Earlier this week, Gov. Rick Perry renewed his call for a stricter Constitutional spending limit for Texas’ state budget ahead of the upcoming legislative session. Joined by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst , Governor Perry said: “Government growth, if any, should be kept to the bare minimum and should be limited by constitutional amendment to the rate of our population growth combined with the rate of inflation.”
“An amendment to the Texas Constitution would cast a spending limit in clear terms, ensuring we never get in a situation where state spending spirals out of control the way it has in Washington, D.C.,” the Governor said.
“Texas is the national model when it comes to keeping state spending to a minimum,” Lt. Gov. Dewhurst said. “We take pride in the fact that Texas ranks 47th out of 50th per capita in state spending. A constitutional spending limit based on population and inflation growth will provide Texas greater stability when it comes to budgeting, ensure that the Lone Star State is prosperous for future generations and provide an example for Washington and the rest of the nation on how to govern responsibly.”
Now before us we have a test to see if Speaker of the House Joe Straus really is the fiscally responsible Republican he claims to be. Will he push a meaningful limit to spending growth through the House or, will he pose as a supporter but again appoint committee chairman who will bottle up meaningful reform?
Time will tell and conservative supporters of Straus will have much to answer for, given the position of the Governor and Lt. Governor, if no real spending limit passes in this upcoming Texas legislative session.
