I really wish government officials would be intellectually honest with constituents and call tax increases by their name. We've got Obama and his ilk referring to their government-option health care initiative as a "public" option, and tax-and-spenders in the Legislature, cities, and counties in Texas clamoring for a "local" option tax increase. The "local" option is dead, thank goodness - or is it?

Tax-and-spenders in the city of Denton have decided to keep pushing for the "local option" tax increase transportation bill, which failed during the 81st session despite best efforts of taxpayer-funded lobbyists and power-hungry legislators.

Unsurprisingly, it is not a citizen's group that wants this tax increase at all, but Denton Mayor Pro Tem Pete Kemp. Clearly, the lesson wasn't driven home when the citizens of Denton County joined protests against the legislation during session. Hopefully it will come back to bite officials during elections.

For more on why the TLOTA bill was a bad idea last session, and why it's still a bad idea, check out the following:

Lutz: Astroturf, anyone? (Lone Star Report)

Sullivan: Paying Lobbyists to Oppose You, Again (Empower Texans)

The High Cost of High-Speed Rail by Randal O'Toole, August 2009 (TPPF)

The Effect of Higher Gas Taxes on Texas Motorists by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin and James Quintero, May 2009 (TPPF)

House member challenges local option petition (Lone Star Report)

The Existing Local Option for Transportation (Heflin, Quintero: TPPF)

Testimony on Local Option Transportation Legislation (Heflin, Quintero, Keener: TPPF)

Senators who stood up for fiscal responsibility