Dear TTP Citizen Advocates:

Week 3 of the 88th Session has come to a close.  So what's been happening?  Here's a summary:

• Lt Gov. Patrick has appointed Senate Committees.  You can see who is assigned to what on the TLO website.  Click on the committee name to see the chair and members of the committee. House Committees should be assigned in the next couple of weeks.
• First drafts of the Senate and House versions of the budget were filed (SB1 and HB1).  They keep signaling "The biggest property tax relief in Texas History."  But look closely!  That statement is a lot like the one we've heard for many sessions that it was "The most conservative session ever."  Ha!  Check out  Texas Scorecard and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility for more details.  That $15 billion they've promised in tax relief is not really $15 billion!  It's a shell game.
• Senator Bob Hall did an election integrity briefing on Tuesday laying out his reasons for moving to paper ballots and several other reforms.  Many of our TTP Citizen Advocates attended.  If you'd like to view the recording, you can find it here.  There is also a good summary by Mark Goloby on our TTP Citizen Advocate FB page.  (PS:  if you have not joined that chat group, please do now!  I'm posting all our activities there, plus good dialogue about issues, and other happenings)
• Speaker Phelan continues to signal his opposition to using the budget surplus for property tax relief.  He needs to hear from the taxpayers of Texas!  Call his office at (512) 463-1000.

WHAT'S NEXT?

TTP, with Fredericksburg Tea Party will have people at the Capitol every Tuesday!  Pick a Tuesday and plan to be with us to advocate for our bills, testify at hearings, learn more about the process and how to be effective, and be a part of the legislative action.  I'm always asked to give more notice for these events - so here is your notice through May 31, 2023!  Every Tuesday!  We'll be there other days too as needed, and I cannot give good notice of those because we never know until a day or two ahead.   So - keep an eye out for your Citizen Advocate messages, and think fast!

Jan. 31

Mini Citizen Advocate Training 10 am to Noon.  Meet up in Conference Room E1.022 for some Citizen Advocate Training, including How to Read a Bill by Fran Rhodes, TTP and Effective Tips for Doing Office Visits by Matt Long, Fredericksburg TP.

Visits to lawmakers offices 1:30 to 4:00.  Put what you learn from Matt in the morning, to work in the afternoon, as we make visits to lawmakers' offices. 

**The Liberty Foundation has developed a plan for tax relief and we have been asked to deliver the papers to all 181 lawmakers.  This is what we will be doing on Tuesday Jan. 31 in the afternoon.  Please join us as we visit every single office.  We'll need lots of hands (and feet) for this, so please make this Tuesday a priority if possible.  We will give out room assignments in the conference room after the training, and spend the afternoon delivering the papers.

If anyone needs a ride for Jan 31, please just let me know.  Little Red Car and I will be driving down and back for the day so we have 3 seats available from the DFW area.  For other areas, we'll help wherever we can with rides.  Remember - if you volunteer to drive a carpool from your area, TTP will reimburse for the gas.

Keep an eye on your emails for weekly updates and planned activities for each week of session.  As we get further into the session, we will start to testify at hearings, visit committee members with specific position papers, and try to influence votes.  We need YOU!

Thanks for all you do for Texas!

Fran Rhodes, President