According to dueling budget letters and public comments released afterward, it appears the next legislative session in Austin will be bumpy between state leaders.
Before each legislative session, the governor, lieutenant governor, and house speaker send an instruction letter to state agencies while they prepare their next two-year budgets. This round saw an increase in political posturing as they laid out their legislative priorities with more specific goals. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick then lashed out at Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) for not including the Patrick priority of school choice vouchers, allowing parents to use public dollars on private and home schools.
Per the state constitution, lawmakers are only required to pass the budget every two years. The wrangling over state taxpayer money leads to some of the toughest and most controversial fights in state government.
“This is the first big public step that happens in the budget process. But man, I have to tell you, it’s gotten so much more political. It was not like this before," said Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, a newsletter and publication for capitol insiders.
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Braddock said its scuffle over the instruction letters is the latest flare-up in a long-running battle between Patrick and Phelan. Earlier this year, Patrick endorsed Phelan's opponent in his reelection race. Phelan won by less than 400 votes.
Gov. Greg Abbott and Patrick co-signed a letter outlining their priorities: property tax relief, border security efforts, mental health facility upgrades, new natural gas power plants, and school choice vouchers. Phelan's letter only mentioned property tax relief and border security efforts. Republicans in the Texas House are divided over the idea of allowing families to use tax dollars for private educational needs. Last year, after four special sessions, a group of mostly rural Republicans joined Democrats to defeat the item in a public vote.
"Renegade Dade Phelan clearly intends to work AGAINST school choice, again, with this Democrat Chair and Democrat members behind him," wrote Patrick, "This is yet another confirmation that he will work against conservative legislative priorities this upcoming session."
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Phelan issued a statement saying this letter was just kickstarting the work.
"This is a routine, technical letter to kick off the budget-making process; it is not a bill or a law. Interim hearings are ongoing on all of these issues — including education — and more," wrote Phelan, "The members of the Texas House will drive the budget process and priorities in the session. That is exactly as it has always worked and will continue to work in the Texas House.
The new factor is Abbott, who made education reform a key part of his agenda and campaigned against the Republicans who voted against his plan last year. Abbott was largely successful in knocking off several anti-voucher House members.
“Not a surprise that Dan Patrick and Dade Phelan don’t agree on what legislative priorities ought to be, but I've never seen the governor and the lieutenant governor team up on the speaker this way," said Braddock.
Phelan is currently fighting off a challenge from the right flank of his party to unseat him in the next session.
While Patrick is the driving force behind the 31-member Texas Senate, Phelan has to maneuver around a much broader coalition.
“It’s 150 members from different communities all over the state representing different constituencies: Republicans and Democrats, liberals, moderates, and conservatives, everything in between," said Braddock.
