This is not a "Commissioner" issue per se, but it affects us all.
The State Comptroller has just come out with the revenue estimate. It appears that the available general revenue for the upcoming biennium will be 10% less than the previous biennium according to the State Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE). The new total is $77.1 billion compared to the current biennium's $ 82.5 billion. The BRE confirms that State budget writers will not have extensive flexibility to fund new projects and initiatives.
Will our Legislators have the guts to fund our deteriorating infrastructure, lower higher education costs, restore chip funding, and rein in higher utility and insurance costs? The new speaker gives me hope.
Kuff has more.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
The question for you is what are you going to do as a Commissioner given revenues will be lower?
ReplyDeleteYet Texas still rates 50th, bottom of the barrel, in per capita tax burden.
ReplyDeleteSomehow conservatives have convinced lots of people that Texas is a big spending, big government place. Such nonsense is what happens when people fail to live up to their civic obligations and inform themselves on the issues.
Do you propose increasing taxes to make up the gap in revenue?
ReplyDeleteSo Texas is 50th in tax burden and that's a bad thing?
ReplyDeleteMr. Morrison,
ReplyDeleteI noticed you don't answer any questions. Is it your intent to have simply one way communication?
Just curious.
I'm sorry I haven't answered. Its harder to blog on a regular basis than I thought It would be.
ReplyDeleteNo. I will not raise taxes to make up the legislature's shortfall. Our budget process begins next week and I intend to make sure Fort Bend budgets with an eye towards our economy. I would like to hold the line on this year's budget or at least keep the increase to a minimum. I do not want Fort Bend to have a shortfall in our budget like the State does.
Our county is ranked 5th in the US according to the Tax Foundation for taxes per median home value.
ReplyDeleteGood news Mr. Morrison. Can we also stop using the bonds to build roads for the contributors of some of the commissioners and fix the roads we have?
ReplyDelete