Connotation of Truth

It is the duty of the judicial branch of government to interpret the written laws governing an institution and any given body of people.  It is, however, the prerogative of the governed people to keep the institutions in check.  Often time’s officials will play on the connotation of a word to their advantage.  In the case of the Truth-in-Taxation laws (Article VIII, Sec 21 of Texas Constitution), established in 1978, government expenditures were to be made clear to tax payers.  As time has passed though, the Truth-in-Taxation laws have been contorted into, in some cases, a 52 step process to illustrate the dispersion of tax funds.  One possibility for the increased complication is an effort to conceal funds being misappropriated by government officials.  Credit is due to representatives who, at the 82^nd legislature, created guidelines to simplify and clarify the Truth-in-Taxation laws.  It is good to know that there are officials making an effort to bring the original intent of laws back, but it is also rather disturbing to know that the past 34 years have been filled with officials looking for ways to contort the “truth” in Truth-in-Taxation to their advantage.   

Original Article - Getting the Whole Truth About Taxation