, Lock”: hide belongings, take keys, and lock vehicle doors. The Texas Auto Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority (ABTPA) will highlight this philosophy throughout “Watch Your Car Month,” which is being recognized this month of July.

During “Watch Your Car Month”, hundreds of law enforcement task force representatives funded by ABTPA will be working in their communities reminding Texas drivers to take precautions when leaving their vehicles unattended. To raise awareness about the role of auto theft in secondary crimes, ABTPA personnel will heavily promote the “You Hold the Key” and “Where You Are, They Are” campaigns, which are designed to remind all owners and operators that vehicles should never be left running while unattended, and valuables should not be left inside.

In 2008, approximately 85,400 vehicles were stolen in Texas resulting in financial losses of more than $700 million. And in almost half of all auto theft incidents, keys were left inside, which means the vehicle owner was, in some cases, an unwitting accomplice to more heinous crimes. Recent statistics from Texas law enforcement agencies indicate the top three locations from which vehicles are stolen are: residences/homes (41.6%), public parking lots/public garages (28.7%), and roadways/highways/alleys (12.2%), which proves no area is truly safe from vehicle crime activity.

“We can not stress enough to Texas drivers that they ‘hold the key’ to auto burglary and theft prevention,” said Michelle Lanham, program coordinator for ABTPA’s Reduce Auto Theft in Texas (RATT) task force, which is housed at the University of North Texas at Dallas Caruth Police Institute at Dallas Police Department. “Anything an individual leaves in their vehicle might be of value to a thief, including anything that has the vehicle owner’s name or address on it. We strongly suggest that vehicle owners and drivers always leave their vehicles the way they appeared the day they rolled off the factory floor — leave nothing more in the vehicle than the parts it is made with.”

Charles Caldwell, ABTPA director, adds, “We know for a fact that criminals go where vehicle owners go. No one should ever become comfortable with the thought that vehicle crimes can’t or won’t happen to them. Auto theft and burglary can happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. Texas drivers must become educated about these problems and solutions to avoid becoming victims. Practicing techniques to prevent vehicle crimes, such as utilizing visible deterrents and anti-theft devices, will help discourage thieves and make neighborhoods safer.”

The ABTPA, an office of the Texas Department of Transportation, was created by the Texas Legislature in 1991 to fund programs to reduce vehicle thefts. Since 1991, the vehicle theft rate has been reduced by approximately 60%. For more information on Texas vehicle crime statistics, the Texas ABTPA, contacts for any of ABTPA’s 29 vehicle crimes task forces in Texas, public service announcements, or to schedule an interview with task force personnel, call 800-CAR-WATCH or visit the ABTPA website: www.txwatchyourcar.com.