AUSTIN – Today at the Texas Capitol, the Conservative Texas Budget Coalition announced its top priorities including limiting any spending growth to population growth plus inflation. For the 2020-21 budget year that would be an all funds appropriation of $234.1 billion.
Other budget priorities include: approve conservative spending limits, provide local property tax relief, abolish the business margins tax, adopt a tax relief fund, and secure budget transparency and accountability.
The Conservative Texas Budget Coalition
*Americans forProsperity–Texas
*Americans for Tax Reform
*Citizens Against Government Waste
*Grassroots America—We the People
*Heartland Institute
*Heritage Alliance
*Institute for Policy Innovation
*Lone Star Policy Institute
*National Taxpayers Union
*Our America Initiative
*R Street Institute
*Reason Foundation
*State Budget Solutions
*Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
*Texans 4 Truth
*Texas Eagle Forum
*Texas Public Policy Foundation
*Young Conservatives of Texas
Coalition members offered the following remarks:
“The Conservative Texas Budget Coalition stands for fiscal responsibility to assure Texans that government won’t crowd out the many benefits of strong families and a robust civil society.”
—Talmadge Heflin, Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy, Texas Public Policy Foundation
“The Coalition’s legislative priorities of reining in government spending to provide tax relief will let more Texans prosper.”
—Dr. Vance Ginn, Director of the Center for Economic Prosperity and Senior Economist, Texas Public Policy Foundation
“Until we get government spending under control, we won’t get government under control. Reducing the growth of spending is the first step to reducing government interference in our lives.”
—Bill Peacock, Vice President of Research, Texas Public Policy Foundation
“The fiscally responsible principles outlined by the Coalition will ensure that the Lone Star State remains the economic envy of the nation. By keeping spending under control and delivering meaningful tax relief, Texas families will have a better shot at achieving the American Dream.”
—Sam Sheetz, Policy Director, Americans forProsperity—Texas
“Thanks to the passage of federal tax reform that simplified the code and significantly reduced taxes for Americans, the U.S. is now a more attractive place to do business. The Texas Legislature should implement the Coalition’s legislative priorities so Texas will be an even more attractive place to prosper.”
— Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
“The Coalition stands for limiting the growth of spending, eliminating wasteful programs, and providing tax relief to hardworking families. It is only through these reforms that Texas will continue to be a top destination for new businesses and jobs.”
—Tom Schatz, President, Citizens Against Government Waste
“Grassroots America strongly supports pushing state government back into a constitution-sized box and right-sizing it for maximum individual liberty and economic freedom. We look forward to helping the Coalition set a higher standard for how and why government spends our money.”
— JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People
“The Heartland Institute is proud to join the Coalition and help lawmakers deliver tax relief to families across Texas. The Coalition will ensure the Texas Model remains a shining example of prosperity and fiscal discipline for others to follow.”
—Charlie Katebi, State Government Relations Manager, Heartland Institute
“Lone Star Policy Institute is pleased to join the Coalition’s efforts to rein in spending and develop innovative tax policies that ensure economic opportunity for all Texans.”
—Doug McCullough, Director, Lone Star Policy Institute
“National Taxpayers Union is proud to be a member of the Coalition which features so many results-driven organizations. We will work tirelessly to keep lawmakers accountable to their constituents and ensure continued prosperity for all Texans.”
—Pete Sepp, President, National Taxpayers Union
“Our America Initiative recognizes that low taxation is a component of economic liberty and that high taxation rarely delivers better government service. We hope that Texas will continue to be a leader for fiscal sustainability.”
—Gil Robinson, Director, Our America Initiative—Texas
“In the past two sessions, Texas has made significant progress towards the eventual elimination of the margins tax. Now it is time to finish the job because the margins tax is a complicated, economically burdensome mess that must be repealed.”
—Josiah Neeley, Texas Director, R Street Institute
“Reason Foundation is honored to be part of a vital Coalition dedicated to advancing free markets and fiscal stewardship in Texas. Reasonable constraints on the growth of government spending, adopting pro-growth tax reforms, and using smarter approaches to budget prioritization and fiscal accountability will be critical for Texas to remain America’s economic beacon.”
—Adrian Moore, Vice President, Reason Foundation
“The Coalition has demonstrated remarkable leadership on fiscal responsibility for Texas citizens. It is a model for other states to join Texas as a leader for fiscal responsibility.”
—Bob Williams, Director, State Budget Solutions
“Texans 4 Truth believes fiscal and personal responsibility should be exercised at home and in government to live within our means and not mortgage our children’s future. We are anxious to be part of the Coalition’s efforts to identify, limit, and control government spending in Texas.”
—Ronda McCauley, Communications, Texans 4 Truth
“Texans must be free to pursue their dreams unshackled by the restraints of burdensome government outside of its constitutionally limited functions. Because the weight of government, and especially property taxes, threatens Texans’ future opportunities, we must work diligently to restrict government and expand liberty to ensure the promise of Texas as a land of unlimited opportunity is more true tomorrow than it was yesterday.”
—Michael Quinn Sullivan, president, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
“We understand that one of the hallmarks of liberty is the freedom to steward our finances, which we expect elected officials to pass a budget that vigilantly manages our resources. The Texas Eagle Forum is a group based on faith and strong families that is encouraging legislators to practically spend on essential items while boldly cutting expenses on ineffective programs.”
—Trayce Bradford, President, Texas Eagle Forum
“The Young Conservatives of Texas support the reduction of state spending and taxation. As we begin our careers and face the hardships of being an adult, it’s crucial that government controls spending as outlined by the Coalition so we can have more opportunities to prosper throughout our lives.”
—Jennifer Quillin, Financial Director, Young Conservatives of Texas
For more information on the Conservative Texas Budget coalition, please visit:www.conservativetexasbudget.com
For more information, please contact Sarah Silberstein at[email protected] or 512-472-2700.
Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit free-market research institute based in Austin that aims to foster human flourishing by protecting and promoting liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility.
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