Justin Keener Vice President of Policy and Communications Justin Keener oversees research, legislative and communications initiatives for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the nation’s leading free-market state think tank, in order to help carry the message of limited government and personal responsibility to the state’s policymakers and 23 million citizens. Prior to joining the Foundation, Justin worked in the Texas House, Texas Senate, non-profit community and private sector. Justin’s legislative experience includes serving as an advisor to Texas Speaker Tom Craddick, and as communications director to Senator Florence Shapiro and the Senate State Affairs Committee. His public affairs background started at the Greater Dallas Crime Commission, then as a lobbyist with a small firm in Dallas, and as a vice president in Austin with two of the nation’s largest public relations firms before starting his own consulting practice. He has directed campaigns for numerous Fortune 500 companies, advocacy organizations and political candidates. Justin is a sixth-generation Texan from Brownwood, and lives in Austin with his wife Kristen, and sons David and Adam. Click here to email Justin

Justin Keener's Publications

Universities Shouldn’t Fight New Transparency Law	August 04, 2010
Building upon Texas’ nationally-recognized reforms, House Bill 2504 by Rep. Lois Kolkhorst was passed unanimously by the Legislature, requiring more openness from our state’s public universities. But no good deed goes unpunished, and Texas is now under rhetorical attack from certain academic institutions and faculty associations.
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Testimony before the House Select Committee on Transportation Funding, Subcommittee on Funding	May 03, 2010
Improving Efficiency, Accountability and Transparency
Lawmakers must make transportation funding and spending more efficient, accountable and transparent. This testimony presents alternatives, including a quick examination of transit spending that could be prioritized towards traffic congestion relief.
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New Taxes and Old Politics Will Not Fix Traffic	March 02, 2010
Texans are tired of sitting in traffic, and elected officials have a choice. They can continue to pass the buck by offering only new taxes and greater spending for pet projects that won’t relieve congestion. Or they can do the hard work we expect of them by reprioritizing existing taxes and demanding greater accountability and transparency in transportation spending.
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Letter to Members of the Texas House	May 20, 2009
Regarding Senate Bill 855
This letter expresses the Foundation's concerns regarding pending legislation that would index the state's current gasoline tax and create a new 10-cent "local option" gasoline tax, potentially raising gas taxes by 125%.
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Testimony before the House Transportation Committee	April 21, 2009
Local Option Transportation Legislation
This testimony expresses the Foundation's position on proposed Texas legislation that would establish several new locally imposed taxes and fees to fund transportation projects.
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Testimony to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security on SB 855 and SB 942	March 18, 2009
Local Option Transportation Legislation
This testimony expresses the Foundation's position on two Texas Senate proposals that would establish several new locally imposed taxes and fees to fund transportation projects.
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Transportation Taxes Will Drive Jobs Away	March 10, 2009
Texans are beginning to feel the pain of the national recession and a cooling state economy. The Federal Reserve recently updated its forecast and said Texas could lose nearly 300,000 jobs this year with an unemployment rate upwards of 8 percent. Perfect time for a massive tax increase? Sadly, several of our state legislators seem to think so.
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First, Do No Harm	January 29, 2009
It takes only one moment of weakness by the legislature to raze the solid foundation of fiscal responsibility that allows us to stand strong while others collapse. Above all things the legislature considers, first, do no harm.
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Texas Toll Money: Give It Back	December 29, 2008
Citizens expect that the transportation user fees they pay—whether tolls, vehicle registration fees, or gas taxes—will be used to alleviate traffic congestion; that is simply not the case.
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