Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Sixtieth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1 Page: 233
1946 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this legislative document.
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Fe y 2, 1
age pay raise for state employees
of approximately 20 percent.
If I had not made these reductions,
and had acceded to all requests made
by departments, agencies and institu-
tions, and had included the full
amount requested for a teacher pay
raise by the Texas State Teachers
Association, we would be seeking new
sources of funds in excess of $500
million for the next biennium. This
would have necessitated a tax bill
almost four times as large as the
one which I propose.
It has been inferred that the state
has something like a $217 million
"surplus" available for the next two
years.
Yet the Legislative Budget Board,
in its budget, utilized all of this
amount. And while it traditionally is
restricted to use of existing revenues,
even its recommendations (which use
all the $217 million) do not, in my
judgment, anticipate many of the es-
sential spending needs.
For example, let me review with
you some of the significant differ-
ences between my spending propos-
als and those of the Budget Board.
In the field of Mental Health and
Mental Retardation, I have recom-
mended $4.5 million more than the
Legislative Budget Board.
I have recommended $2.5 million
more than proposed by the Board to
be expended for new programs and
facilities to fight juvenile delinquency.
I have proposed a $7.5 million state
office building not contained in the
Budget Board recommendations to
house our state agencies more eco-
nomically.
I have proposed $24 million in state
grants to local communities for water
treatment facilities and $4 million in
planning grants for sewage treatment
plants not recommended by the Board.
I have recommended $3.5 million
more than the Board to the Depart-
ment of Public Safety for additional
highway patrolmen and other person-
nel.
I have recommended $7 million
more than the Board to fully imple-
ment the constitutional amendment
for our welfare recipients.I have recommended $900,000 more
than the Budget Board for expansion
of our child welfare program for
the neglected, abused and deprived.
I have recommended $3.5 million
more than the Budget Board for jun-
ior colleges to meet dramatically in-
creased enrollments.
I have recommended $32.5 million
more than the Budget Board to meet
enrollments and continue our program
for excellence in our colleges and uni-
versities.
I have recommended $50 million for
an increase in pay for the 100,000
public school teachers and professional
personnel in our local school systems.
No such recommendation is con-
tained in the Budget Board's pro-
posals.
In my judgment these are critical
differences. They are the difference
between a vital, progressive state, and
one preoccupied with economy to the
point of shortsightedness.
To take these essential, positive
steps will require additional general
revenue of $125 million in the next
two years.
Obviously, there are varying opin-
ions on sources of such revenue.
Some would impose a corporate and
personal income tax. I do not recom-
mend such action.
Some would increase the general
rate of the state sales tax. I do not
recommend such action.
Some would remove the food and
drug exemption in our state sales tax.
I do not recommend such action.
And some would increase tuition
to our college and university students.
I do not recommend such action.
Rather, I have attempted to fashion
an equitable plan which will impose
the least possible burden upon the
individual and business taxpayers of
this state. I propose removal of in-
equities as well as increases in taxes.
Some of the taxes I propose will re-
sult in a return to rates previously
paid in Texas, thus reinstating rates
reduced in the past several years.
Furthermore, the taxes proposed areFebruary 2, 1967
HOUSE JOURNAL
233
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Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Journal of the House of Representatives of the Regular Session of the Sixtieth Legislature of the State of Texas, Volume 1, legislative document, 1967; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth193874/m1/237/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.