DallasBlog.com contributor (and editor of the Lone Star Report) Will Lutz noted the formation of TFR in a posting this morning. You can read his post here.
Â
TEXANS FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FORMED
Michael Quinn Sullivan, formerly vice president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, will become president of the new Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. The organization, chaired by Midland businessman Tim Dunn, was originally founded as Empower Texans. “I look forward to working with state lawmakers and citizens interested in making government more transparent and accountable to taxpayers. With so many vested interests in Austin lobbying hard for programs that spend the taxpayers’ dollars, the hard-working Texans asked to foot the bill need to be represented," Sullivan said. Joining Sullivan in the organization will be Sachiv Metha as communications director. Marc Levin will be the group's general counsel.
The organization will push to have the entire state surplus returned to voters in the form of tax relief. “If lawmakers spend the surplus, they commit taxpayers to future ongoing spending and tax increases,†Sullivan said. “Instead, the legislature should be encouraged to do the right thing: commit themselves to putting taxpayer protection at the top of the budget priority list by using the surplus for tax relief. For the sake of long-term opportunities for economic growth, Texas must enact strong limitations on government spending, and cap the revenues government can take from the people.†In addition to returning the surplus to the people, the group will push for other budget reforms including an end to raiding dedicated funds, placing more details in the appropriations bill, and enacting appraisal reforms.
