With one notable exception, Texas lawmakers representing Dallas County performed poorly on key taxpayer issues this legislative session, with most scoring worse than their peers on the 2019 Fiscal Responsibility Index.
The Index is a tool for taxpayers to measure legislators’ commitment to fiscal responsibility and limited government, using exemplar votes on core budget and free enterprise issues. The 2019 Index, released last week, shows state lawmakers averaged an overall rating of 46 in what conservative activists have deemed a disappointing legislative session. Dallas County’s mostly Democrat delegation earned an even lower average rating of 30.
The exception: the county’s lone Republican senator, State Sen. Bob Hall of Edgewood. Hall was the highest-scoring member of the Texas Senate this session, earning a grade of 90—well above Senate Republicans’ average rating of 72. The taxpayer champion earned a 97 in 2017.
Dallas County’s two Republican Texas House members—State Reps. Morgan Meyer (Dallas) and Angie Chen Button (Richardson)—performed worse this year than last session. Both earned failing scores that fell significantly below the average House Republican rating of 60.
Almost half the county’s delegation were freshmen. The eight newcomers, all Democrats, performed at or below their peers’ average ratings of 38 for Senate Democrats and 24 for House Democrats. Six of the eight were part of a “blue wave” that knocked out most of Dallas County’s Republican incumbents in the November 2018 general election.
This year’s Index was more exhaustive than ever, including 170 votes in the House and 149 votes in the Senate. Every issue and vote included on the Index, as well as the grading methodology, was publicly noted in advance of votes taken on the floor.
Here’s how each Dallas County lawmaker performed:
Texas Senate
Average Rating 59; Democrat Average 38; Republican Average 72
State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) – Senate District 2
2019 Rating: 90
2017 Rating: 97
Career Rating: A- (3 Terms)
State Sen. Nathan Johnson (D–Dallas) – Senate District 16
2019 Rating: 35
State Sen. Royce West (D–Dallas) – Senate District 23
2019 Rating: 44
2017 Rating: 47
Career Rating: F (5 Terms)
Texas House
Average Rating 43; Democrat Average 24; Republican Average 60
State Rep. Eric Johnson (D–Dallas) – House District 100
2019 Rating: 22
2017 Rating: 21
Career Rating: F (5 Terms)
State Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos (D–Richardson) – House District 102
2019 Rating: 20
State Rep. Rafael Anchia (D–Dallas) – House District 103
2019 Rating: 21
2017 Rating: 21
Career Rating: F (5 Terms)
State Rep. Jessica González (D–Dallas) – House District 104
2019 Rating: 21
State Rep. Terry Meza (D–Dallas) – House District 105
2019 Rating: 23
State Rep. Victoria Neave (D–Dallas) – House District 107
2019 Rating: 20
2017 Rating: 24
Career Rating: F (2 Terms)
State Rep. Morgan Meyer (R–Dallas) – House District 108
2019 Rating: 43
2017 Rating: 60
Career Rating: F (3 Terms)
State Rep. Carl Sherman (D–DeSoto) – House District 109
2019 Rating: 21
State Rep. Toni Rose (D–110) – House District 110
2019 Rating: 20
2017 Rating: 15
Career Rating: F (4 Terms)
State Rep. Yvonne Davis (D–Dallas) – House District 111
2019 Rating: 24
2017 Rating: 20
Career Rating: F (5 Terms)
State Rep. Angie Chen Button (R–Richardson) – House District 112
2019 Rating: 42
2017 Rating: 51
Career Rating: F (5 Terms)
State Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D–Rowlett) – House District 113
2019 Rating: 22
State Rep. John Turner (D–Dallas) – House District 114
2019 Rating: 21
State Rep. Julie Johnson (D–Irving) – House District 115
2019 Rating: 24