Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
Encyclopedia
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR), a premier project of Empower Texans, is a political advocacy group
based in Austin, Texas
. The stated mission of TFR is to, "create and sustain a system of strong fiscal stewardship within all levels of Texas government, ensuring the greatest amounts of economic and personal liberty, and promoting public policies that provide individuals with the freedom to use their strengths and talents in pursuit of greater opportunities."http://www.empowertexans.com/about TFR is a non profit organization and files as a 501c(4).
This contention led The State Policy Network (SPN) http://www.spn.org/directory/orgid.295/org_detail.asp to state that, “TFR will promote a series of budget and tax reforms, including: reducing the impact of the new business tax; reforming the spending cap; protecting “dedicated” revenues for their designed purposes; requiring lawmakers to provide greater budget detail; enacting reforms to the current appraisal system; and, promoting transparency in spending.
, President
Marc Levin, General Counsel
Daniel Greer, Director of Operations
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
based in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. The stated mission of TFR is to, "create and sustain a system of strong fiscal stewardship within all levels of Texas government, ensuring the greatest amounts of economic and personal liberty, and promoting public policies that provide individuals with the freedom to use their strengths and talents in pursuit of greater opportunities."http://www.empowertexans.com/about TFR is a non profit organization and files as a 501c(4).
Mission
TFR contends that, “If government and taxes are allowed to grow without restraint, the economy will contract, thereby limiting opportunities for all Texans.” http://www.empowertexans.com/aboutThis contention led The State Policy Network (SPN) http://www.spn.org/directory/orgid.295/org_detail.asp to state that, “TFR will promote a series of budget and tax reforms, including: reducing the impact of the new business tax; reforming the spending cap; protecting “dedicated” revenues for their designed purposes; requiring lawmakers to provide greater budget detail; enacting reforms to the current appraisal system; and, promoting transparency in spending.
Publications and Projects
- Weekly Publications
- TFR releases weekly email newsletters chiefly outlining government policy that has economic implications at the state level.http://www.empowertexans.com/commentaries.
- In addition, TFR is frequently quoted in print media sources in major Texas markets such as the [Houston Chronicle], [Dallas Morning News] and the [Austin American Statesman]. See reference section for print articles.
- 80th Legislative session
- TFR engaged in direct mailing efforts http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/capitolpressreleases/entries/2007/01/22/texans_for_fiscal_responsibili.html calling on Legislators to return a tax surplus that was in excess of $13 billion.
- TFR worked to uphold reforms to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4614948.html
- Scorecard
- After the conclusion of the Texas’ 80th Legislative session TFR released a voting scorecard for both the upper and lower chambers
- TFR looked at bills authorship, co-authorship, sponsors and each Legislator's vote to compile the scorecards. Bills that increased or reduced taxes, bills that created taxing entities, and those that created greater or less transparency were analyzed. A complete description of the methodology used to compile these scorecards can be found on TFR’s website.
- Multimedia Events
- Tele town hall meetings were also hosted by TFR with guests Carl IsettCarl IsettCarl Hawkins Isett is a Certified Public Accountant from Lubbock, Texas, and a Republican former member of the Texas House of Representatives. First elected in 1996, Isett announced on December 18, 2009, that he would not be a candidate for an eighth two-year term in the Republican primary held...
R-Lubbock and Gov. Rick PerryRick PerryJames Richard "Rick" Perry is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. A Republican, Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full... - Michael Sullivan conducted several radio interviews on a wide range of topics
- Governor Rick Perry and Michael Quinn Sullivan hosted a joint press conference presenting constituent mail to Legislators
- Tele town hall meetings were also hosted by TFR with guests Carl Isett
- In November 2007 TFR spoke out against several ballot initiatives, including the creation of a Cancer Research Fund
TFR staff
Michael Quinn SullivanMichael Quinn Sullivan
Michael Quinn Sullivan is president of Empower Texans and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, a non-profit organization based in Austin.- Education :Growing up, Sullivan moved frequently around Texas, graduating from Sherman High School in 1988...
, President
Marc Levin, General Counsel
Daniel Greer, Director of Operations
External links
- YouTube video: Joint press conference with Gov. Rick Perry http://youtube.com/watch?v=kD_X9T1NcaY
- Empower Texans web site http://www.empowertexans.com