Dewhurst Vows Conservative Leadership in Spending Increase, Funding Fight
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: January 9, 2013
Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has vowed to keep the Texas
Legislature among the most conservative in the state, all while
presiding over an increase in state spending.
In a one-on-one interview with KAMC News Wednesday, Dewhurst said his record in nearly 10 years in office proves he's among the most conservative lieutenant governors in the country.
But that isn't stopping him from making plans to spend the state's $8 Billion surplus this year.
On Monday, the Texas State Comptroller announced lawmakers would have about $92 Billion to appropriate in addition to the surplus-- totaling just more than $100 Billion this legislative session.
Dewhurst is already warning lawmakers not to go on a spending spree because, he said, that extra cash is already earmarked for several of the state's pressing issues.
"Any extra money we have we need to set aside for the school finance fight that's going on right now," he said, referring to the hundreds of rural school districts that have sued the state seeking additional funding.
As Dewhurst acknowledged the increase in spending, he also pitched proposals to ensure lawmakers were cutting costs as much as possible.
"Go back and zero-base our budget," he said. "I want us to go back and look at everything. If something was a priority last session that isn't a priority today, then we shouldn't be funding it."
In addition to school funding, Dewhurst said he plans to see increased allocations to improve the state's infrastructure, including water and roads.
Those improvements are badly needed, he said, because the state's population is expected to double in the next four to five decades.
In a one-on-one interview with KAMC News Wednesday, Dewhurst said his record in nearly 10 years in office proves he's among the most conservative lieutenant governors in the country.
But that isn't stopping him from making plans to spend the state's $8 Billion surplus this year.
On Monday, the Texas State Comptroller announced lawmakers would have about $92 Billion to appropriate in addition to the surplus-- totaling just more than $100 Billion this legislative session.
Dewhurst is already warning lawmakers not to go on a spending spree because, he said, that extra cash is already earmarked for several of the state's pressing issues.
"Any extra money we have we need to set aside for the school finance fight that's going on right now," he said, referring to the hundreds of rural school districts that have sued the state seeking additional funding.
As Dewhurst acknowledged the increase in spending, he also pitched proposals to ensure lawmakers were cutting costs as much as possible.
"Go back and zero-base our budget," he said. "I want us to go back and look at everything. If something was a priority last session that isn't a priority today, then we shouldn't be funding it."
In addition to school funding, Dewhurst said he plans to see increased allocations to improve the state's infrastructure, including water and roads.
Those improvements are badly needed, he said, because the state's population is expected to double in the next four to five decades.
