A report issued by the Office of the Inspector General at the Texas Education Agency has shed light on a contracting process ripe for fraud and abuse.
It is alleged that individuals received large subcontracts from one of the Education Service Centers, divisions of state government, to perform tasks originally contracted by the TEA. These individuals had personal ties to high-ranking appointees within the TEA, creating for some the appearance of impropriety.
AUSTIN, Texas – In signing two pieces of legislation today, Texas Governor Rick Perry and the Legislature delivered on two elements of the sound fiscal agenda promoted by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and supported by thousands of voters and taxpayers.
The governor today announced he signed House Bill 3430 and House Bill 735. The first creates a searchable public database of all state agency expenditures, contracts and grants, shining historic sunlight on the way taxpayers dollars are spent. The second bill delivers on a decade-old promise to eliminate the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund tax, which was originally levied to wire specific public buildings for the internet and was to be abolished when its purpose had been fulfilled.
Real Spending Limits, Budget Transparency Highlighted In Letters
AUSTIN, Texas – By the thousands, Texans are demanding that the legislature act now on significant budget reforms that will provide for a strong spending limit and real spending transparency.
Thousands of postcards and letters from Texas voters to their legislators were presented at a Capitol press conference this morning. They were then hand-delivered to the legislators’ offices. (Sign the letter online!)
State, Texas Scorecard Podcasts
February 19, 2007
Dear Members of the Texas House:
For the sake of taxpayers, you and your colleagues should vote to bust the state’s spending cap. It is the opinion of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility that this is the only way Texans can be assured of receiving meaningful property tax relief.
We make the important distinction that tax relief should begin before reaching the cap, and then extend beyond the cap.
Texas Senators today voted to bust the current spending cap so as to provide more property tax relief with the surplus than they might have otherwise. Before their vote, Michael Quinn Sullivan sent the following letter.
AUSTIN, Texas – In his State of the State Address, Texas Governor Rick Perry today proposed a strong new constitutional protection for the state’s taxpayers. The measure would limit the growth in state spending to a rolling, three-year average of inflation and population growth.
The president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Michael Quinn Sullivan, praised the proposal.
“Gov. Perry is putting the needs of working Texas taxpayers ahead of bureaucracy. By restricting the growth in government to maintaining the costs of current services, the legislature will be forced to live within the taxpayers’ means,†said Sullivan.
AUSTIN, Texas – Gov. Rick Perry today proposed four key budget reforms designed to promote fiscal responsibility.
Michael Quinn Sullivan, president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, praised the proposals, saying they shine more sunlight on the state’s finances.
“These proposals set the tone for good budget policy and sound government. They promote higher levels of accountability and transparency,†said Sullivan. “Texas’ hard-working families deserve honest bookkeeping from the state legislature. Since we foot the bill, taxpayers should be allowed to review all the expenses to know our money is being spent wisely.â€