As the 89th legislative session quickly approaches following tremendous GOP gains in the 2024 election, Republicans in the Texas State House are divided over leadership. 

An impending vote this weekend for House Speaker looms like a dark cloud over the capital, threatening the very future of conservative policy in the Lone Star State. 

Will leadership in the House remain consolidated with current Speaker Dade Phelan, who has consistently served as more of an ally to Democrats and big-government Republicans, than conservatives? Or, will elected officials choose a bold, new path for legislative management with Rep. David Cook? Or perhaps, in a last ditch effort to protect their power, will they back a Dade 2.0? 

Over his tenure as Speaker, Phelan became notorious for appointing Democratic members of the State House to powerful committee chair positions. Despite the fact that Republicans hold a sizable majority, Phelan has worked to cripple his own party, its voters, and its legislative priorities by unnecessarily entrusting ample power to leftists who are focused on fundamentally transforming Texas into a state more akin to California or New York. Through these appointments, Phelan has facilitated the killing of countless conservative, taxpayer-friendly bills, and helped push Texas further to the left against the will of taxpayers.

And a Dade 2.0 would do the same. 

Among the many consequences of Phelan’s lackluster leadership is the continuous failure to implement meaningful property tax reform that could emancipate property owners from the mandate of perpetual rent to government. This is in spite of the fact that the vast majority of Republican voters desire the complete elimination of property taxes in the Lone Star State. Even with past state surpluses of tens of billions of dollars resulting from the overtaxing of Texans, Phelan rarely, if ever, prioritizes the consideration of returning those funds to its rightful owners: the taxpayers.

With Dade Phelan as House Speaker, taxes have continued to increase along with the size, scope, and budget of the state government. While voters demand competency, accountability, and a reduction in the government’s ever-intrusive hands into the economy, the RINO class engrained in Austin continuously forgoes their campaign promises of fiscal conservatism and responsibility. 

Simultaneously, local governments correspondingly inflate their spending levels with little to no resistance from the Phelan and his lieutenants. In avoiding placing spending caps on local governments, Phelan and others like him perpetuate constant injury to the Texas taxpayer at every front.

Speaking of city governments and municipalities, one major Republican legislative priority for the 89th session is eliminating taxpayer funded lobbying. This corrupt practice allows local authorities to use public funds (tax dollars) to pay lobbyists to travel to Austin and advocate for policies that go against their people’s own best interests or will. If Phelan or one of his supporters is allowed to retain the Speaker’s gavel, Republicans’ goal to eradicate this immoral practice will almost certainly be doomed. 

Dade Phelan recently hired Mike Toomey, who has amassed an impressive fortune working as a taxpayer funded lobbyist, as his new Chief of Staff. Clearly, Phelan takes no issue with the practice, and will likely kill any attempts to do away with it. 

The future of fiscal policy in Texas stands at a crossroads. Will our elected leaders, who we have entrusted to fulfill our will through responsible policy implementation, listen to the voices of their constituents and bring change and reform to the legislature; or, will they settle for the routine, business-as-usual that has done nothing for the taxpayers? 

We here at Texans for Fiscal Responsibility urge each and every one of our readers to contact your State Representative and make your voice heard.

Regardless of the outcome of this race for House Speaker, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility will continue fighting for the people of Texas. We will educate the taxpayer on every move made by State leadership, while holding those who fail to maintain their promises accountable to the voters.

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility relies on the support of private donors across the Lone Star State in order to promote fiscal responsibility and pro-taxpayer government in Texas. Please consider supporting our efforts! Thank you!

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