State of Texas Archives: on Budget & Economy
Allen West:
Was CEO of think tank that went bankrupt
In 2015, West was hired as chief executive officer of the Dallas-based National Center for Policy Analysis, a free market think tank credited with hatching such GOP policy advances as Health Savings Accounts and Roth IRAs.
In less than two years, the nonprofit was bankrupt. A chief financial officer hired during West's tenure embezzled more than $600,000, and the board ended up accusing West of mismanagement.
Source: Dallas Morning News on 2022 Texas Gubernatorial race
Jul 4, 2021
Royce West:
End predatory lending practices
To combat income inequality, we also need to make banking available to low income families without making interest rates so high that they continue the cycle of poverty. We must end predatory lending practices and safeguard well-intentioned borrowers
who are trying to make their lives better. Together, we must elect leaders to Washington who will ensure we have an economy that works for all of us -- not just big banks and corporations.
Source: 2020 Texas Senate campaign website RoyceWest.com
Dec 19, 2019
Lupe Valdez:
Economy should provide security & opportunity
This is about an economy that provides economic security, opportunity and inclusivity. Anyone working 40 hours a week should be able to earn a living wage and provide for their family. We must truly break down the barriers and level the playing field
for women in the economy by make sure there is equal pay for equal work. Lastly, workers, small businesses, innovators, and entrepreneurs all agree that it's time to embrace the fact that we are the most diverse state in the country.
Source: 2018 Texas Gubernatorial campaign website LupeValdez.com
Oct 9, 2018
Ted Cruz:
Choose individual liberty over more & more spending
Q: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?Ted Cruz (R): No. Choice between more & more spending & individual liberty.
Beto O'Rourke (D): Yes. Supports investment in areas like infrastructure & education.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Texas Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Beto O`Rourke:
Promote antitrust & regulations that promote competition
- Promote policies that encourage companies to focus on returning investments back to their consumer, their employees, and to the community.
- Lower the barrier to entry for small businesses so that every entrepreneur or emerging growth company
can have an opportunity to be successful.
- Promote regulations that protect consumers, promote competition and grow the economy.
- Support stronger antitrust regulations that break up monopolies and trusts that stifle competition and innovation.
Source: 2018 Texas Senate campaign website BetoForTexas.com
Jan 1, 2018
Jodey Arrington:
I cut FDIC budgets by millions & shrunk bureaucracy
Many candidates claim to be conservative but few have the results to prove they have exercised this ideology by showing actual results. As Chief of Staff of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) during George W. Bush's Administration,
I cut our budgets by millions of dollars, reduced regulations, and shrunk bureaucracy so our community banks would be unburdened by government and indeed empowered to help families and small businesses grow and prosper.
Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on Texas House race
Nov 8, 2016
Marco Rubio:
Reduce debt to save key programs like Social Security
In less than five years, 83 percent of entire budget will be made up of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the interest on the debt. That means only 17 percent will be for things like the military or the Department of Education.
You cannot balance our budget unless you deal with that 83 percent. There are a lot of people like my mother that depend on Social Security and Medicare, on the need to save those programs, by reforming the way they work for future generations.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Greg Abbott:
Constitutional amendment to limits growth of state budget
We must begin the process now to create a structure to pay down our state's debt. To keep Texas the premiere model for opportunity, we must constrain the size of government and maximize the liberty of individuals. To protect taxpayers from government
growing too big, we need a constitutional amendment that limits the growth of the state budget to population growth plus inflation.Many of us have ridiculed states like California and Illinois as bastions of failed big government.
You'll be surprised to learn that Texas has more full-time state employees per capita than California and Illinois. That's shocking--it must be changed.
That's why my budget requires most state agencies to reduce their general revenue spending by three percent. Some of those cuts can come from hiring freezes and reductions in fuel and travel costs.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Texas Legislature
Feb 17, 2015
Emily Sanchez:
Federal stimulus as better than market-led recovery
Q: Do you support or oppose the federal stimulus as better than market-led recovery?
A: Support.
Source: E-mail interview on Texas 2014 Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 19, 2014
John Cornyn:
We've had 17 federal shutdowns since 1976; Obama is AWOL
Q: How do we end the government shutdown? CORNYN: Well, 17 times since 1976, the government has temporarily shut down because of an impasse over spending levels. And that's what has happened again. And we're not going to resolve this without the
president engaging. Now, the debt ceiling and the continuing resolution have sort of morphed into one another because of the timing of this thing.
In 2011 the president now realizes that Republicans who were concerned about spending levels got the better of him on the Budget Control Act, which has actually cut $2 trillion over the next 10 years. We got on that trajectory of discretionary spending.
And the president realizes that he's going to have to give something in order to get what he wants. The president needs to do his job. So far he has been AWOL.
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2013 series: 2014 Texas Senate race
Oct 6, 2013
David Alameel:
Capitalism has become feudalistic and oppressive
- Put America back to work with the high paying jobs and benefits which existed before the advent of "Reagonomics",
- Assure a first class education for all Americans so that the best and the brightest can move to the top.
-
Rebuild our manufacturing base.
Capitalism without a social and spiritual purpose to serve the collective interest of the People and enrich their lives will ultimately fail just like Communism did.
Instead, it must allow some room for the working family to enjoy the fruits of their labor with their family, and provide their children with dreams of a better life and true freedom.
Since Conservatives came to power, capitalism has become feudalistic and oppressive.
Source: 2012 Texas House campaign website, AlameelForCongress.com
May 10, 2012
David Dewhurst:
Cut $14B in state spending last year; cut 10.2% since 2003
Ted Cruz repeatedly tried to paint Dewhurst as a moderate, citing the growth in state spending since he took office in 2003. Dewhurst countered that when population growth and inflation are considered, per capita spending has gone down. "We've cut
billions and billions, last year alone we cut $14 billion out of our state spending and that didn't win me any popularity contests," Dewhurst said. "You factor those things in and our general revenue spending has gone down 10.2% since the time I came in.
Source: San Angelo Standard-Times on 2012 Texas GOP Senate debates
Apr 13, 2012
John Cornyn:
Inaction on $700B bailout is unacceptable leadership
Noriega assailed Cornyn over his steadfast support of President Bush and his vote for a $700 billion economic bailout, saying Cornyn demonstrated a “herd mentality” on a bailout bill that was loaded with pork projects and intended to help Wall Street mor
than Texas families. Cornyn argued that Noriega wouldn’t have taken any action, which he said isn’t acceptable for an elected leader.The Senate candidates both said those who committed wrongdoing in the financial crisis should be held accountable.
Source: 2008 Texas Senate Debate reported in Dallas Morning News
Oct 17, 2008
John Cornyn:
Voting for $700B bailout demonstrates leadership
The nation’s struggling economy and the $700 billion bailout package Congress approved figured prominently in the debate. Noriega has criticized the bailout as lacking enough reform and Wall Street accountability, while
Cornyn--who voted for the package--has said elected leaders must make difficult decisions on big issues.
Source: 2008 Texas Senate Debate reported in Dallas Morning News
Oct 17, 2008
Rick Noriega:
Voting for $700B bailout demonstrates herd mentality
Noriega assailed Cornyn over his steadfast support of President Bush and his vote for a $700 billion economic bailout, saying Cornyn demonstrated a “herd mentality.”Noriega accused
Cornyn of backing a bailout bill that was loaded with pork projects and intended to help Wall Street more than Texas families. Cornyn argued that Noriega wouldn’t have taken any action, which he said isn’t acceptable for an elected leader.
Source: 2008 Texas Senate Debate reported in Dallas Morning News
Oct 17, 2008
Barack Obama:
Can’t do anything at home with $12 billion a month on Iraq
The fact that we’re spending $12 billion every month in Iraq means that we can’t engage in the kind of infrastructure improvements that are going to make us more competitive, we can’t deliver on the kinds of health care reforms that Clinton and
I are looking for. McCain is willing to have these troops over there for 100 years. The notion that we would sustain that kind of effort and neglect not only making us more secure here at home, more competitive here at home, allow our economy to sink.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Al Gore:
Bush avoids Texas budget woes
Gore said via a Press Release: The Houston Chronicle reported on a potential budget shortfall in Texas up to $750 million. Since that day, there has been a flood of reports from Texas about uncertainties in the state budget and deficiencies in
state services that have taken a backseat to Bush’s $1.7 billion tax cut. During that time, Bush continued his photo-op tour, providing only one candid answer to questions about the Texas budget troubles: “I hope I’m not here to have to deal with it.”
Source: Press Release, “Bush Ducks Texas Budget Shortage”
Jul 21, 2000
George W. Bush:
The Texas budget is balanced, despite Gore’s attack
Our Texas budget is balanced and in the black. We have a surplus of $1.4 billion in the bank. For Vice President Gore to claim otherwise for his own political purposes is a
travesty - he should be ashamed. Texas doesn’t need the Vice President to lecture us about balanced budgets - every budget I have signed in Texas has been balanced. The
Texas Legislature, Democrats and Republicans, will make an appropriation when it convenes in January to pay for higher than expected costs in Medicaid and in prisons - we have more than enough money to pay those costs. I am proud that under my
leadership, Texas has increased spending for education and health care, built and funded prisons, cut taxes by record amounts, and we still have a large surplus.
Source: Speech, “Response to Gore’s Attack on Texas”
Jul 20, 2000
Page last updated: Oct 14, 2021