AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation and a coalition of allies called on local elected officials to voluntarily adopt much-need guiding principles to advance and enhance local debt transparency, accountability, and election reform. The coalition is made up of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Public Policy Action, Empower Texans, Grassroots America: We the People, and Americans for Prosperity-Texas.

These voluntary reforms will help cities, counties, school districts, and special districts, regardless of financial condition, to better educate their constituencies, ensure responsible debt issuance, and create the conditions where the maximum number of voters can have their voices heard.

“Local government debt in Texas has reached alarming levels ($328.1 billion in FY 2013) and the tide of red ink shows no sign of receding on its own. It’s time that conservative community leaders begin looking at reasonable, noncontroversial ways to educate and empower the electorate to address this issue,” said James Quintero, Director of the Center for Local Governance at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “These commonsense measures will help improve transparency and accountability in the system and ensure that the greatest number of voters can have their voices heard come Election Day.”

“Low-turnout May elections in which early voting is moved around, in what is often referred to as 'rolling polling,' appear to be attempts to prevent voters from participating in their government," said Jess Fields, Senior Policy Analyst in the Center for Local Governance. "Texans deserve November elections with consistent polling places that provides for the greatest number of voters to participate in making sure their tax dollars are carefully guarded."

For more information visit: http://txpo.li/debt-transparency                   

James Quintero is Director of the Center for Local Governance at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Jess Fields is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Center for Local Governance with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin. 

The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit free-market research institute based in Austin.

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