07:09 AM CDT on Friday, April 28, 2006

BY KAREN BROOKS / The Dallas Morning News

When House Democratic stalwarts cornered Rep. Mark Strama, D-Austin, at his desk on the House floor Thursday, it wasn't to have a tea party. Mr. Strama was chastised for saying he was disappointed that the Democrats hadn't better leveraged their 10 "yes" votes (including his own) for the GOP-driven tax-swap bill. Without those votes, the bill wouldn't have passed. Mr. Strama worked hard during debate on the measure to figure out which D's might vote yes, hoping to build a coalition and muscle the GOP into including new cash for education – a sore spot for Democrats who are against the bill. But the undecided D's played it too close to the vest and he couldn't pull together a coalition. Mr. Strama, whose swing district doesn't respond well to liberal politics, wound up voting for the bill without gaining ground for public education because in the end, he said, the bill was still "good policy and good politics" if not everything he wanted. After the confrontation, Mr. Strama was approached by Rep. Patrick Rose, a Democrat from a similar district who has endured his share of partisan wood-shedding. Mr. Rose smiled, clapped his colleague on the shoulder and said, "I've been there."

Anti-smoking lobbyist Dave Marwitz, who is pushing for a $1 tax increase on cigarettes, happened to be passing a group of third-graders in the Capitol at the same time as the highest-paid local tobacco lobbyist in the state. "Are these the kids you're trying to get to start smoking?" Mr. Marwitz called out. The tobacco lobbyist gave him a piercing glare. Mr. Marwitz, who can always be counted on for a hilarious one-liner, was crushed. Not because he didn't get a laugh, but because Big Tobacco missed a priceless opportunity for a comeback: "Nope, those are the kids we just helped to quit."

Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, is the only House member who co-sponsored both major pieces of tax legislation passed by the chamber this week. Passing the first bill, to cut property taxes, gave political cover to those who support the second bill, a business tax overhaul. As unpredictable as the votes were, having your name on both bills could be considered double jeopardy. Others might describe it as covering your bases. Mr. Branch prefers another sports metaphor for the nail-biting he and other sponsors endured: "It's like winning two marathons in one day. Twice the pain but double the fun."

House Democrats this week called on Gov. Rick Perry to open the agenda for the special session and allow the Texas Legislature to institute a 90-day "gas tax holiday." According to Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer of San Antonio, the average Texan would get the equivalent of a free gallon of gas per tank during the period. A no-brainer? Hardly. Few things are so simple under the pink dome. An enterprising lobbyist could, for example, do a study on how smokers will have added incentive to drive miles out of the way to smuggle Camel Lights over the border if gas gets cheaper while cigarettes get more expensive. There's a boost for the argument ­ loss of revenue ­ against the cigarette tax. Thanks for your vote.

"These are all such easy votes. I don't know why everybody's squirming about it."

–Republican Rep. Mike Krusee, whose Round Rock district is one of the few where voters are thought to support all the tax bills passed this week, making Mr. Krusee one of the few reps seen smiling after each vote.

E-mail kmbrooks@dallasnews.com