SB 17: A Time Bomb That Could Blow Up Future State Budgets
The Texas Senate may vote as early as Tuesday, March 21 on an alarming bill that would automatically lock in future revenue cuts, without regard to budget needs. SB 17,
Dick Lavine focuses on building state and local revenue systems that meet Texans’ needs. Before coming to Every Texan in 1994, he was a Senior Researcher at the House Research Organization of the Texas House of Representatives for ten years. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Trustee of the City of Austin Employees Retirement System. He served for many years as a member and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Travis Central Appraisal District and was recently returned to the Board by the voters of Travis County to fill a newly created elective position. He is also a member of the Executive Board of AFSCME Texas Retirees, the statewide union local of retired public employees, and the Board of Directors of Progress Texas Institute, a progressive media organization. The Equity Center named him as a Champion for Equity for his work to reform our tax system to ensure it can adequately support public education and other public services. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude, from Harvard College in 1969, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975.
Policy areas: State & Local Revenue, Economic Incentives
Where to find me during session: Inside the Capitol, usually on a bench near the Central Court
My surprising hobby: Photography
The Texas Senate may vote as early as Tuesday, March 21 on an alarming bill that would automatically lock in future revenue cuts, without regard to budget needs. SB 17,
Recently the Texas Education Commissioner changed the interpretation of a long-standing statue in order to give $100 million to wealthy homeowners in wealthy school districts. KEY TAKEAWAYS: *It’s understandable that
Update, 2/1/2017: The Legislative Budget Board’s GEER staff report is out. Read it here. Today at a Senate Finance Committee Hearing, Legislative Budget Board Director Ursula Parks stated that Lt.
Texas is among the states with the highest income inequality, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Texas ranks 10th in the country, with