| ► Dallas area legislators misappropriating state funds – tax avoidance - Part 2 |
 |
 |
|
Dallas area legislators misappropriating state funds – tax avoidance - Part 2
Below are the names of 10 Texas state legislators from the Dallas area that have received per diem payments from the State that were intended to defray the lodging costs they incurred while attending legislative sessions in Austin. To view the other 25, go to the URL listed below.
The legislature is in session in odd-numbered years for 140 days unless a special 30 day session is called. Put simply, they meet every two years. The facts set forth in the text boxes below demonstrate that these legislators personally pocketed per diem payments when in fact 100% of their lodging expenses during sessions in Austin were paid with funds contributed to their respective campaigns.
The columns in the text boxes below are defined as follows:
Ø Rent + Water = total lodging/water costs + monthly payments made by campaign
Ø Utilities/Misc. = electric, cable, gas, maid services, food/supplies, telephone costs
Ø Per Diem = amount paid to legislator (200-2007 are estimates)
Ø Amt. Owed = represents amount campaign paid for lodging expenses during sessions in Austin that the legislator pocketed when it lawfully should have been paid to campaign
Bottom line here is that the “Amt. Owed” is the amount directly paid to the legislator by the State Controller’s Office that did not represent any out-of-pockets costs for lodging by said officeholder.
Tax avoidance re: lodging costs paid by campaign
During even numbered years when the legislature was not in session, the 26 legislators named below continued to use campaign funds to pay 100% of lodging costs in Austin. Rather than drone on about this matter, I would invite you to review the facts set forth in a letter sent to IRS Commissioner Doug Schulman, which can be found at the URL listed under the article below.
Letter to IRS Commissioner Doug Schulman re: TX legislators as possible tax scofflaws
Also, the Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg has been notified about this matter. A letter to Ms. Lehmberg can be found at the URL below.
Letter to Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg re: legislator’s misappropriating state funds
No. 15 – Nelson, Jane – 12th Senate – Grapevine = $112,886
No. 16 – Orr, Robin – 58th Rep. – Burleson = $17,547
No. 17 – Parker, Nathaniel – 63rd Rep. – Flower Mound = $11,846
No. 18 – Paxton, Warren – 70th Rep. – McKinney = $9,341
No. 19 – Shapiro, Florence – 8th Senate – Plano = $121,396
No. 20 – Smith, Todd – 92nd Rep. – Euless = $35,859
No. 21 – Solomons, Burt – 65th Rep. – Carrolton = $64,203
No. 22 – Turner, Christopher – 96th Rep. – Arlington = $5,538
No. 23 – Truitt, Vicki – 98th Rep. – Keller = $37,592
No. 24 – West, Royce – 23rd Senate – Dallas = $98,283
Text Box No. 15 – Nelson, Jane – 12th Senate – Grapevine
Text Box No. 16 – Orr, Robin – 58th Rep. – Burleson
Text Box No. 17 – Parker, Nathaniel – 63rd Rep. – Flower Mound
Text Box No. 18 – Paxton, Warren – 70th Rep. – McKinney
Text Box No. 19 – Shapiro, Florence – 8th Senate – Plano
Text Box No. 20 – Smith, Todd – 92nd Rep. – Bedford
Text Box No. 21 – Solomons, Burt – 65th Rep. – Carrolton
Text Box No. 22 – Turner, Christopher – 96th Rep. – Arlington
Text Box No. 23 – Truitt, Vicki – 98th Rep. – Keller
Text Box No. 24 – West, Royce – 23rd Senate – Dallas
|