It's getting increasingly easy to get on the government gravy train. From movie studio execs to Ph.D. families, the hand-outs just don't end in this Republican-controlled legislature. Small government. Right…

This week, the Texas Senate's Finance Committee is considering a hand-out to mega-rich movie moguls threatening to take their latte's and go shoot their TV shows somewhere else.

Senator Dan Patrick has once again demonstrated that he is not afraid to rock the boat in order to stand up for taxpayers.   He not only voted against a $152 billion Senate budget ($2 billion more than the House version) but further listed over $2.9 billion in specific cuts he would make.   This is a gutsy move on behalf of taxpayers.  His proposed cuts appear below.  Of course, there are arguments that some of these programs are within the legitimate role of government and deserve funding, but Senator Patrick is right on target and, at the very least, these cuts should have been debated.  

So the cut-and-run retreat of Republicans from conservative values and principles continued this week. While the modern French are widely known for a willingness to surrender before a battle is fought, it seems Republicans in the Texas House are even willing to retreat from settled victory!

 

Republican legislators voted to unravel the reforms to the Children’s Health Insurance Program, with only 19 legislators exhibiting any backbone. The rest? Cut and ran; they’d rather be loved by the left than govern from the right. (Here’s the list of the Republicans: The Good, The Trying Hard, and the Cut-And-Run Caucus.)

Comptroller Susan Combs this week estimated that the new state business tax on gross revenues would bring in $500 to $800 million less than expected. This estimate is based on voluntary submissions made by many affected businesses. However, many business, particularly those in the service industry that is heavily targeted by the tax, did not submit their projected tax burden.

For the last decade, Texas has been the national leader in making moves toward substantive, free-market reforms as means to solve problems and improve the quality of life.

 

T exas’ accomplishments have played an important role in helping other states, and even Washington, take the same direction. Today, many of these accomplishments are threatened, most notably with plans to re-regulate the electric markets. This change could have national implications, and it certainly does not bode well for anyone doing any type of business in the state.

Representative Kelly Hancock , a Tarrant County Republican, has filed House Bill 1849 that will eliminate a tax imposed by the Texas Department of Insurance to Texas life insurers that now serves no purpose.