Children’s Defense Fund-Texas Statement on Tax Cuts Passed Today in the Texas House

Austin, TX – Today, the Texas House of Representatives passed HB 31 & HB 32 — nearly $5 billion in sales and business tax cuts, 40 percent of which will benefit the highest-paid one-fifth of Texans, according to recent legislative analysis. The cuts were put forward by Republican state representative and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Dennis Bonnen as part of a package of bills that together with tax cuts proposed by the Senate, are the biggest tax cuts considered in nearly ten years.

In response, CDF-Texas executive director Patrick Bresette issued the following statement:

“The tax cuts passed today in the Texas House are irresponsible and shortsighted. Instead of offering Texas families pocket change and political rhetoric our elected leaders should be shoring up the foundation of our state’s future – its children.

“It is unacceptable that Texas still ranks among the bottom ten states in overall child-wellbeing and state spending per resident, two indicators that are directly connected in that ‘you get what you don’t pay for.’ If you do the math, our top leaders appear to be more interested in prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthiest Texans and corporations than investing in the health and wellbeing of our children and families.

“We are further distressed that the House would consider such deep reductions to its revenue stream while our state is standing on the brink of a health care crisis. In the last 24 months, ten rural Texas hospitals have been forced to shut their doors because state leaders have chosen not to invest in our state’s health care systems by rejecting billions in available Medicaid funds to cover more of our state’s uninsured.

“These tax cuts are a solution in search of a problem. Texas already ranks in the bottom ten states in overall taxes paid by its people and businesses. Texans don't need lower taxes, we need wise investments in our future, and that future demands that we invest in children and families.”

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