When I became a Member of the Parliament of New Zealand, we were judged as the most socialistic of nations. We had been one of the richest of countries at #3 in per capita income, but by 1984 we were only #27. We had gone for 23 years relying on deficits, without balancing our budget. The government was taking 44 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, and, in 1984, our forecast deficit was 15 percent of the GDP…
Local Government
When Government Lobbies Itself: Why Texas Should Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Texas local governments use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to influence state legislation—creating conflicts of interest, distorting democratic accountability, and undermining the interests of Texas taxpayers. Key points: Taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures more than doubled from the 85th to the 89th Legislature, now reaching as high as $111.5 million. Taxpayer-funded lobbyists consistently opposed legislation involving property...
April 6, 2026