Texas, It's Your Money

Susan Combs
—Texas State Comptroller of Public Accounts

We should never be hesitant to face the facts and take a good hard look at the numbers. It’s vitally necessary if we are to make knowledgeable decisions and stand strong for the future of Texas. That’s not only my job as Comptroller, but it’s also the duty of every Texas taxpayer and voter. Staying informed is our responsibility as citizens in a democracy.

Throughout the year, I’ve been hosting a series of Town Hall meetings across our state. I talk about a wide range of topics, including the challenges that come with Texas’s phenomenal growth in recent years; the realities of today’s global economy; the threats posed by Washington’s regulatory expansion; and the impact federal health care reform will have on our state’s businesses and our citizens.

What I enjoy most about these Town Halls is the chance it gives me to hear what is on the minds of Texas taxpayers. You ask such great questions … questions that show me just how much you love this wonderful state of ours and how deeply you care about preserving its values, its quality of life and its well-earned reputation as a place where businesses can thrive and where jobs are created every day by visionary, energetic entrepreneurs.

Many of your questions boil down to this: Is government being fiscally responsible and spending my tax dollars as effectively as possible?

And that’s something every taxpayer has a right to know. And you have a need to be in the know. That’s what our "Texas, It’s Your Money" series of reports is designed to do. These reports will examine the various taxing entities in communities throughout the state; local government debt; public education debt; and public pension funding.

We’re committed to making Texas state government transparent and our books open, accessible and understandable to our citizens. But it really only works when taxpayers use the information available to them to make informed decisions and hold their government accountable. I encourage you to do just that.

Susan Combs

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