On the Issues
For more than twenty-five years, I have worked to bring common-sense leadership to the policies that affect our families, neighborhoods, and businesses. As a State Legislator, I stood my ground for the people of District 107, while many in Austin worked to weaken our immigration laws, raise taxes, and expand the budget. You can continue to count on me to make sure our priorities get a voice in the state capitol.
Dedicate More Resources to Stop Illegal Immigration
Texas is on the front lines in dealing with illegal immigration and its countless ramifications. From overcrowded schools to increased crime, Texans see first-hand how unfettered illegal immigration is tearing at the fabric of our state.
The sheer volume of this problem has created such a ripple effect throughout our economy, society, and culture that ripples are now creating rip tides, which will lead to tidal waves that could have a devastating and lasting effect on the genius of our state, country, and Constitution.
Every level of our government must take action to help stop illegal immigrants from flouting our laws without the slightest fear of adverse consequences. The state legislature can and must do more to share in this responsibility. We can start with common-sense measures, such as:
- Rescinding the law passed in 2001 allowing illegals to pay in-state tuition for college;
- Protecting our right to vote by simply requiring photo identification.
Rolling Back Taxes on Property Owners and Small Businesses
In 2006, I drew quite a bit of criticism from many in Austin and in Republican leadership because I led the fight against the new state tax structure that swapped only modest and temporary property-tax reductions for a new, permanent, and potentially unlimited tax on small businesses. With our expanding economy and recurring budget surpluses, we should be reducing taxes, not creating new ones.
At a time when our state is flush with income because of our extraordinary growth, we have the opportunity and responsibility to give this money back to the people that are making Texas such a vibrant state – property owners and small businesses.
Even if it means bucking our elected leaders, I am committed to:
- Reducing school property-tax rates beyond what has been promised and funded by the state and;
- Eliminating the tax on small businesses so our entrepreneurs can grow our state by increasing their revenue, not the state treasury in Austin.
Bring the Budget Under Control
It is an understatement to say that the budget process in Austin is confusing and produces a document that is difficult to understand. The result is taxpayers do not get a clear picture of how their dollars are actually being used or if they are being spent on intended purposes such as improving roads, maintaining our state parks, or helping improve our children’s classrooms.
We must do away with the backroom process of making lump-sum appropriations that prevent public scrutiny of the state budget. As your state representative, I will work to overhaul the budget process so that “zero-based” budgets are built from the ground up every session. I will also work to deliver a budget that is line-item specific in order to:
- Provide the public greater transparency as to how their dollars are being spent;
- Allow the Governor to effectively use the line-item veto, and;
- Increase the clarity as to the effectiveness of how the money we are spending is actually helping to improve our state.
I hope you will join my campaign today! You can help right now by making your most generous contribution or by volunteering to help my campaign. Thank you for joining the fight to bring common-sense Republican leadership back to Austin!