Let’s just put all the cards on the table: Governor Perry’s new Texas Budget Compact represents
bold leadership and a commitment to solutions. The “leadership” in the
Texas Legislature has expressed extreme reluctance to back (and
therefore enact) the tenets of the compact, essentially saying “well,
that’s nice of the governor, but down here in the chamber we do things
differently.”
The governor has not asked anyone to sign a pledge or made any sign
that violating the separation of powers is part of his intent. The
tenets of the compact are straightforward, and Governor Perry told the
Texas Tribune, “People are either going to be for them or not.” The
Texas Budget Compact is not radical, nor does it violate any of the
principles our legislative leaders claim to espouse. Yet, the response,
so eloquently phrased as “nice, but the Legislature needs to assert
itself from time to time,” is curious. If the Legislature won’t assert
itself on things like truth in budgeting, opposing new taxes, and
cutting unnecessary and duplicative government agencies and programs,
then what exactly will they assert themselves on?
We hear a lot of promises during campaign season, but what we’re
hearing from the so-called leadership of the Texas House of
Representatives in particular is that they will make no promises.
Speaker Straus doesn’t sign pledges – though he certainly takes a
different stance when it comes to pledge cards to keep him in power.
He’s telling voters, he will commit to nothing, either because he
disagrees with the Texas Budget Compact or he has no intention of
letting Governor Perry set a tone and agenda for the state without his
go-ahead.
Despite the leadership’s non-committal stance, candidates for seats
in both legislative chambers are already stepping forward to associate
themselves with Governor Perry’s initiative. More will come on board as
the days go on and I urge you to ask candidates where they stand – are
they for putting an end to accounting gimmicks, making government more
efficient with the resources we have available now, and protecting the
Rainy Day Fund? Are they willing to discuss these things with their
colleagues in Austin, and come up with a responsible plan that addresses
the challenges our state is facing?
The Texas Budget Compact is the right thing for Texas, right now.
Governor Perry came back to Texas, rolled up his sleeves, and got to
work knowing we have a legislative session coming in less than ten
months. Meanwhile, the “assertive” legislative branch spends more time
telling us why they won’t pledge to protect Texas’ fiscal health than
doing anything pro-active – there’s no peep of a budget plan coming from
House leadership.
