The COVID-19-induced recession in Texas has strained the ability of many Texans to pay taxes to fund the state’s budget. The Legislature should consider prioritizing budget reductions to cover any potential budget shortfall.
Key points:
- Texas usually ranks high in economic prosperity and must maintain a balanced budget, but the COVID-19-induced recession has put pressure on taxpayers to fund the tax receipts needed to cover the state’s budget.
- Texas must prioritize fiscal restraint by finding responsible budget reductions to deal with any potential budget shortfall.
- Statewide elected officials have appropriately begun the process of prioritizing budget cuts by directing some state agencies to identify 5% reductions in their existing 2020-2021 budgets, but additional cuts may be necessary.
- As with past shortfalls, the Legislature should work with state agencies and adopt zero-based budgeting to prioritize program spending and identify responsible spending cuts while maintaining necessary services.