Opinions On How Texas Lawmakers Should Balance Budget
By: Ryan Loyd, Weareaustin.com
Updated: January 5, 2011
AUSTIN -- Texas lawmakers will have a balancing act on their hands when they convene the legislative session next Tuesday. The budget is perhaps one of the most important pieces of legislation to be decided.
The budget will dictate if areas like education and health care will see a change in the money they receive from the state.
"We are concerned about the cost of health care," said David Shockley, president and CEO of Inova Labs in Southeast Austin.
Shockley says he's confident Texas lawmakers will make the right decisions when it comes to health care for Texans. He says he certainly hopes they do a better job than the federal government a few years ago. He said a stipulation in federal Medicare law dictated that new patients requiring oxygen would not be allowed to get the new portable oxygen devices his company makes. Instead, they'd be stuck with the older, large tanks.
"We need to be careful when we make budget cuts," he said. "We need to make sure [cuts aren't made] just for the sake of saving money that has these types of, what I think is a very obvious consequence, that is not beneficial to the patient whatsoever."
But people have very different views on how the state's money should be spent.
"If you ask most people, they would say it's raining. And that's what the rainy day fund is for," said Shelley Potter, who supports the group Texas Forward. The group believes lawmakers should spend every penny of the rainy day fund.
"Families, when they face tough times, use their savings and families look for ways to put more revenue on the table," said Scott McCown, who also agrees with Texas Forward. "Families don't just cut spending on things that are necessary to take care of children, the elderly and things like education necessary to ensure family prosperity."
But others aren't so wild about the philosophy of spending everything in the rainy day fund, expanding or adding taxes, and finding other creative means to shorten the budget gap.
"Simply adding to the spending is exacerbating our problem. The November election sent a very strong message that voters are tired of a bloated government," said Peggy Venable, Director of Americans for Prosperity in Texas.
"I think there are a lot of challenges," Venable said. "There's areas like health care where people are concerned about cuts. We need to find ways to do things more efficiently."
Monday, the comptroller's office will release the revenue estimate. Lawmakers will then decide how to divvy up the money.
The budget will dictate if areas like education and health care will see a change in the money they receive from the state.
"We are concerned about the cost of health care," said David Shockley, president and CEO of Inova Labs in Southeast Austin.
Shockley says he's confident Texas lawmakers will make the right decisions when it comes to health care for Texans. He says he certainly hopes they do a better job than the federal government a few years ago. He said a stipulation in federal Medicare law dictated that new patients requiring oxygen would not be allowed to get the new portable oxygen devices his company makes. Instead, they'd be stuck with the older, large tanks.
"We need to be careful when we make budget cuts," he said. "We need to make sure [cuts aren't made] just for the sake of saving money that has these types of, what I think is a very obvious consequence, that is not beneficial to the patient whatsoever."
But people have very different views on how the state's money should be spent.
"If you ask most people, they would say it's raining. And that's what the rainy day fund is for," said Shelley Potter, who supports the group Texas Forward. The group believes lawmakers should spend every penny of the rainy day fund.
"Families, when they face tough times, use their savings and families look for ways to put more revenue on the table," said Scott McCown, who also agrees with Texas Forward. "Families don't just cut spending on things that are necessary to take care of children, the elderly and things like education necessary to ensure family prosperity."
But others aren't so wild about the philosophy of spending everything in the rainy day fund, expanding or adding taxes, and finding other creative means to shorten the budget gap.
"Simply adding to the spending is exacerbating our problem. The November election sent a very strong message that voters are tired of a bloated government," said Peggy Venable, Director of Americans for Prosperity in Texas.
"I think there are a lot of challenges," Venable said. "There's areas like health care where people are concerned about cuts. We need to find ways to do things more efficiently."
Monday, the comptroller's office will release the revenue estimate. Lawmakers will then decide how to divvy up the money.
