Good morning, 

It turns out readers aren’t excited about legislators boosting their office budgets in 2021. More on that at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020
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• The 87th Session of the Texas Legislature begins in 26 days, and the Capitol is still fully closed off to the public.
      
• With that in mind, State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) is asking the Office of the Attorney General to issue a legal opinion on who – if anyone – has the authority to close the Capitol during the legislative session. Brandon Waltens has details on the Cain letter, which also asks if lawmakers are constitutionally required to vote and debate physically and in-person.
   
• The last point is important, since sources have indicated that lawmakers might try to allow voting – and even debate – to occur remotely during the legislative session.
      
• “Does the legislature, any Texas elected official, or any state agency have the power to close the Capitol to the public? If so, under what circumstances?” – State Rep. Cain to Attorney General Ken Paxton

• The Texas Education Agency has announced school ratings will be suspended for the 2020-2021 academic year, though the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test will still be administered to students as scheduled. Isaiah Mitchell at The Texan has details.
      
• Meanwhile, the agency still maintains a searchable database of school ratings.

• Metroplex attorney Kristina West has a wish-list for Santa Claus (and the Texas Legislature), that centers around lawmakers resuming their proper rule-making authority and for governors to step rightfully aside.
   
• “The government is not invited to our family meals, Christmas Eve gift exchanges, or any other upcoming religious or holiday celebrations.” – Kristina West

• In yesterday’s Texas Minute we asked about a legislator’s proposal to increase lawmakers’ office budgets despite so many Texans seeing their businesses shuttered and jobs lost. Readers responded rather definitively. 
      
• Of the survey respondents, 98.4 percent said “Legislators should cut their office spending.” Just 1.6 percent selected “Legislators should increase their office budgets.”

Y’all Answered...

“Maybe that legislator should come to Houston and ask the hundreds of people waiting in lines in their cars, on a daily basis, for free food since they don’t have a job because government shut down their industry.” – Charles Blain

“ONLY politicians would try to sell ‘You have to spend more money, to save money’!” – Gloria Williams

“How is it saving when you increase the budget?” – Leon Holloman

“Hell no! They’re the reason we as taxpayers are being gouged for unreasonable property taxes! We’re unemployed and too old for decent jobs and too young for Medicare!” – Lisa Hicks

“Since Gov. Abbott did not call a special session to deal with mandates, etc. he deemed the legislators as ‘non-essential.’ Therefore, their office budgets, per diem, and salaries should be reduced.” – Steve Sullivan

“If they are willing to pay for the new staffers out of their own pockets or salary, sure. Power to them. If they are putting it on the taxpayer bill, screw them.” – Senthea Clinton

“Stop paying [them] until Tx is fully open & they pay back the damage they have caused.” – Robert Clement

“Slash those budgets legislators get to play with. In no way should they flourish while their ‘peasants’ have to live with smaller budgets.” – Patti Glass

“I personally would like for all compensation and staffing allotments for our elected officials be put to public vote for approval. Maybe then they would listen to their constituents instead of their cronies and lobbyist.” – Rex Reeve

“At first I was going to vote to decrease, as it seems there is too much spending these days. But then it occurred to me that I don’t know enough about each offices’ budget requirements to just check no.” – R.E. Grandchamp

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