Texas Taxpayer Lawsuit Announced

Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes ^ | June 13, 2006 | Ed Hendee

[YCTHouston]

C.L.O.U.T ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST LT. GOV., SPEAKER, COMPTROLLER

Taxpayer group asks court to enforce constitutional spending limits

AUSTIN, Texas – Edd Hendee, executive director of taxpayer-watchdog group CLOUT: Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes announced today that he has lawsuit aimed at requiring Texas state government to comply with the spending limits already written into the Texas constitution.

“Regardless of your political affiliation or public policy agenda, all of us can agree that Texas government needs to operate within the framework of the state constitution,” Hendee said.

“That isn’t happening. Instead, we have a clear constitutional provision that is routinely ignored, legislators are evading their responsibilities, and the spending burden on Texas taxpayers just keeps growing and growing.”

The suit alleges that the Legislature has, contrary to the constitution, delegated limit-setting authority to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), an unelected body made up of select legislators and executive branch members.

CLOUT further alleges that the LBB has systematically used artificially high estimates of economic growth to justify its high spending limits, and in some cases, set no limit at all. According to the lawsuit, "From 1984 to 2000 alone, excessive spending – the spending increases beyond the growth in the gross state product – have cost Texas families an average of $26,800."

CLOUT is asking the court to enforce Article 8, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution, which voters approved overwhelmingly in 1978.

The organization will specifically ask the court:

-To establish a reasonable yardstick with which to measure the state's economy, instead of the unrealistic projections of years past;

-To force a record vote on the annual projections, rather than passing the buck to an unelected committee;

-To enforce the Constitutional limit with a realistic measure of growth on the state’s economy, including limiting the spending authorized in the last special session.

“It is unfortunate that for the last two decades the provisions of our constitution calling on the legislature to approve all budget limits have been turned over to an unelected body, the Legislative Budget Board,” said Jim Cardle of Texas Club For Growth.*

“The LBB was created to handle unforseen emergency situations when state funds would be spent during times the legislature is not in session. Unfortunately this is not how things have been functioning for the last 15-plus years. Hopefully now is the time to set things right and follow the letter of the law so that our state's budget reflects our legislators’ approval as expressed through the wishes of their constituents.”

In an era of rising property taxes and new business taxes, the Legislature has ignored Texas taxpayers' mandate for limited spending. Instead, it has violated the Constitutiton to the tune of billions of dollars. CLOUT is confident that this lawsuit will serve as a wake-up call, forcing the Legislature to end its unconstitutional abuse of spending power.

*Organization listed for identification purposes only.

###

[YCTHouston]

Press Conference - Suit Filed to Enforce the Texas Constitution's Spending Limits

Day: Wednesday, 6/14/06 Time: 2 PM Location: Eastern steps of the Texas Capitol

Join Edd Hendee of CLOUT* and Jim Cardle of Texas Club for Growth* for an important announcement this wednesday at the Texas Capitol Building.

*Organizations for identification purposes.

All conservatives are welcome - Austin area freepers please attend

[YCTHouston]

Know any Austin area freepers who might like to check this out?

[DrewsDad]

FYI Ping for Wednesday Event

[YCTHouston]

Thanks!

Doesn't look like I'm going to be able to make the drive in the morning, but it should be fun for anyone who's in range.

[TexasCajun]

New Texas Senator Dan Patrick and his friends are trying to make a difference for Texas taxpayers.

Ed Hendee is Dan's own Karl Rove.

[Dog Gone]

Well, I ate lunch at Edd's restaurant today. It set me back about $35 (okay, someone else actually picked up the tab), so he should have the financial resources to fund this lawsuit.

[YCTHouston]

The price of beef keeps going up!

[stickandrudder]

Listen to Edd and Dan on KSEV radio 700 am.

At least someone is trying to curb state spending.

And Gov Perry's tax increase, I mean cut (yeah right)

[Dog Gone]

It set me back about the price of a half barrel of crude!

Actually, the guy from the other oil company ate too, so it set him back a full barrel of crude.

We're trying to return those obscene profits to someone who will use them to cut taxes.

[YCTHouston]

So after we implement the windfall tax on evil folks like you, we can return money to taxpayers who deserve it, so they can buy more beef?

[Dog Gone]

I think that's about right.

Either that or we can build a refinery. It's kinda up to you.

[unixfox]

Either that or we can build a refinery.

I'd settle for a fence.

[Dog Gone]

Hell, might as well turn it into an illegal immigration thread. 99% of the others have.

How 'bout we put some alligators in a moat? Haven't heard that suggestion before, have ya?

[Tall_Texan]

I'm kinda having a hard time believing congresscritters could OVERestimate how much growth Texas is having, given the pretty fair amount of growth Texas really is having.