The Port Owns the Water. The Corridor Sets the Price. You Pay the Difference.

The Hidden Levy, Part 4 — Synthesis

Twelve weeks in. Two days late — better late than never, but the mission's the same. This week we close The Hidden Levy series with Part 4, the synthesis. Over four weeks we showed you where the money actually goes: the water rate nobody voted on, the smart meters tracking every gallon, the industrial corridor's negotiated arrangements — and this week, what it all adds up to for a real household in Deer Park, La Porte, or Pasadena. The number is higher than you think.

There's also a civic action to take before month's end. If you've ever thought about running for local office — or know someone who should — candidate filing for La Porte City Council and school board seats closes soon. The city websites have the forms. It costs nothing to file. The people on these councils right now got there the same way.

If you get value from this newsletter, buy me a beer. — David Campbell

Come prepared (90 seconds): your Harris County Appraisal District record is public at hcad.org. Plug in your address to see your appraised value, what you paid in property taxes by entity, and the value history going back years. Most people have never looked.

Watch on YouTube →

Liberty Watch — Your Government, This Week

The Hidden Levy synthesis is this week's centerpiece. Civic action with a deadline: candidate filing for La Porte City Council and school board closes by month's end — free to file, forms on the city website. Two council meetings fall on Tuesday, March 17 (see calendar) — show up for one.

Prosperity Spotlight

Coupland Signs — family-owned in La Porte since 1992 (current Main St location since 2004); signage serving the City of La Porte, the La Porte Police Department, and the area's growing industrial base. 118 South 5th St, La Porte; couplandsigns.com; 281-867-0678.

Shuko's Avenue 502 — 3601 Center St, Deer Park (next to Planet Fitness). Mexican, Guatemalan, Salvadoran.

Deer Park Snack Bar — 2506 A Center St, Deer Park. Snow cones, elotes, mangonadas, shave ice.

The Tamales Spot III — 3501 East Blvd, Deer Park. Breakfast tacos and tamales.

Growth & Learning

Tuttle Twins ("What Are Your Kids Actually Learning About Money?") — illustrated books teaching kids 5–11 about free markets, personal responsibility, and individual liberty; a natural complement to "Know Your Schools."

Check out the Tuttle Twins →

Affiliate link — David uses these with his own kids.

The Treasurer's Report — Week 32: 32 consecutive profitable weeks. This week: $1,911.22 net options income on $28,048 deployed — a 6.81% weekly return, nearly seven times the 1% target; all-time net income $32,614.62. The week's story was a QUBT roll — a put that moved against us, managed with a disciplined roll for net credit rather than assignment or panic. No drama, just mechanics. Gold/Silver Challenge, Week 5: gold closed Friday at $5,097, silver around $83.96; physical metals would be worth ~$53,764 versus the gold/silver accounts at $48,577 (including $7,585 earned options income) — metals lead by $5,187. Honest scorecard: sold gold at $4,371 in January (now $5,097, a $4,668 miss); silver sold at $76.58, crashed, now recovering — defensible timing. At ~$900–1,100/week across both accounts, that $5,187 gap closes in 5–6 weeks without metals moving at all. "I sell options Monday, they expire Friday, I keep the money." Not financial advice; figures from verified Schwab records.

Follow at isdavecrazy.com.

We spend a lot of ink holding government accountable for financial sustainability. Fair question back at us: how sustainable are your own finances? Since last August I've run a simple, almost boring options framework — target around 1% a week, an hour or two to manage, none of the day-trading drama. It runs on the philosophy we preach here: systems over speculation, consistency over chaos, control what you can actually control. (It's the framework I use personally; the founder goes by Troy.)

Check out Low Stress Options →

Sponsors support the mission, never influence the message — I don't recommend anything I don't use.

Service Spotlight — CrowdHealth

My family of four has never carried traditional health insurance. We used a health-sharing ministry for years and recently switched to CrowdHealth. The model: a per-person monthly subscription for the platform and advocacy team, then each month you contribute toward another member's bills — never more than your set max. When you have an event, you pay a $500 commitment and the community covers the rest. We're testing it live right now on a $6,000 ER visit — CrowdHealth negotiates it down, I pay $500, the crowd covers the rest. No claims department, no denial letters. Our family runs roughly $400–660/month versus $1,500–2,500 for traditional Texas family coverage. What sold me: unlike an insurer, CrowdHealth doesn't profit from sickness — it's members helping members.

Learn how CrowdHealth works →

Referral link; paying member since January.

Service Opportunities

Deer Park Parks & Recreation Committee — opening for a new member: 2-year term from May 2026, meets first Monday at 11:30 AM at the Dow Active Complex (unpaid). Apply by March 31, 5 PM via deerparktx.gov or the City Secretary's Office, 710 E San Augustine (free notary); email notarized forms to amsmith@deerparktx.org; 281-479-2394.

Your School District Needs You — campus volunteer programs across all three districts, La Porte ISD HELPS Mentoring, the education foundations, and CTE career-day speakers. You don't need a child in school to help.

Loving La Porte — Joseph Daughtery and the Hanks family feed 80–150 kids after school and are building toward a community center. Volunteer or donate: LovingLaPorte.org (Michael Hanks, 832-867-3499).

Pet of the Week

Six 3.5-month-old Chihuahua mixes (five boys, one girl) — big personalities, main-character energy — at the Deer Park Animal Shelter, 4221 Luella Ave.

Community Calendar

Tue Mar 17 — Cycle the City with Mayor Helton, 6:30 PM, Brookglen Community Center, 3324 Sommerton Dr, La Porte (ride-out 6:45). First-timers get a custom LP bike bell.

Tue Mar 17 — Deer Park City Council, 7:30 PM, 710 E San Augustine St.

Tue Mar 17 — Pasadena City Council, 6:00 PM, 1149 Ellsworth Dr, 6th Floor. (Two councils the same night — show up for one; both open to the public.)

Sat Mar 21 — Pet Palooza & Doggie Dash, 9 AM–12 PM, Little Cedar Bayou Park, La Porte. Free; register at laportetx.gov.

Sat Mar 28 — Trash Bash 2026, registration 8:30 AM, cleanup 9–11 AM, multiple sites. Free; T-shirt and lunch. trashbash.org.

Save the date — Sat Apr 25: 70th Annual Sylvan Beach Festival, Sylvan Beach Park, La Porte; gates 9 AM. Kids 12 and under free. Carnival, vendors, live music, cook-off, pageant. sylvanbeachfestival.com.

From Local Theory

New album: Local Theory's "Your Own Bank" is out. Five albums and 120-plus tracks now in the catalog — hear it all at localtheorymusic.com.

Take Action This Week

Pull your HCAD record at hcad.org and read the Hidden Levy synthesis · file to run for La Porte council or school board before month's end (free) · attend a March 17 council meeting.

Value for Value

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If you get value from this newsletter, buy me a beer.

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