The Texas Tribune Festival hosted the conversation on “The Budget and the 87th Legislature” with Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) and Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D- Clint).
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Cassandra Pollock – Texas Tribune, Moderator
Q: How do interim committees get anything done right now? Has COVID set you back?
- Capriglione – talk to constituents and other members via zoom, but work is getting done as they have issued an RFI on interim charges
- Capriglione – what pandemic has done to the budget has probably set it back even more, an incredible amount of work in the interim as there are things impacting the budget during this time frame
Q: Comptroller estimate, how bad you do expect the budget outlook to be?
- Gonzalez – anticipate it to be one of the worst budget sessions ever experienced, but feels confident that Texas has fared better and there will be innovative solutions brought to the table either where things should be cut or new revenue found
- Capriglione – California comparison affirms Texas has fared better; unemployment high at 8% is still better than others; Texas has a RDF as well
Q: Finding new revenue or a cut, what will be on the table at legislative level? Do you expect CARES, new taxes, cuts?
- Gonzalez – everything is on the table, would be good if there were more federal dollars, would like to see state expand Medicaid and bring down federal dollars, and reconsider where spending money on border security
- Capriglione – hopeful for federal dollars in next round for state and local needs
Q: Couldn’t legislature decide to cut check from RDF and plug holes?
- Gonzalez – RDF may not be enough and anticipate it will be a long-term recovery
- Capriglione – RDF may not be the only solution and need some RDF for unexpected expenses like in the case of certain natural disasters, points to last session when they voted to re-invest RDF dollars at a higher rate
- Gonzalez – excess revenue because of Capriglione leadership; thank you
Q: What would it look like considering what programs may be cut? Party politics at play?
- Capriglione – Cuts already in interim and in upcoming budget per big three; all cuts need to be approved
- Capriglione – cuts in HHSC, many he does not agree with but they have not been approved yet; will be going through line by line during session
Q: What is impact of cuts that were requested overall to budget writing?
- Capriglione – any dollars saved now help make projections for next budget cycle easier, will be helpful
- Gonzalez – partly agrees with Capriglione but need to be critical of cuts, glad Governor used some CARES act funding to restore some cuts
- Capriglione – there are some places they will not cut such as public health, safety, and education
Q: Does a Democrat lead house vs a GOP one craft same budget?
- Gonzalez- Does not think it would be the same exact budget but 97% of the budget is non-partisan but House is always clear about putting Texas first
Q: Could there be a quick regular and multiple special sessions; how quickly can you write a budget and pass it?
- Gonzalez – need to get new Speaker in place, lots of details and dynamics will need to be in place before passing it
- Capriglione – there have been a lot of theories how session will look, possibly may not work on as many bills this session and if that happens it would free up time to work on budget
- Capriglione – in his mind, be in session for 140 days and maybe focus on budget in first part
Q: There will be precautions in place during session; will it impact ability to get out timely budget?
- Gonzalez – don’t know all the details of what it will look like; House committed to make sure there is public involvement, but it may look different
- Capriglione – Appropriations has less citizens testifying in it than others, but want to think about getting people involved; maybe with all this technology get more people involved and make it accessible
Q: Leadership uncertainties, how do you approach being a chair of committee at this time?
- Capriglione – have a job to do and still focused on that, use to changes but if do what they are supposed to then they will be ok