Fiscal Responsibility
Since 2001, state spending has nearly doubled, approximately 15 billion dollars more than the rate of growth in population plus inflation. The standard refrain heard from legislators is that their hands are tied because of federal mandates and dedicated funds that are part of the budget process. Despite these claims, when revenues fell 10 billion dollars below projections in 2003 and 15 billion in 2011, they were able to balance the budget for the following years. This happened only because the funds were not available to spend and they were required by the Texas Constitution to balance the budget. By holding a hard line on spending at the rate of inflation plus growth in population we will control the growth of government. By controlling the growth of state government, revenues will continue to increase allowing surplus funds to be available for the purpose of property tax reduction.
Stop Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration is one of the most important issues facing Texas today. The failure of the federal government to enforce the current immigration laws and the lack of leadership in Austin has allowed illegal immigration and the security of our border to reach a Crisis Level. The flood of illegal aliens across our border has overwhelmed our public schools, driven up the cost of healthcare, and clogged our criminal justice system, costing Texas taxpayers billions of dollars annually. Based on the latest census data there are at least 1.7 million illegal aliens in Texas. It is estimated that in the last 10 years, the state’s illegal alien population has increased by more than seventy percent. About twelve percent of the state’s total school age population, some 600,000 children, are illegal aliens or the offspring of illegal aliens. In 2010, roughly 74% of the illegal aliens deported from Southeast Texas had a felony or misdemeanor conviction. More than twenty percent of the medical caseloads in Texas involve illegal aliens, including seventy percent of all babies born at publicly funded hospitals. The majority of the illegal drugs smuggled in to the US come across the U.S./Mexico border. Texas has 1,254 miles of border with Mexico. Despite this accurate and compelling assessment, the Texas Legislature has done little to address this problem. We can no longer tolerate the attitude that this is a “federal issue” or accept that our elected officials are doing all they can. The first line of defense is to redirect resources from providing services to illegal aliens to enforcing current law at all levels of law enforcement. We must eliminate sanctuary cities in Texas, provide sufficient funding to incarcerate illegal aliens pending deportation, and provide additional resources to our border area sheriffs. In addition, we should implement a state-sanctioned, well regulated, volunteer Civil Border Guard to aid in securing our border. Furthermore, the Texas Legislature should provide national leadership by calling for the end of birthright citizenship to the children of illegal aliens.
Cap Property Tax Appraisals
Current law allows residential homestead property tax appraisals to increase up to 10% annually and unlimited increases on all other real estate. Although, the Texas Legislature has lowered the rate on school property taxes, they did nothing to abate the automatic tax increases that occur through rising appraisals. Furthermore, appraisals increase the amount of taxes levied on property owners by county, city and other local taxing authorities. Annual appraisal increases should be capped at the lesser of 3% or the rate of inflation for the preceding year. If the governing body of a taxing authority deem it necessary to increase revenue, it should be done by raising the tax rate, thereby making the actions of elected officials accountable to the voters. Our ultimate goal should be to abolish property taxes and reform our tax system with a focus on end-user consumption.
Abolish the Margin Tax
In 2007, under the guise of property tax relief, the Texas Legislature passed the largest tax increase in state history. Despite record budget surpluses that year, the Texas Legislature increased taxes on Texas business owners by more than 6 billion dollars. The Gross Margin Tax is a business income tax based on gross receipts, less either the cost of goods or cost of wages. This means that many small business with high revenue and low percentage of profit, particularly those who rely heavily on contract labor (which is not deductible) and those that have a close-to-even ratio of cost of goods and wages have seen a dramatic increase in their tax burden. In some cases, a business may pay more in margin tax than they made in profit. In fact, under the Gross Margin Tax a business can lose money and still be required to pay taxes on revenue. Because the Texas Legislature failed to cap the automatic increases that occur through rising property tax appraisals, the end result has been a net increase in spending, resulting in larger government and higher taxes. We must end the shell game that is continuously played with taxpayers by the legislature. By controlling the growth of state government, at the rate of inflation plus growth in population, surplus funds will be available to achieve true reduction in the total tax burden.
Free Market Principles
Stop the practice of subsidies, bail-outs, and grants. In 2011, the legislature voted for 48 million dollars in grants to subsidize alternative fuels. Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers. Let the free market work!
Stop Forced Annexation
Consent of the governed and the right of self-determination are fundamental rights that we have held sacred for more than 230 years. Abraham Lincoln said it best: No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent. You would be hard pressed to find anyone in this great state that would openly disagree with that statement. However, today in the State of Texas residents of areas annexed by home rule cities (cities with populations of 5,000 or greater) are not permitted to vote on this issue. In 1997, I fought the city of Houston on the issue of forced annexation, passing the only bill in history through the Texas Senate that would prevent forced annexation. Although the bill was blocked in the Democrat controlled house, I was able to persuade Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock to appoint a Special Interim Committee on Annexation. As a result, the committee passed the greatest reforms curbing forced annexation since 1963. Since that time Republicans have gained more seats in the Texas Senate and gained control of the Texas House of Representatives. It is unacceptable that measures such as this one, consistently blocked in the past by Democrat control of our legislature, have not been passed by our Republican majority.
Term Limits
It is ironic that since gaining a Republican majority in both houses of the legislature, this issue has fallen off the radar. The longer an elected official is in office, the more contributions they receive from the lobby and special interests. As a result, these officials become greatly entrenched and beholden to those special interests. Term limits will ensure a balance of power and provide for more equal representation within our republic.