September 8, 2010

Liberal trial lawyer Bill White must answer for his failed financial record and severe criticism from Houston Mayor Annise Parker.

Bill White has yet to explain how he avoided paying pay taxes while earning a $133,600 annual salary as Deputy Secretary of Energy in 1995. The Houston Chronicle is reporting today: “White spokeswoman Katy Bacon said White left the energy department in 1995 to start an energy company. Because he was investing in a new company, she said White had no ‘taxable income’ in 1995 and received an income tax refund of $24,200.”

On Tuesday, when asked directly to address reports that he did not pay any taxes in 1995, Bill White responded, “That’s ridiculous.” [1]

Bill White has also faced severe criticism from his successor as Houston's mayor, who said she inherited a “full-blown fiscal crisis” that Bill White left the city. [2]

Mayor Annise Parker also said of Bill White’s tenure as mayor, “For years now, we have spent more money than we have taken in. You can't spend more than you earn. It is a very unbusinesslike approach to running things.” [3]

“Liberal Bill White has a lot to answer for,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Bill White’s failed fiscal record includes not paying taxes while earning a six-figure salary working in Washington for President Clinton and receiving severe criticism from his successor as Houston’s mayor, who has had to clean up Bill White’s irresponsible spending, his ‘unbusinesslike approach,’ and the ‘full-blown fiscal crisis’ he left the city.”

September 1, 2010

As liberal trial lawyer Bill White continues to run from his past, he is flip-flopping at an alarming rate.

Yesterday Bill White proposed term limits for Texas governor, even though he told the Texas Tribune in November 2009 that term limits are unnecessary because, “Voters always have the right to limit the term of an elected official by voting them out of office.” (SOURCE: “Hutchison Has Complex History With Term Limits,” Texas Tribune, 11/17/09, http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2010-texas-governors-race/hut...)

“Considering the number of times Bill White has flip-flopped, the daily battle he has with himself over policy issues must be very painful and difficult for his campaign to continue defending,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “The only positions Bill White has been consistent with are hiding his tax returns and supporting increased taxes and regulations.”

Recent Bill White flip-flops include:

Criticizing the Texas Enterprise Fund after using it as a model when he was mayor of Houston.

Describing across the board spending cuts as “Soviet-style” when he ordered them as mayor of Houston.

Telling an audience in San Antonio that UT-San Antonio should be a Tier One university then telling an audience in Lubbock days later that the governor should not have a preference for a Tier One university.

Claiming to oppose cap and trade when he wrote the incoming Obama Administration a memo explaining how to sell cap and trade to the public in November 2008.

August 27, 2010

Liberal Bill White is returning to his trial lawyer roots in calling for increased regulations for Texas businesses. This proposal follows Bill White’s previous call for higher taxes to meet the state’s transportation needs.

“Liberal Bill White’s only two policy initiatives of the campaign have been calls for higher taxes and increased regulations,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “It's not surprising that a liberal trial lawyer like Bill White would propose regulations on businesses that would most likely result in increased costs for Texans and harm the Texas economy. There is a clear difference in this race between the two candidates. While Bill White wants to increase taxes and add more regulations on the businesses of our state, Governor Perry is working to implement policies that create jobs and continue making Texas the leading economy in the nation.”

Last week the Associated Press reported that Bill White “wouldn't rule out higher debt, tax increases or more seizures of private property to build new roads and relieve congestion on the state's aging highways,” and said, “the topic illustrates a stark difference between the two candidates, with Perry flatly refusing any tax hikes — even those approved by voters — and White leaving higher taxes up for consideration.” (SOURCE: “White won't rule out debt, taxes to pay for roads,” Associated Press, 8/17/10, http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/white-wont-rule-out-debt-taxes-to-pa...)

August 19, 2010

Liberal trial lawyer Bill White has proposed zero solutions to meet Texas’ transportation needs other than to increase taxes, and the Dallas Morning News is now criticizing White for his “frustrating” lack of ideas:

“The Democrat falls short when he declines to lay out his own plan. When White met with us before the primary, his lack of specificity on this issue was frustrating. Six months later, he still can't point to a detailed plan.” (SOURCE: “Bill White leaves door open to using debt and taxes to pay for roads but won't commit to either,” Dallas Morning News, 8/18/10, full article below and available online at http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/08/bill-white...)

One day earlier, the Associated Press reported White “struggled to offer specifics” when asked to describe his proposals for meeting Texas’ transportation needs. (SOURCE: “White won't rule out debt, taxes to pay for roads,” Associated Press, 8/17/10, http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/white-wont-rule-out-debt-taxes-to-pa...)

“Liberal Bill White has not offered one new idea to move Texas forward, and his call to raise taxes is the worst thing to propose during a challenging economic environment,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Gov. Perry, meanwhile, has been steadfast in his opposition to raising taxes, and he will continue to work with the legislature to identify areas to cut taxes and reduce spending.”

August 18, 2010

"Bill White’s call for tax increases is the last thing working families of Texas need in these challenging economic times.

“Transportation, border security and education are just some of the issues that will be a priority in the next state budget. However, just as families have to prioritize spending to make ends meet, so too must their government.

“The people of Texas expect their elected officials to reduce spending and practice fiscal responsibility, not raise taxes in search of additional revenues. I will continue to work with the legislature to identify ways to cut taxes so families can keep more of their hard-earned dollars and keep the Texas economy the envy of the nation.”

Earlier this week at a Transportation and Infrastructure Summit in Irving, liberal trial lawyer Bill White once again told Texans he would not rule out tax increases. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bill White told the group he “supports the concept of a local-option election asking voters to raise their taxe(s) to pay for transportation bonds.” In the same event, Bill White also “steered clear of the topic of raising Texas' 20 cents-a-gallon motor fuels tax.” (SOURCE: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Bill White offers his take on transportation, 8/10/10, full article below)

“Bill White has made it clear that he would not hesitate to raise taxes on the working families of Texas if he were elected governor,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Bill White is a typical liberal politician who believes tax increases are the answer to everything and he has positioned himself as the champion of tax increases in this race. Profiteering as mayor of Houston, serving on shady corporate boards and increasing taxes seem to be the emerging themes of the Bill White campaign.”

July 5, 2010

"Bill White is a shameful candidate who has denied active military families the right to vote, mismanaged the Houston budget and profiteered by steering business to a company he had financial ties with during Hurricane Rita while he was Mayor of Houston. Bill White continues to have more in common with President Obama than he does with the concerns and beliefs of Texans.

"It is unfortunate that Bill White failed to unveil one new policy initiative this evening and chose instead to continue a campaign based on personal attacks, rather than ideas that would move Texas forward. Under Governor Perry’s leadership, Texas continues to have one of the strongest economies in the nation and is a leader in job creation."

June 30, 2010

Liberal trial lawyer Bill White should be held accountable for his role in the EPA’s power grab of Texas’ permitting process.

In 2009, the Houston Chronicle reported White “met with senior EPA officials about how the state handles emissions permit requests,” and, “After meeting with White, EPA officials announced that many of the TCEQ rules are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act.” [1, 2]

White also is a former Board Member of the Advisory Board of Environmental Defense Of Texas, as is EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz, the Obama Administration official responsible for the EPA’s power grab. [3, 4]

“Liberal Bill White should be held accountable for his role in the EPA’s power grab of Texas’ permitting process,” said Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Mark Miner. “Bill White specifically encouraged the EPA to attack Texas policies despite our state becoming a global energy leader while effectively cleaning our air and protecting our environment. Bill White has also served on the same environmental board as the Obama Administration official responsible for the EPA’s power grab, and Texas voters deserve to know if this scheme to place hundreds of thousands of Texas jobs at risk was created during meetings of this liberal advocacy group.”

The EPA’s power grab ignores Texas’ air quality successes, including the 22 percent reduction in ozone and 46 percent decrease in NOx emissions since 2000. [5]

June 26, 2010

CORPUS CHRISTI - Following a smashing success of the Whitewash Report’s first edition and liberal trial lawyer Bill White's underwhelming speech last night at the Texas Democratic State Convention, Texans for Rick Perry has released the second edition of the Whitewash Report. The newsletter which reveals the truth about Bill White’s shameful record is found to be the only substantive material to come out of the convention.

The newsletter, available at http://liberalbill.com/whitewash2 and below, details Bill White’'s failure to announce any new policy initiatives or explain his past shady behavior in his lackluster convention speech. It also exposes the fiscal train wreck Bill White left behind for city of Houston, the Houston Metrogate scandals caused by his hand-picked leadership, and his support for restricting Second Amendment gun rights.

The Whitewash Report newsletter

Click here for the second edition of the Whitewash Report newsletter, covering news of Bill White’s underwhelming speech on Friday night, the fiscal mess he left behind in Houston, the scandals of his hand-picked METRO leadership, and the lies he has told about his his membership in a group of liberal big city mayors devoted to the restriction of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Follow @LiberalBill on Twitter for more!

The Whitewash Report newsletter

Click here for the second edition of the Whitewash Report newsletter, covering news of Bill White’s underwhelming speech on Friday night, the fiscal mess he left behind in Houston, the scandals of his hand-picked METRO leadership, and the lies he has told about his his membership in a group of liberal big city mayors devoted to the restriction of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Follow @LiberalBill on Twitter for more!