Dewhurst, Branch, Ogden, Craddick, Averitt, Anderson, Middleton, Eiland and Janek Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on business groups pushing the House's tax plan over the Senate's: "Golly gee. It moves a billion dollars of taxes from business onto individuals and consumers. Duh. That's kinda easy. I'd be a little surprised if, given a choice as paid lobbyists, they wouldn't think it's a better plan." Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, quoted in The Dallas Morning News on the state Senate's regular practice of working on legislation in closed meetings: "If you're meeting in a 'caucus of the whole', you're avoiding all the sunlight." Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, on the prospects for school finance: "If the House wants to negotiate, we'll reach an agreement." House Speaker Tom Craddick, on a Senate proposal to use money in a tobacco lawsuit settlement account for school finance: "The House side, and I think I speak across the board, is not for using one-time funding mechanisms or smoke and mirrors to do property tax relief or education funding." Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, on the tax swap legislation: "The political reality is that we're not seeing the willingness on the part of our friends in the House to look at a serious overhaul of our tax system." Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, on expanding the state's business franchise tax to include partnerships: "Not one person is going to file a personal income tax return based on this legislation... to couch it as an income tax is not correct." Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, on taking partnerships out of a tax bill he hoped would broaden the business tax base: "By voting on what we think is possible, we give up on what we think we should do... as the author, I am frankly disappointed." Rep. Charles "Doc" Anderson, R-Waco, telling the Waco Herald-Tribune why he voted for a tax bill in spite of his opposition to a tax on bottled water: "It's not a cafeteria where you can eat what you want." North East Superintendent Richard Middleton in the San Antonio Express-News: "In 1995, we tried to reform education. In 2005, the goal is to dismantle public education. This bill has nothing to do with adequately funding schools. It has to do with providing property tax relief." Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, quoted in the Galveston County Daily News: "The last thing we need is another blue ribbon committee." Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, quoted by the Austin American-Statesman after voting against a judicial pay raise that triggers an increase in legislative retirement benefits: "I've got enough problems back home without voting for this."