Empowertexans

Tweet-less (updated)

Tweet-less (updated)

Without warning or notification, social media mini-blog site Twitter on Monday simultaneously “suspended” the main Empower Texans feed along with the personal accounts of all staff.

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Index: Legislature’s Wasted Opportunity

In a legislative session controlled by a rhetorically conservative super-majority, they accomplished the bare fiscal minimum but did little to control future government growth. This is reflected on the 2011 Fiscal Responsibility Index, with legislators averaging a paltry 61 percent.

Thousands Of Letters Delivered To Capitol

More than 5,000 letters are being delivered from taxpayers living around the state to their legislators. They are asking lawmakers to adopt a 2012-2013 budget that does not spend beyond the state’s fiscal means, raise taxes, or use the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

Ogden Removes RDF From Senate Proposal

Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden announced on the chamber’s floor today he would remove use of the Rainy Day Fund as an automatic financing method for the 2012-2013 budget.

Health Care Compact Brings Power To State

Legislation filed in both chambers of the Texas Legislature would move authority, responsibility, and control over funding for the health care system to the states through a new interstate compact.

POLL: Texans Strongly Support Budget-Cutters

Legislators working to reduce spending have strong re-election support from voters in both parties, while tax-hikers are strongly opposed. The results underscore November’s election, in which voters demanded fiscal responsibility.

POLL: New Taxes, Government Spending Hurt Job Growth

Texas voters say that raising taxes and increasing government spending will harm job growth, and they want lawmakers to tackle reforms in government spending. Strong support for spending reform, instead of taxes, extends even to Medicaid.

Speaker Vote Will Be On Index

The vote for House Speaker will be included on the Fiscal Responsibility Index, announced the president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility today.