AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a paper by Center for Fiscal Policy Director Talmadge Heflin and Economist Dr. Vance Ginn on Article II of Texas’ budget. The paper, Texas Budget Trends in Article II, is the second of six in a series that examines trends in each article of the Texas budget.
“If the Legislature passes a $1.4 billion supplemental bill next session to backfill unfunded health-related expenditures, Article II for healthcare would surpass Article III for education as the largest budget item for the second consecutive year,” said Heflin. “Given the excesses in several functions within Article II and its growing share of the budget, this area of the budget should be closely watched as agencies make their requests and during the legislative process next session.”
“The 2016-17 budget increases Article II funds for Health and Human Services by 76 percent compared with only a 55 percent increase in population growth plus inflation since the 2004-05 budget.,” said Ginn. “This excessive budget trend indicates individual functions that increase by more than this key metric deserve scrutiny each session.”
To read the full report, visit: http://txpo.li/Texas-budget-trends-article-II
The Honorable Talmadge Heflin is Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin. In the 78th Session, Heflin served as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations and navigated a $10 billion state budget shortfall through targeted spending cuts that allowed Texans to avoid a tax increase.
Vance Ginn, Ph.D., is an Economist at 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, Texas.