This year, AFP-TX will focus on policy reforms that unleash opportunity by removing barriers to economic mobility and growth, whether that be through reforms to spending and budgeting, taxes, red tape, or local government transparency. With the priority of making it easier for Texans to provide for their families, our activists will advocate for principled reforms that help businesses recover, create jobs, and reinforce that everything is bigger in Texas, especially economic opportunity.

Fiscally Responsible Budgeting

Unsustainable government spending hurts economic opportunity for all Texans and fuels special interest politics at the expense of the taxpayers.  Lawmakers need to rein in wasteful spending and prioritize existing revenue rather than expecting hardworking families to pick up an ever-increasing bill. AFP-TX will advocate for a maximum of a 5% increase over the 2020-2021 budget, with the expectation that growth of government should not outpace the ability of taxpayers to pay for it.

Local Government Transparency

Your hard-earned tax dollars should be used for the most needed services, especially in tough economic times. Unfortunately, many local governments across Texas are not held to those standards and oftentimes, hire third-party lobbyists to push for priorities that run counter to the best interests of Texans. In recent years, these taxpayer funded lobbyists have pushed for higher taxes and bigger government, paid for out of your hard-earned paycheck. It’s time to end this dishonest practice that wastes your tax dollars. AFP-TX will urge the legislature to end taxpayer funded lobbyists this legislative session.

Reducing the Tax Burden

Following AFP-TX’s successful advocacy of historic property tax reform during the 2019 legislative session, we are dedicated to ensuring the impact of this legislation is felt by all hardworking families. Many local governments used loopholes and exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to ignore these key reforms and increased tax collections on property taxes, rather than reducing them to match the new, lower standards set. We will fight to clarify and close any potential loopholes so Texas families feel the full impact of these positive property tax reforms.

Rolling Back Burdensome Red Tape

In response to COVID-19’s economic challenges, Texas’s leaders made a number of principled, temporary steps to rolling back red tape and promoting economic growth. This session, the legislature has the opportunity to permanently implement many of these important changes like fast-tracking and universally recognizing out-of-state occupational licenses.

Making it Easier for Businesses to Grow

Facing the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, many Texas businesses are struggling.  Any unnecessary barrier to businesses getting back on their feet and creating jobs must be eliminated. For over a decade, the franchise tax has been holding businesses across the Lone Star State back. Today’s challenging environment is the perfect time for the legislature to take a hard look at the franchise tax and push for a full elimination—either one immediate cut or a gradual phase out over time.

Texas has long led the way in reforming our criminal justice system toward a smart on crime, soft on taxpayers approach. This session, the legislature has another opportunity to lead the way by reforming our pre-trial system. Our activists will advocate for a system that prioritizes the safety of our communities and the risk assessment of incarcerated individuals, while allowing low-level, low-risk offenders to return to their families and communities while they await court proceedings. By focusing on a suspect’s risk—rather than their ability to pay—Texas can make strides to increase second chances and make our communities safer.