The Keith Self side show

by Bill Baumbach of The Collin County Observer

Collin County Judge Keith Self has posted his written statement given to the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee on SB855.

The written statement is very different from Self's oral testimony last week. Both however refer to the Local Option Transportation Act as a "tax increase". That characterization was hotly disputed by Senators Carona and Watson during Self's appearance at the committee hearings.

In a phrase reminiscent of Self's February 2008 weird blog post comparing the NCTCOG to the Soviet Union's central planning, Self several times refers to the bill as building "a command economy".

On Sunday, the Dallas Morning News wrote an editorial piece on Self's appearance at the hearing. Calling it the, "Keith Self side show," the editorial noted that "Keith Self doesn't speak for all of Collin County," and that the senate bill gives local taxpayers a choice on whether to tax themselves or not.

On Monday, Judge Self is expected to brief the Commissioners' Court on his testimony and the status of SB855 and other bills the court has labeled priorities. At his briefing at the last court session, Self described the committee hearings as no place for "sissies." I wonder if he'll now be comparing Austin to Golgotha.

After the near lynching Keith Self has received in his last two appearances before a legislative committee, the Commissioners Court might do well to appoint one of its more rational members as their spokesman for any future committee testimony.