By Jennifer Carr Allmon, Associate Director, Texas Catholic Conference

In the upcoming legislative session, lawmakers will be facing the largest budget shortfall that Texas has seen in a generation, if not ever. As we advocate for support of legislation at the Capitol, the first response to every bill has been, "Is there a fiscal note?" In other words, "What will it cost us?" As you can guess, if the answer is "Yes" the bill is all but dead on arrival. This is unfortunate, but a reality that we must face.

The immediate deficit facing Texas, which is expected to be between $18 and $23 billion, is caused by both the global economic recession, which has temporarily reduced state revenue, and the failure of the business tax to bring in enough revenue. This shortfall, which must be addressed during this legislative session, can be resolved with a balanced approach that includes using the entire Rainy Day Fund, generating revenue, cutting unnecessary corporate loopholes, and ensuring that the state appropriates funding at a level that meets the needs of Texans.

Today, vital public services in Texas are not funded to meet basic needs. Many legislators have pledged to cut program funds without raising revenue. This practice of implementing an unbalanced, cuts-only approach is harmful to the most vulnerable Texans today, and jeopardizes future economic growth in our state. Relying on a cuts-only approach not only threatens the recovery of the state as it endeavors to meet the needs of those most affected by the recession, but also hurts our nation's recovery, as state and local spending is a large component of our nation's economy.

In light of the global economic recession, the Holy See has reminded governments of the importance of public services. "Even more than an expression of solidarity, it is a matter of justice to overcome the temptation to reduce public services for a short-term benefit against the long-term human cost (Intervention of the Holy See at the 2009 High Level Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, July 2009)." Our own Cardinal DiNardo has also spoken out on the government's responsibility to service, stating that "a task of good government is to use its funding power to direct resources where they will best serve and respect human life, not to find new ways to evade this responsibility."

Many Texas families and small businesses who have been burdened by the current economic climate have taken a balanced approach to recovery – cutting expenses while simultaneously seeking out new sources of income. Texas, too, must implement a balanced approach that includes sustainable revenue sources that will help our economy recover, thrive, and continue to grow as Texas grows.

When legislation is proposed we challenge lawmakers to first ask, "Does this protect human life and dignity? Before considering reductions in public services, the Texas Catholic Conference calls on the Legislature to:

• Use all of the Rainy Day Fund; Maximize use of available federal funding without extending funding for immoral medical procedures or research;
• Create new sources of revenue that are equitable and can grow along with the growth in need for public services; and
• Oppose utilizing gambling and "sin" taxes to generate revenue.

Click here to read our policy paper on the budget shortfall.