The Foundation’s research shows that Texas’ tax and expenditure limit doesn’t effectively restrain the total budget over time and calls for fundamental reform to support more opportunity for Texans to prosper. As noted in Table 1, our research is making a difference in Austin with both the Governor’s and Senate’s reforms being much closer to our recommendation than the status quo.
Table 1: The Current Spending Limit Expands Government Spending at a Faster Pace than Governor Abbott’s, TPPF’s, and the Senate’s Recommended Spending Limit Reforms
We commend the Senate Finance Committee for hearing public testimony tomorrow on Senate Joint Resolution 2 and its enabling legislation Senate Bill 9 that would fundamentally reform the state’s weak tax and expenditure limit. While it is not exactly what we find would be the best limit, Texans would be in a better financial condition than the status quo.
Bottom line: It’s good to see state officials are offering key reforms that will restrain a growing footprint of government safeguarding Texans from higher taxes and fees and helping Texas remain the model of opportunity and success for the nation. Now is the time to secure Texas’ prosperity by reforming the spending limit.