I want to set the record straight and explain why AFP is engaged in the Speakers race. The speaker of the Texas House will be officially elected by that body when they convene January 11, 2011 in Austin.

The current speaker is Joe Straus (R-San Antonio.) Straus was relatively new to the Texas legislature having won the seat forerely held by Elizabeth Aimes Jones. His first legislative session was 2007. Then-Rep Joe Straus got an A on the 2007 TX Taxpayer Report Card. We don't give those grades. Legislators earn them based on the bills that make it to a public vote which are part of our legislative agenda. I know he was proud to have earned that grade.

AFP did not give the Speaker a grade last session (his second legislative session) as the Speaker doesn't generally vote, but had we given him grades for his committee appointments, he would not have fared well. Some of our key legislation languished in committee and chairmen even touted that they were going to make sure key taxpayer protection legislation didn't see the light of day.

For instance, our taxpayer protection legislation was sent to the Ways & Means Committee. Chairman Rene Oliveira -- addressing the Texas Association of Counties during the session -- promised that organization that he would not allow our bill out of committee. TAC put that in their legislative update newsletter and I received a copy. I took that newsletter to Speaker Straus and expressed my concern that the legislation was (and is) part of the Texas RPT platform and was common-sense taxpayer protection which was necessary since the legislature had given a school property tax cut. Our concern was that other local taxing entities would increase their tax revenues (local governments could lower their tax rate and still take in more revenue via appraisal increases - resulting in higher property taxes for homeowners and businesses) and that tax cut would be devoured. They did and it was. Speaker Straus either was unable to or did not choose to make sure that bill got out of committee and to the floor for a vote.

We realized that he was elected by a majority of the D's and some R's who generally did not fare so well on our report card as he had, so Speaker Straus was likely beholding to those who selected and elected him.

With the overwhelming Republican majority and the voters' mandate November 2, we want the House leadership will reflect that. My concern originally was that the most liberal Democrats were early Straus pledges again this session. I would prefer that conservative legislators ask the Speaker to pledge to them that he will appoint conservative committee chairman before the legislator blindly pledges their support to the Speaker. Most other states elect their Speaker from the majority caucus. That would further ensure that the speaker elected -- whether it be Straus or someone else -- would be committed to and free to support the voters' mandate.

Reasonable people can disagree and this debate is an important one. Ultimately, Texas House members will select their speaker. We encourage citizens to let their legislators know how they feel about this important decision.

UPDATE: Since posting this morning, Texas Rep. Bryan Hughes has announced he is withdrawing support from Speaker Joe Straus following a phone call from TeamStraus threatening to redistrict those legislators who do not support him. There are many words for that - and they start with "unethical". Rep. Hughes is an attorney and his letter should be shared with every legislator: http://bit.ly/cVl9PJ

UPDATE: In addition to former head of the Texas Conservative Coalition Rep. Warren Chisum, Rep. Ken Paxton has announced for speaker and Rep. Jody Laubenberg has announced her support for him - all are very strong conservative-voting legislators.

-- Peggy Venable, AFP-Texas Director