One Big State Needs To Stop Paying Lobbyist Salaries

Momentum to destruct authorities discarded is sweeping nan federation — from Washington’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to parallel initiatives successful Texas. In that spirit, we precocious met to talk Senate Bill 19 (SB19), which authorities Senator Mayes Middleton authored, and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick designated a apical legislative priority.  

It would make Texas the first authorities to ban nan usage of nationalist costs for lobbying — basal to reconstruct statement principles and defund corrupt, anti-taxpayer typical interests. We are a authorities of nan people, by nan group and for nan people, which makes utilizing nan people’s money to push typical interests untenable. 

What precisely is taxpayer-funded lobbying? In caller years, Texas has seen a surge of section governments, schoolhouse districts and associations — specified arsenic nan Texas Association of School Boards — hiring lobbyists pinch your taxation dollars to wine, dine and entertain legislators successful an effort to power legislation. 

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Tax-funded lobbying serves typical interests, not nan nationalist interest 

Under Texas law, "lobbying" refers to registered Austin lobbyists hired aliases contracted to power legislation. Despite taxpayers’ anticipation that authorities entities enactment successful nan public’s interest, section governments, schoolhouse districts and associations regularly prosecute lobbyists to thwart nan will of voters. 

The Texas legislature is battling to free Texas residents from having to money groups that lobby against nan will of voters. FILE: Texas authorities Capitol successful Austin, Texas. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)

Your taxation dollars are being utilized to lobby for divisive, left-wing causes. Progressive politicians backed by radicals for illustration billionaire George Soros usage hundreds of millions of dollars to effort and unit their schedule connected nan Texas legislature to termination common-sense policies and push nan authorities left.  

For example, taxpayer-funded lobbyists successful Texas walk nationalist costs to reason bans connected men entering women's restrooms. Worse still, galore unelected bureaucrats and regulators are captured by nan very industries they oversee, utilizing taxation dollars connected lobbyists who entrench oligopolies and crush competition.  

Unsurprisingly, taxpayer-funded lobbyists besides reason taxation alleviation and alternatively support expanding income taxes, state taxes and raising conveyance registration fees. They’ve lobbied against common-sense issues specified arsenic separator security, elector ID, coach salary raises, predetermination integrity pinch citizenship verification and parental prime successful education. 

Tax dollars service halfway functions — not lobbyists 

At a clip erstwhile Texas faces existent problems successful nationalist safety, infrastructure and basal services, spending upwards of $100 cardinal annually connected lobbyists is indefensible. The nationalist overwhelmingly agrees.  

A caller nationalist sentiment canvass reveals that 81% of Texans reason nan believe and would for illustration that nan Texas legislature abolish it. Rather than discarded money arming ideological opponents to conflict for causes Texans reject, Texas leaders should boldly prosecute a amended future: investing valuable taxation dollars successful roads aliases rule enforcement or, amended yet, offering Texans taxation relief. 

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Crucially, SB19 successful nary measurement silences section governments. Local officials tin still call, constitute and attest earlier nan legislature — precisely arsenic our founders intended. Cities, and so each section governments, were created to service nan people, and nan group are tired of having their voices drowned retired by hired guns utilizing their ain taxation dollars against them.  

A prohibition connected taxpayer-funded lobbying encourages nonstop practice and communication. It successful nary measurement prevents section elected officials aliases their unit from communicating pinch nan legislature, walking to Austin, aliases incurring related expenses to make their sound heard. 

Your taxation dollars are being utilized to lobby for divisive, left-wing causes. Progressive politicians backed by radicals for illustration billionaire George Soros usage hundreds of millions of dollars to effort and unit their schedule connected nan Texas legislature to termination common-sense policies and push nan authorities left.  

Tax-funded lobbying undermines law principles 

All authorities is created by nan people, who assistance it powers to correspond us. By backing lobbyists who push agendas voters reject, section governments break nan consent of nan governed and break nan halfway rule of practice from which nan American and Texas constitutions deduce their authority. In effect, entrenched bureaucrats create a self-sustaining rhythm of power that subverts genuine democracy. 

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By continuing to let nationalist costs to travel into nan hands of progressive typical interests that undermine nan very principles Texans clasp dear, we consequence eroding nan law foundations connected which our authorities and federation were built. As portion of this broader struggle, taxpayer-funded lobbying is nan USAID of Texas, but nan DOGE initiative — including SB19 — intends to defund this egregious waste.  

By passing SB19, we will fortify nationalist spot and guarantee taxation dollars service Texans’ existent needs, not nan interests of bureaucrats and their hired guns. This session, we dream you will subordinate america successful nan telephone to yet prohibition taxpayer-funded lobbying erstwhile and for all. It is clip to show nan state that authorities of, by and for nan group thrives present successful nan Lone Star State. 

Joe Lonsdale is an entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded Palantir Technologies and nan task patient 8VC. He is nan president of nan University of Austin (UATX) and nan Cicero Institute, a nationwide argumentation group.

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