GUN BARREL CITY -- State Rep. Lance Gooden is assuring District 4 residents that no new taxes will come out of the 83rd Session of the Texas Legislature, but he is warning there will be a "big fight" over private school vouchers. "We've got all kinds of politics and dynamics at play in Austin," said Gooden in a speech to the Henderson County Board of Realtors' general membership meeting this week at Vetoni's Restaurant. There will be an effort supported by Gov. Rick Perry to pass legislation that would allow parents who send their children to private schools to receive government funding, Gooden said. He noted that Perry wants to run for governor again in 2014. "It probably will live or die in the House," said Gooden, who noted a budget shortfall will not be seen in 2013 like the $27 billion one that plagued lawmakers in the 82nd Session. There should be a slight surplus because of petroleum-related revenue, he added. "I'm hoping funding to schools will increase or at least be at the same level," he said. Gooden said he expects significant controversy over the issue of private school vouchers, and he noted that proponents of it are starting to "lobby up." They will claim the measure would save money, he said. Gooden said he is against the private school vouchers. A special session is likely to be called to resolve all of the legislative issues, he said. Gooden said another big issue will focus on equalization of school funding for students throughout the state. The amount of money spent per student in wealthy school districts like Highland Park should not amount to more than what is spent per student in Mabank, he said. "I'm fighting for my two counties," Gooden said. "I want what is best for Kaufman and Henderson Counties." Gooden won the Republican Party primary's nomination this year for a second term representing Henderson and Kaufman Counties,and he is running unopposed in the general election in November. He noted that more than half of the 150-member Legislature will be composed of first- and second-term representatives in January. Gooden said that because there are so many new lawmakers entering the Legislature that his seniority level will rise to the level of 90 from his previous status at 123. He said that he expects to again be a member of the Appropriations Committee, but he is unsure if he will retain his seat on the County Affairs Committee. "That's a huge thing," Gooden said. "It usually takes 10 years to rise to that level of seniority." At the start of his speech Gooden thanked real estate agents for the financial support of the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee in his primary battle. "We had a close race," Gooden said. "I couldn't have run the campaign without it. The race was expensive." Gooden said the question he is asked most frequently around Cedar Creek Lake is the possibility of getting gambling legalized. "I don't think the votes are there," Gooden said. Gooden said that he expects the voter identification law to be upheld by the courts, but that it would be unlikely to be in place for the November election. "I think it will just be delayed," Gooden said. "I think it will eventually become law." Prior to Gooden's speech Texas Association of Realtors official Ronny Willis, of Corsicana, told the real estate agents that lobbying was underway to help prevent real estate transactions sales taxes ever being passed in Texas. The organization lobbied against the issue during the 82nd Session, citing that it would lead to higher home prices if real estate agents or property owners were taxed. A widespread rumor reportedly has spread among real estate agents that all real estate transactions will soon be subject to a 3.8 percent federal sales tax. That is false, according to the National Association of Realtors. The basis for the rumor is a new 3.8 percent Medicare tax on unearned income that takes effect in 2013, according to the association. The new tax will apply only to single taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income in excess of $200,000 and married taxpayers with the same in excess of $250,000 if filing jointly or $125,000 if filing separately. Those taxpayers will pay the tax on gain from sale of a principal residence, but only on the amount that exceeds $250,000 for single taxpayers and $500,000 for filers of joint returns. Willis said the days of homeowners realizing those type of capital gains on the sale of their homes is a thing of the past for the near future. Pictured below is Gooden with Curtis Webster, president of Henderson County Board of Realtors.