“Today’s Senate vote to approve its 2012-13 budget proposal is good news in that the Legislature is back on track to meet its constitutional obligation to pass a budget in the regular session. We congratulate the senators who voted for the bill in spite of strong pressure to the contrary, and appreciate Sen. Steve Ogden for stripping any use of the state’s rainy day fund from the bill.
“As our legislators work out the final budget in conference committee, we urge them to honor the three principles set forth by the Foundation and the Texans for a Conservative Budget coalition: don’t raise taxes or fees, don’t use any more of the rainy day fund, and don’t spend beyond our state’s means.
“Texas voters gave our legislators clear direction last November that they wanted the budget shortfall addressed by cutting the cost of government. A final budget that adheres to these principles and is closer to the House’s spending total than the Senate’s will demonstrate that our legislators got the message. “Texas is America’s economic engine and a magnet for hard-working Americans because we understand the importance of a vibrant private sector. Our legislators need to make sure that the next state budget encourages the creation of private-sector jobs, because such jobs do more to improve Texans’ quality of life than any government program can.”
The Honorable Talmadge Heflin is Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Heflin served 11 terms in the Texas House of Representatives and chaired the House Appropriations Committee in 2003, leading the Texas Legislature’s successful efforts to close a $10 billion budget deficit without a tax increase.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.
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