Julie's Web Journal: I Called it ... Almost

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Saturday, November 8, 2008

A while back in this entry I said:

I will pay attention to local elections. What good does it do if Washington cuts my income taxes, but the city and school district raise my property taxes? How does it help if the price of gas goes down, but my elected state officials stand idly by as the electric company continues to raise rates? Who am I sending to the state house or the nation's capitol to represent my interests? Often, this goes beyond party politics.

I left out one measly word: "Insurance." I certainly meant to say something about that. Texas has some of the highest rates for car and homeowner's insurance in the nation. Apparently, we're paying higher rates than Florida. I would expect high rates if I lived in Florida, but not in an area that isn't prone to hurricanes or floods. We get the occasional hail storms and high winds, but nothing like they get out there.

So it was with a complete lack of surprise that I read our insurer plans to raise our homeowner's rates by double digits. They say it's not related to the hurricanes, but to rising construction and labor costs.

I'm glad I paid attention to the so-called "downticket" races in the election. Many other Texans did as well, as the makeup of our state legislature will be different when they convene in January. Let's hope they repay our votes by doing the right thing and putting the brakes on all this nonsense.

I can dream, can't I?

Tags: Politics

Filed under: Politics

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Julie's Web Journal

Est. 2002