Bill Will Save Billions of Taxpayer Dollars
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The state of Texas faces a significant and dangerous budget deficit and the current system of operating our state government is outdated inefficient & extremely costly" said State Representative Raul Torres (R-Corpus Christi) while introducing H.B. 3149 in the House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform Wednesday. The legislation could reduce State of Texas spending by billions of dollars without cutting programs raising taxes or using the states Rainy Day Fund.
We have allowed ourselves to be trapped in a false choice of either drastic cuts in spending or increasing revenue either by raising taxes or further tapping the Rainy Day Fund" Rep. Torres said in a press conference early Thursday. This legislation offers a long-term solution to our financial crisis without having to do either."
The bill would establish a pilot program in cooperation with the Texas Workforce Commission to implement an effort to reduce operational waste maximize efficiency and
improve the quality of operations.
Torres was joined at the press conference by Joint Authors:
- Linda Harper-Brown (R- Irving)
- John Garza (R- San Antonio)
- Bill Zedler (R- Arlington) ans
- Jason Isaac (R- Dripping Springs).
Also present were Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez and the Strong America Now founder Michael George.
There is another tool we can and must use. It is to identify and reduce what businesses call waste" said Torres.
H.B. 3149 would implement an organizational approach that focuses on doing things better faster and less expensively. Businesses and the private sector have successfully utilized waste elimination for several decades. The process is already used in local state and federal government.
The City of Irving in Texas has greatly benefitted from implementing a process known as Lean Six Sigma which has already saved the U.S. Army and Navy billions of dollars.
The Texas Workforce Commission pilot program established by H.B. 3149 will serve as the subject of a interim study to determine the programs effectiveness and make the necessary recommendations for applying this method to all state agencies.
Representative Raul Torres serves House District 33 and was sworn into the Texas House of Representatives on January 11 2011. He is a member of the Appropriations Committee and House Committee on Insurance.
