Several conservative groups say for a Legislature and a state government dominated by Republicans, this session of the Texas Legislature so far is doing a lousy job of cutting spending and reducing taxes, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"Really what we have in Texas is not a revenue problem, which we're always hearing about, but we really have a spending problem," said Vance Ginn, an economist at the right-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The conservative groups say lawmakers should stop hiding behind the decrease in oil and gas revenues and the $8 billion plus downturn in revenue for the coming two years, and move more aggressively to cut spending and reduce taxes.
"The evidence shows that having lower taxes and less spending, you have more economic growth," Ginn said.
The groups say the state should reduce spending and taxes by reducing total spending increases this session to the rate of inflation plus population growth.
He says if one area of state government, like in this case Child Protective Services, is in need of a revenue boost, that money should come from some other part of state government.
Ginn says had the Legislature been following this model for the last decade, taxpayers would be in far better shape today.
"$1600 that a family of four in this state is paying today in taxes, more than they otherwise would," he said.
On the local level, the conservatives called on the Legislature to rein on 'out of control' city and county spending by imposing a tax increase and spending cap on local governments.
Jerome Greener, who is State Director of the group Americans for Prosperity, says cities and counties should be limited to just four percent revenue increases per year.
"And any time we need to go over those funds, taxpayers can elect just how much more government they're willing to pay for," he said.
The groups also are demanding measures to rein in property appraisals, which allow cities like San Antonio to pocket a windfall in property taxes, while claiming they 'did not increase property taxes' for the umpteeth year in a row.
Ginn says the goal is to make sure citizens don't go broke supporting government."At the end of the biennium, the Comptroller would certify how much this program has saved and would then cut the sales tax rate, insuring that you keep more money in your pocket."
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