Conservative group gives EP lawmakers Fs

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility today released their report card for the members of the 81st Legislature. All six El Paso lawmakers got Fs. And I'm pretty sure that F doesn't stand for 'fantastic.'
Scanning through the list, it appears that all the Democrats got Fs.

Here's the group's press release, with a list of the lawmakers' grades:

More Fiscally Conservative Legislature, But Still Failing
Index shows Republican ratings improve, committee chairs decline

AUSTIN, Texas – Texans for Fiscal Responsibility released its final ratings today for members of the 81st Texas Legislature.

TFR President Michael Quinn Sullivan says that while the partisan gap narrowed, the ratings of the House and Senate members show a more fiscally conservative direction.

“Unfortunately, the session itself was highlighted by missed opportunities; too much was simply not done that should have been,” noted Sullivan. “Not only did the legislature fail to provide much-needed property tax relief, it only provided tweaks to the property tax appraisal system and the state's business tax instead of the fundamental reforms that were needed.”

The Fiscal Responsibility Index is a measure of how lawmakers perform on size and role of government issues. It uses exemplar votes on core budget and free enterprise issues. The ratings can be found online at www.EmpowerTexans.com/index. TFR works with more than 50,000 activists around the Lone Star State, promoting sound fiscal policy, government transparency and free markets. 

Sullivan said the legislators’ scores did improve on average. Lawmakers scored an average 52.13 percent in voting with Texas' taxpayers this session, besting the 46.13 scored by lawmakers on the 2007 Index. 

"But just like in school, that is still a failing mark impacting Texas' families," he said. “We clearly need more conscientious fiscal conservatives serving in the Texas Legislature.”
 
While there are fewer House Republicans than in previous years, they appear to be more practically grounded in sound fiscal policy. The House GOP average rating jumped from 75.01 in 2007 to 81.72 in 2009.  House Democrats saw a slight dip, from 31.74 in 2007 to 30.92 in 2009. (The legislators endorsed in 2008 by the Empower Texans PAC rated an 87.78.)

The Senate's average rating rose from 38.86 in 2007 to 47.69 in 2009. Republicans in the upper chamber had an average 59.09 in 2009, compared to 48.46 in 2007. Meanwhile, the Democrats rated 29.65 in 2009, compared to 21.49 in 2007.

The highest-rated member of the Texas Senate was Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), with a 93% rating. The top rating in the House, a 100%, was shared by four members: Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco), Wayne Christian (R-Center), Jodie Laubenberg (R-Rockwall) and Ken Paxton (R-McKinney).

In all, there were 49 House members and four senators rating a "B" (80%) or better.

“Most of the success conservatives had this session was in what was stopped, rather than advanced,” Sullivan added. “We stopped the imposition of new gas taxes and transportation fees, permanent expansion of unemployment insurance, and transformation of the Children’s Health Insurance Program into a middle-class entitlement.”

Sullivan said the reason bad legislation moved quickly through the process, while positive legislation died in committee, was a direct reflection of the House leadership.

“The committee chairs appointed by Speaker Joe Straus had an average score of 53.88, below the House average of 56.49. In 2007, the House committee chairs had a 66.21 while the body overall had a 53.4. This Session's committee chairs pushed through legislation that had to be stopped by the body, because the body tended to be more fiscally responsible than those chairs. It’s our hope that next session, Mr. Straus will pick better chairmen who take a more taxpayer-friendly approach to governing Texas.”

The complete Index ratings and methodology is available at www.EmpowerTexans.com/index.

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81st Session (2009)
Overall Legislature: 52.13%
On the Fiscal Responsibility Index

House Members: 56.49%  (By rating)
     Republicans: 81.72%  (Name or Rating)
     Democrats: 30.92%   (Name or Rating)
Senate Members: 47.69%  (By rating)
     Republicans: 59.09%  (Name or Rating)
     Democrats: 29.65%  (Name or Rating) 

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Texas Senate
Kip Averitt  (R-22), 35.71% (F)
John Carona  (R-16), 40.00% (F)
Wendy Davis  (D-10), 25.00% (F)
Bob Deuell  (R-2), 43.75% (F)
Bob Duncan  (R-28), 38.46% (F)

Rodney Ellis  (D-13), 23.08% (F)
Kevin Eltife  (R-1), 37.50% (F)
Craig Estes  (R-30), 66.67% (F)
Troy Fraser  (R-24), 86.67% (B+)
Mario Gallegos  (D-6), 35.71% (F)

Chris Harris  (R-9), 44.44% (F)
Glenn Hegar  (R-18), 78.57% (C+)
Juan Hinojosa  (D-20), 33.33% (F)
Joan Huffman  (R-17), 78.57% (C+)
Mike Jackson  (R-11), 85.71% (B+)

Eddie Lucio  (D-27), 25.00% (F)
Jane Nelson  (R-12), 93.33% (A)
Robert Nichols  (R-3), 66.67% (F)
Steve Ogden  (R-5), 53.85% (F)
Dan Patrick  (R-7), 81.25% (B+)

Kel Seliger  (R-31), 42.86% (F)
Florence Shapiro  (R-8), 53.85% (F)
Eliot Shapleigh  (D-29), 31.25% (F)
Carlos Uresti  (D-19), 40.00% (F)
Leticia Van de Putte  (D-26), 33.33% (F)

Kirk Watson  (D-14), 25.00% (F)
Jeff Wentworth  (R-25), 31.25% (F)
Royce West  (D-23), 28.57% (F)
John Whitmire  (D-15), 28.57% (F)
Tommy Williams  (R-4), 57.14% (F)
Judith Zaffirini  (D-21), 33.33% (F)

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Texas House
Alma Allen (D-131), 23.81% (F)
Roberto Alonzo (D-104), 20.00% (F)
Carol Alvarado (D-145), 30.00% (F)
Rafael Anchia (D-103), 26.09% (F)
Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-56), 100.00% (A+)

Jimmie Don Aycock (R-54), 95.24% (A+)
Leo Berman (R-6), 85.71% (B+)
Dwayne Bohac (R-138), 65.22% (F)
Valinda Bolton (D-47), 23.53% (F)
Dennis Bonnen (R-25), 76.19% (C+)

Dan Branch (R-108), 80.95% (B)
Betty Brown (R-4), 84.00% (B)
Fred Brown (R-14), 90.00% (A)
Lon Burnam (D-90), 22.73% (F)
Angie Chen Button (R-112), 85.71% (B+)

Bill Callegari (R-132), 90.00% (A)
Joaquin Castro (D-125), 30.00% (F)
Norma Chavez (D-76), 27.27% (F)
Warren Chisum (R-88), 90.91% (A)
Wayne Christian (R-9), 100.00% (A+)

Ellen Cohen (D-134), 36.84% (F)
Garnet Coleman (D-147), 25.00% (F)
Byron Cook (R-8), 80.00% (B)
Frank Corte (R-122), 85.00% (B+)
Joe Crabb (R-127), 86.96% (B+)

Tom Craddick (R-82), 90.48% (A)
Brandon Creighton (R-16), 86.96% (B+)
Myra Crownover (R-54), 90.00% (A)
Drew Darby (R-72), 72.73% (C)
Yvonne Davis (D-110), 25.00% (F)

John Davis (R-129), 81.82% (B)
Joe Deshotel (D-22), 28.57% (F)
Joe Driver (R-113), 77.78% (C+)
Dawnna Dukes (D-46), 23.81% (F)
Jim Dunnam (D-57), 33.33% (F)

Harold Dutton (D-142), 22.22% (F)
Al Edwards (D-146), 42.86% (F)
Craig Eiland (D-23), 36.36% (F)
Rob Eissler (R-15), 77.27% (C+)
Gary Elkins (R-135), 80.95% (B)

Kirk England (D-106), 27.78% (F)
David Farabee (D-69), 36.84% (F)
Jose Farias (D-118), 23.81% (F)
Jessica Farrar (D-148), 20.00% (F)
Allen Fletcher (R-130), 82.61% (B)

Kino Flores (D-36), 28.57% (F)
Dan Flynn (R-2), 91.67% (A)
Stephen Frost (D-1), 50.00% (F)
Pete Gallego (D-74), 28.57% (F)
Dan Gattis (R-20), 81.82% (B)

Charlie Geren (R-99), 61.90% (F)
Helen Giddings (D-109), 26.32% (F)
Veronica Gonzales (D-41), 22.73% (F)
Yvonne Gonzalez Toureilles (D-35), 28.57% (F)
Ryan Guillen (D-31), 40.91% (F)

Roland Gutierrez (D-119), 33.33% (F)
Mike Hamilton (R-19), 75.00% (C+)
Kelly Hancock (R-91), 89.47% (B+)
Rick Hardcastle (R-68), 80.95% (B)
Patricia Harless (R-126), 80.95% (B)

Linda Harper-Brown (R-105), 91.30% (A)
Will Hartnett (R-114), 66.67% (F)
Joe Heflin (D-85), 33.33% (F)
Ana Hernandez (D-143), 20.00% (F)
Abel Herrero (D-34), 23.81% (F)

Harvey Hilderbran (R-53), 75.00% (C+)
Scott Hochberg (D-137), 26.32% (F)
Terri Hodge (D-100), 28.57% (F)
Mark Homer (D-3), 42.86% (F)
Chuck Hopson (D-11), 45.45% (F)

Donna Howard (D-48), 25.00% (F)
Charlie Howard (R-26), 95.45% (A+)
Bryan Hughes (R-5), 90.91% (A)
Todd Hunter (R-32), 71.43% (C)
Carl Isett (R-84), 95.45% (A+)

Jim  Jackson (R-115), 69.57% (F)
Delwin Jones (R-83), 71.43% (C)
Jim Keffer (R-60), 76.19% (C+)
Carol Kent (D-102), 28.57% (F)
Susan King (R-71), 55.00% (F)

Tracy King (D-80), 42.11% (F)
Phil King (R-61), 90.91% (A)
Tim Kleinschmidt (R-17), 91.67% (A)
Lois Kolkhorst (R-13), 85.71% (B+)
Edmund Kuempel (R-44), 75.00% (C+)

Jodie Laubenberg (R-89), 100.00% (A+)
Ken Legler (R-144), 95.83% (A+)
David Leibowitz (D-117), 27.27% (F)
Tryon Lewis (R-81), 85.71% (B+)
Eddie Lucio III (D-38), 28.57% (F)

Jerry Madden (R-67), 80.95% (B)
Diana Maldonado (D-52), 28.57% (F)
Barbara Mallory Caraway (D-110), 35.29% (F)
Marisa Marquez (D-77), 22.73% (F)
Armando Martinez (D-39), 28.57% (F)

Trey Martinez Fischer (D-116), 28.57% (F)
Brian McCall (R-66), 57.89% (F)
Ruth McClendon (D-120), 27.27% (F)
Jim McReynolds (D-12), 38.10% (F)
Jose Menendez (D-124), 30.00% (F)

Tommy Merritt (R-7), 63.16% (F)
Robert Miklos (D-101), 23.81% (F)
Doug Miller (R-73), 86.36% (B+)
Sid Miller (R-59), 90.00% (A)
Joe Moody (D-78), 33.33% (F)

Geannie Morrison (R-30), 85.00% (B+)
Elliott Naishtat (D-49), 20.00% (F)
Rene Oliveira (D-37), 35.00% (F)
Dora Olivo (D-27), 28.57% (F)
Robb Orr (R-58), 76.19% (C+)

Solomon Ortiz (D-33), 28.57% (F)
John Otto (R-18), 70.00% (C)
Tan Parker (R-63), 95.83% (A+)
Diane Patrick (R-94), 71.43% (C)
Ken Paxton (R-70), 100.00% (A+)

Aaron  Pena (D-40), 42.86% (F)
Larry Phillips (R-62), 95.00% (A+)
Joe Pickett (D-79), 40.91% (F)
Paula Hightower Pierson (D-93), 29.41% (F)
Jim Pitts (R-10), 53.85% (F)

Chente Quintanillia (D-75), 33.33% (F)
Richard Raymond (D-42), 35.00% (F)
Debbie Riddle (R-150), 85.71% (B+)
Tara Rios Ybarra (D-43), 38.10% (F)
Allan Ritter (D-21), 42.86% (F)

Eddie Rodriguez (D-51), 22.73% (F)
Patrick Rose (D-45), 42.86% (F)
Ralph Sheffield (R-55), 86.36% (B+)
Mark Shelton (R-97), 85.00% (B+)
Todd Smith (R-92), 66.67% (F)

Wayne Smith (R-128), 81.82% (B)
John Smithee (R-86), 86.36% (B+)
Burt Solomons (R-65), 75.00% (C+)
Mark Strama (D-50), 31.58% (F)
David Swinford (R-87), 76.19% (C+)

Larry Taylor (R-24), 89.47% (B+)
Kristi Thibault (D-133), 35.00% (F)
Senfronia Thompson (D-141), 31.58% (F)
Vicki Truitt (R-98), 71.43% (C)
Chris Turner (D-96), 28.57% (F)

Sylvester Turner (D-139), 33.33% (F)
Allen Vaught (D-107), 37.50% (F)
Marc Veasey (D-95), 30.00% (F)
Mike Villarreal (D-123), 11.11% (F)
Hubert Vo (D-149), 31.82% (F)

Armando Walle (D-140), 27.27% (F)
Randy Weber (R-29), 95.83% (A+)
Beverly Woolley (R-136), 78.26% (C+)
John Zerwas (R-28), 80.95% (B)

Comments

[junk list]

who cares what Grover Norquists extremists say. They are right there with Phil Gramm and other fringe public fraudsters. What bunch of racketeers the times is trying to pass off as mainstream. These guys are about tax breaks for the super wealthy,period they are also big GOP funders for PERRY the irresponsible.