State needs lean budget, says Eltife

Senator Kevin Eltife talks issues with Kilgore Lions on Thursday. Eltife represents District 1 in Texas. Texas State Senator Kevin Eltife came to the Kilgore Lions Club on Thursday with one message: Tell the truth.

Eltife, a former Tyler mayor who was elected to the District 1 Senate seat in 2004, said his district encompasses 16-1/2 counties and more than 700,000 constituents. He serves on the finance, business and commerce and natural resources committees.

“Lt. Governor (David) Dewhurst appointed me to these committees. I think he did it to keep me out of trouble,” said Eltife.

Eltife discussed various pieces of legislation he has worked on, including one regarding Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO).

“Right now in the State of Texas, some of the power companies are regulated and some are deregulated,” said Eltife. “I am fighting to keep regulation in place because it keeps consumer electric rates down by not allowing utility companies to mark up fuel costs.”

He said deregulation does not work and utility companies that are regulated make their profits on the return of their investments.

Other legislation he believes is important includes $240,000 for Caddo Lake preservation and $1.2 million for Hawkins to clean up a tire dump.

One of Eltife’s biggest concerns for Texas is the budget.

“When we started the last budget session, Texas was $5 billion in the hole,” he said. “Even though Texas has $9-1/2 billion in savings, what is called the ‘rainy day fund,’ this money should not be touched. Right now in this country the problems are not solved, unemployment is at its worst, sales tax revenue is on the decline, so the budget should be cut.”

The senator said the state should not borrow money to make up the difference or to pass legislation such as for cancer research. “I am all for cancer research — I lost my mother to cancer — but if we are going to fund the research it should be in the budget,” he said.

Just about the time the Senate was facing its budget challenge, Eltife said, “One-hundred-dollar bills started falling from the sky in the way of stimulus money from the federal government. I was all excited about this at first — Texas was getting $13 billion dollars in stimulus money, a great way to improve the infrastructure for all Texans. But just $2 billion was earmarked for infrastructure, and the rest was regulated by the federal government on just what that money could be used for.”

Had the money been used for infrastructure, it would have created jobs and provided long-term benefits for the state and the country, said Eltife.

“But even after the stimulus money is gone, that money is not earmarked again for 2011. If revenue is up, that’s okay. Even if revenue is flat, that’s acceptable, but I feel revenue will be lower,” said Eltife. “At that time Texas will be facing not a $5 billion deficit, but a $10 billion deficit.”

He said Gov. Rick Perry should have taken the federal stimulus money for unemployment benefits.

“This was a mistake. Texas should have taken that money,” said Eltife. “The reason given not to take it — strings were attached — but if you look at the $13 billion Texas accepted, strings were attached to those funds too,” said Eltife.

State officials predicted the state’s unemployment fund would go broke in November. Instead, the money ran out in August.

“Now the ones paying the price are small businesses. If that money had been accepted, it would have taken Texas 10 years to run out of that money,” said Eltife. “So to support the unemployment fund, Texas is now borrowing $170 million a month from the federal government, but instead of grant money it is now a loan.”

About 250,000 jobs were lost in the U.S last month and 44,000 of those jobs were in Texas, the senator said.

“The Republican Party has not solved this state’s problems. It is time to get back to the basics of state government,” said Eltife, a Republican. “It is appalling that for the last nine years, retired teachers in this state have not received a cost-of-living raise,” said Eltife. “TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) used to be the ‘golden boys,’ all projects were paid in cash. In the last 10 years TxDOT has fallen behind and now only about one-third of the projects needed in Texas are even funded.”

“I have a solution and it’s not very popular, but it will work: raise the gas tax by three cents, pay cash and don’t use bonds,” said Eltife. “It is time for our elected officials to come clean, Texas is only $3 billion away from its debt being maxed out. We have to cut the luxuries, scrub the budget top to bottom.”

Eltife said he would not take a position for either Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the upcoming governor’s race. “If feel competition is good, even in politics, and this race should be left up to the people,” said Eltife.

He concluded by saying he feels the economy is stabilized but the country is still in a recession.

“The government should have let the banks that were failing, fail,” said Eltife. “The way it has always been, by letting those who created the situation for themselves fail, would flush the system.”

He said he is proud to represent Texas in the Senate, but his first and foremost priorities are being a good father and a good businessman.

“It is not important for me to have the word ‘Senator’ in front of my name,” said Eltife. “When confronted with an issue, no matter who is on the other side, I am going to do what I think is right and be truthful about it.”