SB 1336 Strengthening Texas’s Spending Limit

Texas has done better economically and fiscally than most states during much of the last two decades.

This success is a result of a limited government philosophy encapsulated in the Texas Model. However, weaknesses within the state’s spending limit threaten this success as excessive government spending over time has necessitated higher taxes and debt.

Weaknesses include (a) covering less than half of the budget, (b) using a volatile metric and unreliable indicator of the aver­ age taxpayer’s burden with personal income, (c) relying on practically impossible growth projections, and (d) having only a simple majority vote in each chamber to exceed the limit.