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Washington, D.C.-Congressman Gene Green (D-Houston), today, sent out the following letter to Governor Rick Perry, signed by the Democratic Members of the Texas delegation, asking the Governor to stop payment of tax payers money to private lobbying firms.
The following letter to Governor Perry is the third letter written in the past year that discusses the wasteful contracts with outside lobbyist worth $1 million in state taxpayer money.
The letter was signed by the following members:
Rep. Gene Green
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
Rep. Charles Gonzalez
Rep. Al Green
Rep. Henry Cuellar
Rep. Chet Edwards
Rep. Solomon Ortiz
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee
Rep. Silvestre Reyes
Rep. Lloyd Doggett
Rep.-Elect Nick Lampson
November 14, 2006
The Honorable Rick Perry
Governor
State of Texas
PO Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Dear Governor Perry:
On Tuesday November 7, 2006, the American people moved this nation in a new direction in the U.S. Congress and entrusted the Democratic Party with a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Despite our ideological differences, we look forward to working with you and our Republican colleagues in the Texas delegation on any issues of importance to our great State of Texas. As proud Texans, we aim to restore the long tradition of bipartisan cooperation in Texas government at both the state and federal levels. Please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance on any federal issue or direct any office or agency of the State of Texas to do the same.
The Democratic Members of the Texas delegation contacted you on both January 20, 2006 and March 29, 2006 regarding wasteful contracts with outside lobbyists worth $1 million in state taxpayer money.
Instead of reconsidering this inexplicable and unprecedented decision, you gave away Texans’ taxpayer money to lobbyists and claimed that they do the work that the U.S. Constitution assigns to the Texas Congressional delegation. Adding insult to injury for Texas taxpayers, these outside lobbyists never once contacted any Democratic Member of the Texas delegation about any of Texas’ legislative priorities. You never responded to our requests to save this money for more pressing state issues.
While we do not speak for our Texas Senators or for our Republican colleagues in the House, Texas House Democrats do not need - nor want - any assistance from private lobbyists to represent the State of Texas. We again urge you to terminate any contracts the State of Texas maintains with any outside lobbyists involved with the U.S. House of Representatives and do not replace them with any other lobbyists.
Taxpayers already pay Texas’ elected officials to represent them; and the State of Texas has too many other pressing needs such as education, health care, and public safety to give any more taxpayer money away to Washington lobbyists.
Thank you for your consideration and please respond to this important request.
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