The AFP Texas Taxpayer Agenda: It’s Our Money Americans for Prosperity-Texas has embarked on a Taxpayer Agenda with the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) as the cornerstone.  AFP-Texas’ 25,000 members are committed to promoting TABOR at the federal, state and local levels.  Tax dollars are taxpayer dollars, and the Taxpayer Agenda reminds elected officials that it’s our money: 1.    TABOR – Texas Taxpayers deserve a Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights       a.        A constitutional amendment to limit growth in state government to population increase                   plus inflation.       b.        Surplus revenue allocation:                   i.        Create budget stabilization fund (up to 15% of state budget)                   ii.        Create an emergency fund (up to 3% of state budget)                   iii.        Property tax relief (82%)       c.        Voter approval required to bust the spending cap 2.    Protect local property tax savings       a.    If state dollars are provided to offset property tax cuts, make sure taxpayers can take              that savings to the bank       b.    Support appraisal caps, revenue caps, “truth in taxation” or other measures to                  prevent “property tax creep”       c.    Support TABOR measures at the local level 3.    Prevent tax dollars from being used to lobby for more taxpayer dollars       a.     Prohibit lobbying financed with taxpayer dollars       b.     Prohibit advocacy financed with taxpayer dollars       c.     Prohibit tax dollars used to sue the state for more tax dollars 4.   Taxpayers want greater fiscal accountability for our education expenditures:       “More education for our dollars”       a.    Direct more existing dollars into the classroom       b.    Specify where state education dollars will be spent       c.    Direct state dollars to the classroom (leaving responsibility for overhead and costs                 outside classroom to local discretion)       d.    Provide parents the opportunity to choose the educational environment where their              children have the best opportunity to learn.       e.    To address the serious epidemic of “taxpayer fatigue” and hold school board elections              in November.       f.     Oppose unfunded mandates. __________________________________________________________________________ Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Texas office at 807 Brazos #210, Austin, TX  78701 www.AmericansForProsperity.org; 512/476-5905; 512/476-5906