Senator Williams Comments to SD 4 Convention Delegates
March 18, 2006

Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to be here today. Your service to our state and Grand Old Party overwhelms me. I must tell you it does my heart good to see so many of you. I can't thank you enough for what you've done to grow the Republican Party all across Southeast Texas.

There are several things I'd like to share with you today. We'll look back at where we were in 2002, then where we are today, and lastly look at where we're headed, the defining issues of the upcoming special session, and a brief peek into the 2007 session.

First let's review what Southeast Texas and Senate District 4 looked like in 2002 - only four years ago.

David Bernsen, a Beaumont trial lawyer, was our state senator. There were eight representatives overlapping Senate District 4, five were Democrats and only three were Republicans . . . Joe Crabb from Harris County and Ruben Hope and me from Montgomery County.

Today, there are six Republicans and only three Democrats, and I remain humbled and honored by the overwhelming support you granted in 2002 when you elected me as your state senator.

Our congressional delegation has a fresh new look also. In 2002, southeast Texas had only one Republican congressman, Kevin Brady from Montgomery County. The other two members of our congressional delegation, Nick Lampson and Jim Turner, were Democrats. Today, our entire congressional delegation is Republican - Kevin Brady, Ted Poe and Ron Paul.

In 2002 we also had a Democrat speaker of the Texas House, a Democrat chair of the House Appropriations Committee and a Democrat chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Today, I am proud to stand in front of you and report all these positions are filled by Republicans. That's good news. But when we republicans took control in 2003 we inherited an ugly runaway state budget. Years of liberal overspending left us a $10 billion hangover.

So, where are we today?

First of all, we cleaned up the budget mess the democrats left behind. We cut wasteful and unnecessary spending, prioritized our budget and eliminated the $10 billion shortfall without a tax increase! The year 2003 was the first time since WWII our state's general revenue spending actually decreased from one biennium to the next!

We enacted meaningful tort reforms, eliminated frivolous lawsuits, and with your help we passed Proposition 12. This constitutional amendment brought a stop to endless and unproductive litigation. People around America noticed what was happening in Texas - The Wall Street Journal called it "TEN GALLON TORT REFORM" in an editorial, and the world began to view Texas as the state where you want to do business. All of this during the very first session Republicans had control of the Legislature.

Since then, we've created 530,000 plus net, NEW jobs in Texas, and Site Selection Magazine named Texas as the "Best Business Climate in the Nation" two years in row.

Yes, the revolutionary approach of prioritizing spending works - and the proof is clear: We put $1.2 billion of new money in Public Education, and almost $1.0 billion to assist our elderly and medically frail populations dealing with rising health care costs. We were also able to put over $500 million of new money in higher education while eliminating a $10 billion deficit. If Texas is to remain a mecca for business, we must have the best educated work force in the world.

As republicans, we don't believe in just throwing money at a problem . . . we work to solve it and we understand our economic future and the social fabric of our great state depend on a well educated population.

Listen to what Sam Houston had to say about the importance of public education, "It is a matter of great satisfaction to me to hope my children will be in circumstances to receive a good education. Mine was defective and I feel the inconvenience if not the misfortune of not receiving a classical education. Knowledge is the food of genius; let no opportunity escape you to treasure up knowledge."

This is a powerful statement from a man who was the only American to serve as governor of two states, a US Congressman and Commander in Chief of the Texas Revolutionary Army, twice elected as President of the Republic of Texas and subsequently elected as a member of the House of Representatives for the Republic of Texas and was elected as one of the first US Senators from Texas. General Sam knew the importance of education, and so does your republican legislature.

Welfare also experienced reform. This is an important story so please listen carefully. When the Texas Legislature returns in 2007, it will be the first time in 10 years we will not have a significant cost over run in the Health & Human Services budget. This is momentous!

Now, just a few comments about how this happened.

The 530,000 plus net, new jobs I mentioned earlier mean more people are working, and for the most part, people who work don't always need Medicaid and CHIP. However, one action in particular is making a major difference in our welfare reform.

Your Republican Legislature knew you wanted us to be good stewards of your money. None of us want to turn our backs on people who are truly needy, but government subsidized health insurance benefits should not be approved so people will have an easier time making payments on bass boats or four wheelers. Our reforms required people seeking assistance to prove income eligibility by providing a pay check stub or proof from their employer. We suspected some were just "stating" their income at a certain level to qualify for benefits. I regret to inform you we were right.

Enrollment in CHIP peaked in 2003 at 506,968 and today it's dropped more than 37% to 317,704. Requiring proof of eligibility before we'll spend your hard earned tax dollars on subsidized benefits is the right thing to do. In 2006, 56,685 people dropped out of the CHIP program because they did not want to provide proof of income.

Other reforms were enacted during the last four years, but I have only a limited time today and I've chosen several important ones . . . so where are we headed?

Your Republican Legislature will use our $4.3 billion dollar surplus to provide significant property tax relief to Texas homeowners and businesses. We will enact meaningful property tax reform which includes appraisal caps, and we'll continue to be good stewards of your tax dollars eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in our state budget.

We'll also cut your school maintenance and operation taxes by one third, to make the American dream of homeownership more affordable. And we'll continue to prioritize our spending and overhaul our antiquated tax system without gutting public education. Currently, the state's share of public education funding is less than 40%, and this percentage needs to be raised to the 60-65% range to enable your local school district to lower the taxes you pay to your local school district.

Border security must also be addressed by fully funding Governor Perry's "Operation Linebacker." Our southern border must be secured - we can't allow the narco-terrorist and human smugglers to bring their war to Southeast Texas. You have my commitment I'll continue to urge our congressional delegation and US senators to support strong enforcement of our immigration laws and provide the necessary funding to secure our borders.

I know you have official business to perform today, but in closing just a word about Hurricanes, Katrina and Rita. Southeast Texas was the welcome mat for the Katrina evacuees, and unfortunately before we had a chance to rebound, we were hit by the most powerful storm ever measured in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Rita. I stand here in awe of each and every one of you because you showed the world what Texans are made of, and I am so proud.

For centuries authors and poets have used the word "storm" to describe a difficult time in someone's life. But I know, because I saw the devastation with my own eyes, the word "storm" now means something completely different to many of you.

After Hurricane Rita some of us became acquainted with a world without electricity, email and other modern conveniences. What I took away from this experience is what matters most are the people in our lives, and the simplest of blessings are the most important.

Marsha and I are blessed to have the opportunity to serve you in the Texas Senate, and we thank you.

God bless you, and may God Texas.

Note: Senator Williams frequently deviates from the written text.