The Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas Recommendations

Early Voting – October 23^rd – November 3^rd,  2023

Election Day – November 7^th, 2023

This is a non-partisan election, it’s crucial for taxpayers to unite against entrenched corporatism and the growth of more government, putting aside political differences to make a collective stand for fiscal responsibility.  The Republican Liberty Caucus works to restore liberty, not restrict it; shrink government, not expand it; reduce taxes, not raise them; promote free-market competition, not entrenched corporatism; promote the freedom and independence of citizens, not the interference of government in their lives; and observe the limited- enumerated powers of our constitution, not ignore them.

Several of these ballot propositions seek to increase funding immensely in industries politicians would say are so important to necessitate that they be funded without question, hence many of the Ballot Propositions would put language into law that would make them immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget. 

While industries such as telecommunications, water infrastructure, energy grid, natural parks, and higher education are of real value to society, that alone does not mean that these industries all merit public spending, let alone public spending beyond reproach or ability to limit. Taking these industries even further away from free market competition will result in an ever more entrenched corporatism with worse outcomes for the consumer/constituent. 

The following are our RLCTX Voting suggestions:  

Proposition Number 1:  Support 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.”

This protects the property owner’s right and choice to engage in generally accepted farm practices.  

Proposition Number 2:  Oppose 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad-valorem taxation by a county or municipality of all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child-care facility.”

Exemptions although well intended shift the tax burden on the rest of the taxpayers.  Property tax should be fair and equitable.  The more special groups we create, the bigger the burden for the rest, it is simply unfair and also known as theft.  

Proposition Number 3:  Support 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual wealth or net worth tax, including a tax on the difference between the assets and liabilities of an individual or family.”

Prohibits taxing net worth, inheritance, or estate.  It’s been taxed already.

Proposition Number 4: Support 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad-valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term of office for a member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.”

The opposition to government taxing or not taxing one group in favor of another is the original bipartisan issue.  We support this amendment to pass, although we do not support exemptions as they shift a greater tax burden to the remaining taxpayers, however, we do support the authorization for four-year terms for members of the governing body of an appraisal entity in counties with a population of 75,000 or more.  This will keep the Chief Appraiser partially accountable to voters rather than the current system where School Boards, City Councils, and Commissioners Courts can abdicate all accountability for higher appraisals.  This will be significant property tax relief for many, however, because ultimately it is yet another carve out for some but not all, we don’t think politicians should be bragging about something that does not fix our property tax headache long term.

Proposition Number 5:  Oppose 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as major research universities and drive the state economy.”

Universities wanting separate funding for different university tiers create more bureaucracy and cost to keep up with separate accounts and administrations.  Also, many universities are awarding out-of-country students with complimentary tuition.  If they have this type of funding, they don’t need more, it is theft of the American taxpayer.  Passing this Proposition would put language into law that would make this fund immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget taking future oversight out of the hands of our elected representatives.

Proposition Number 6:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.”

Separate funding will expand government and create more bureaucracy therefore more hidden waste taking us further away from the sort of free market solutions which would better benefit Texans.  Passing this Proposition would put language into law that would make this fund immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget taking future oversight out of the hands of our elected representatives.  

Prop7: Oppose 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance, modernization, and operation of electric generating facilities.”  

Separate funding will expand government and create more bureaucracy therefore more hidden waste taking us further away from the sort of free market solutions which would better benefit Texans.   Passing this Proposition would put language into law that would make this fund immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget taking future oversight out of the hands of our elected representatives.  

Proposition Number 8:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects.”

Those supporting this amendment are the big corporations that can afford the business risks but want the taxpayer to pay for their businesses. Passing this Proposition would put language into law that would make this fund immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget taking future oversight out of the hands of our elected representatives.  Separate funding will also expand government and create more bureaucracy therefore more hidden waste taking us further away from the sort of free market solutions which would better serve Texans.  

Proposition Number 9:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th Legislature to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.”

The Government continues to create special classes that take from one taxpayer to give to another, again this is theft.  

Proposition Number 10:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain.”  

The Government continues to create special classes that take from one taxpayer to give to another, again this is theft.  This is a big handout for the Texas Medical Networks.  Property tax should be fair and equitable.

Proposition Number 11:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad-valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities.” 

El Pasoans have become wise to the continual increases of taxes through bonds.  This is creating another agency to tax El Pasoans who already pay the highest property taxes of all major cities in Texas, with more Certificate of Obligation Bond Debt than the other five major cities/counties of Texas combined while also having the lowest household median income from that list.  More taxing entities in El Paso County is the last thing the citizens there need.  We are outraged by these sneaky tactics.

Proposition Number 12:   Support

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment providing for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County.” 

The current Elected Galveston County Treasurer, Hank Dugie, ran explicitly with the goal of abolishing this office; he beat a 20-year incumbent and a third challenger without a runoff.  This amendment has the bipartisan and unanimous support of the Commissioner’s Court, police associations, chambers of commerce, and many other local groups.    Eleven of the county’s thirteen cities have resolutions supporting it. 

The duties will be rolled into the CFO, Auditor, and Clerk’s Offices saving taxpayers close to half a million dollars per year.  About nine counties in Texas have eliminated similar offices.  Since day one the Treasurer believed so strongly in the abolishment of this office that he signed an affidavit declining his over $110K salary.  

Proposition Number 13:  Oppose 

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age of retirement for state justices and judges.” 

State Judges are required to retire at age 75, this amendment raises it to 79.   The position of State Judge is much too important to lose efficiency because of physical and mental ability.  We must have our sharpest candidates working such a high office.  Also we are seeing the cost of gerontocracy in Washington DC and believe that is not a thing to be emulated here in Texas.

Proposition Number 14:  Oppose

The proposed amendment will appear on the ballot as follows:  “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund to be used for the creation and improvement of state parks.”

This is a trust fund outside the state treasury.  These are attempts to get around the State’s Constitutional Appropriation limits.  RLCTX believes in abolishing programs, not creating them, these are money dumps which again include putting language into law that would make them immune from limitations by the Appropriations Budget.  

This is a follow up post to the earlier post made today regarding support of Defend the Guard legislation. Here is our supporting resolution:

Whereas, the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) is committed to upholding the principles of limited government, accountability, and a strong national defense;

Whereas, the deployment of National Guard troops into combat operations is a significant decision that must align with the U.S. Constitution’s requirement for a congressional declaration of war;

Whereas, ‘Defend the Guard’ legislation seeks to reaffirm the constitutional authority of Congress in matters of war and ensure that National Guard units are only deployed for national defense purposes as intended by the framers of the Constitution;

Whereas, the RLC recognizes the importance of maintaining a robust and well-prepared National Guard to respond to domestic emergencies and natural disasters, which can best be achieved by minimizing extended overseas deployments to strictly training missions;

Whereas, the RLC believes that decisions to deploy National Guard troops into combat should be thoroughly deliberated and formally voted upon to ensure their mission serves the best interests of the United States and its citizens;

Whereas, the Defend the Guard resolution has been formally ratified, upheld, and endorsed by the delegates of the Republican Party of Texas;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas (RLCTX) expresses its full support for ‘Defend the Guard’ legislation at the state level;

Be it further resolved that the RLC Texas encourages its members and elected representatives to advocate for and work towards the passage of ‘Defend the Guard’ legislation, emphasizing the need to protect the constitutional authority of Congress and the sovereignty of states in matters of war and national defense, in our state as well as in other states;

Be it further resolved that this resolution once passed is presented to the national RLC board and a motion is presented to pass a similar resolution encouraging other state chartered RLC’s to unite in this cause;

Be it further resolved that the RLC calls upon all political leaders who share our commitment to limited government and individual liberty to join in supporting ‘Defend the Guard’ legislation as a means to uphold the principles of our Constitution and ensure a more deliberative and responsible approach to deploying National Guard units;

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be sent to relevant state and federal lawmakers, urging them to consider and act upon the importance of ‘Defend the Guard’ legislation.

The RLC of Texas Board met and passed a Resolution (see below) affirming our support for the Defend the Guard mission, which includes our intentions to support this cause by taking action, and so we invite everyone to join us.  We understand that everyone’s time is finite, and there are important local matters which catch our attention as activists, nevertheless I wish to ask you to join us on a cause that will cost you nothing financially, which you can do from anywhere that affords you good cell service.  We’re joining with freedom fighters from across the County to phone bank for Defend The Guard.

You can jump on board by first taking about 90 seconds right now to fill in this very short form at: https://defendtheguard.us/phonebank

Diego Rivera, who is the Vice Chair for Austin RLC is leading RLC TX in mobilizing membership to get involved with this campaign.  Diego was the driving force for the training we had in Round Rock, Texas.  He’s been a hard-chargin freedom fighter for years now and so it was a great opportunity to learn from DOERS like him and the good people he brought in for that day, but ultimately I share with you that there was a point to all of that training, and that was to apply it towards our Mission.  For I ask you friend, what good is a resolution or a day of political activism training if you don’t apply what you learn?  Our members who organized the convention agreed and were similarly inspired by this propensity for taking action which we see espoused by Diego Rivera that they saw it fit recognize him with the first ever “Jeff Leblanc Torchbearer’s Award”

So we have our new project, to push for state based Defend The Guard legislation.  Today the fight is in New Hampshire, and tomorrow maybe Michigan, the RLC Texas Board went ahead and expressed our support to just push it nationwide, knowing that it’ll pay dividends for expanding liberty in Texas as well.  We are not asking you to stop your activism at the local level, but knowing that the Texas Legislature won’t hold another Regular Session for two years, getting our membership on board with the New Hampshire effort helps us to accomplish two key goals for us.  It builds momentum for a cause we likely will be pushing for again in the Texas Legislature come January 2025, and it sharpens the Activism skills of all members who take the time to follow us and Diego in this campaign.

So sign up today, and then look out for follow up instructions from “Bring the Troops Home,” who will send you instructions on what to do next.

Please view our updated post regarding the RLC Texas resolution on Defend the Guard legislation.

As of September of last year, the RLC-Texas changed our by-laws to host our Bi-Annual Conventions in odd-numbered years. So our RLC-Texas Convention has been called for the weekend of August 12-13 at the Dale Carnegie Training in Round Rock, Texas.

On Saturday, August 12 we will be taking a class with “Bring Our Troops Home” to learn about how to be more effective as Grassroots Activists during the legislative session and in the campaign years. This training was put together by one of our members after observing what our strengths and weaknesses were so that our organization may be better equipped in pursuit of our mission. You will need to register for that training separately using a link you should have received from us via email on July 17. A link to register for this event can be found here.

There is a $40 charge which covers cost of facility, food and beverage, and the instructors fee. Saturday after the training concludes we’ll have a social dinner at Uncle Bucks Fish Bowl and Grill in Round Rock. On Sunday, August 13 we will begin with a business meeting to conduct elections and update our bylaws as necessary. Because we did much of this last year, we intend to conclude business quickly, so that we may take some time to share best practices for organizing Chapters, getting members more involved in the two year political cycle that is Texas Politics, and conclude with an award ceremony recognizing great work over the past year. We shall be recognizing Chapter of the Year, Region of the Year, and RLC Activist of the Year.

There is no ticket price for Sunday, we welcome donations which help to offset the cost, though you must be an RLC Texas member with dues up to date in order to participate. A registration link can be found here. Talk to your Chapter Chair or Regional Director if you are unsure of your current membership status or if you live outside of 500 miles of the convention and you wish participate during the business portion virtually. Lodging recommendations to follow once registered.

Yours in Liberty,

Team RLC of Texas

Resolution Relating to the Bill to End Jail for Non-jailable Offenses

WHEREAS, Criminal Justice Reform is a legislative priority for the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) of Texas calls upon the Texas Legislature to end the practice of arresting and jailing individuals for offenses for which jail is not an allowable consequence under the law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the RLC of Texas urges all Republican House Representatives to co-author and/or sponsor HB-410 “Relating to law enforcement policies regarding the issuance of citations for misdemeanors punishable by fine only and to a limitation on the authority to arrest a person for certain fine-only misdemeanors.” and all Republican Senators to author and/or sponsor a companion bill in the Texas Senate. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that should this bill be referred to the Senate’s Criminal Justice Committee, then the RLC of Texas calls upon the Democrat Chair of this committee- Senator John Whitmire- to hold a hearing and a vote in his committee to allow for passage in the full body of the Senate. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that when this bill be voted out of committee, then the RLC of Texas calls upon our Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to allow a vote in the full body of the Senate. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to all State Senators.

RLC of Texas

Legislative Priorities 88th Legislative Session

The RLC of Texas held a Statewide Video Meeting to vote on the legislative priorities our organization will champion through the 88th legislative session on December 18^th, 2022.  The 88th Legislative Session begins on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, and lasts until Monday, May 29, 2023.  Although all the suggestions given by the members were equally important the following priorities, through long deliberation, were selected:

Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying – Abolishing all forms of taxpayer-funded lobbying is crucial in ending the corruption of our overgrown government.  Currently, government agencies such as City or County Offices and School Districts hire lobbyists to increase their ability to tax and regulate even more, all while using the tax dollars of the very citizenry that elected them.

Eliminate Property Tax – Texas has one of the highest property taxes in the country and we firmly believe that Texas homeowners should not be required to “rent” their property from the state. As Governor Abbott recently stated, we are “reduced to tenants of [our] very own property with taxing authorities playing the role of landlord.” True ownership of property is unattainable when it is contingent on being able to pay taxes, the fear of losing one’s home is a never-ending concern that must end. Our goal is to see Texans gain the ability to truly own their land and homes without the risk of loss through property tax. We believe reducing government spending and utilizing alternative forms of “voluntary taxation,” such as consumption tax models, can achieve that goal and provide the adequate funding necessary to continue the required government operation.

Criminal Justice Reform – The criminal justice system within Texas and the United States has become an enormous for-profit industry that tramples constitutional rights and imprisons massive numbers of productive citizens; primarily affecting the poor and middle class. The Texas legislature and Republican representatives must begin to curtail the instruments that law enforcement, prosecutors, and the courts currently utilize to restrict and remove the liberty of our fellow Texans by preserving the fundamental rights enshrined in both the Texas and US Constitutions. We seek legislative reforms that ensure the presumption of innocence and limit all forms of excessive bail before trial, guarantee due process and promote jury trials through criminal proceedings, and fully restore offenders to law-abiding status post-conviction. We also support legislation intended to hold those that wield power and authority of government force accountable such as legislation that strictly limits or ends qualified immunity for prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officers.

Defend the Guard – The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the president. Only Congress can declare war and appropriate military funding, and the President is the commander in chief of the armed forces. It has become necessary to compel Congress to reassert its authority under the U.S. Constitution regarding when, where, how, and why our troops are sent to war.  Each and every politician in Congress must first put their name on any declaration of war before we send our military. Defend the Guard is state-based legislation prohibiting the deployment of a state’s National Guard units into active combat without a formal declaration of war by Congress, as required by Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. This bill focuses on the decentralization of power from Washington DC and back to the states. Simply stated, if Congress does not formally declare war, then the state will not send their young men and women into harm’s way.

Equal Parenting Rights – Advocates have been fighting the corruption that has been plaguing the Family Court System for years. One might not be aware of the gross violations of parental rights happening in Texas Family Courts if one has not experienced it personally. The impact on Texas families is alarming. We seek legislation to ensure that all custody procedures begin with an assumption of 50/50 status for both parents, something that other states have already implemented. In situations where 50/50 co-parenting is not achievable, legislation should promote compromise with minimal government interference to ensure all parties are acting in the best interest of the children involved. Processes that offer Custodials advantage over Non-Custodials should be modified to help prevent parents from becoming spiteful and vindictive.

The family court must guarantee that children come first with legislative assurances that provide for the involvement of both parents and the protection of the family.  We call on the Texas Legislature to prevent the incentives created through continuous court appearances that benefit the court, government offices, and attorneys involved through fines and service fees. Responsible non-custodial parents should be focusing their time and resources on the quality of life for their children without the exorbitant costs created in the current system. Texas children and their parents deserve better. This is not to be confused with cases of abuse, neglect, or outright abandonment, we are advocating for equally loving, willing, and able parents.

The RLC of Texas works with all groups to successfully advocate for legislative changes to maximize liberty and limit government intervention for all Texans. Through a systematic process of training and tools, visits, phone calls, emails, and letter writing we help activists engage. We provide tools and guidance for members to visit the Capitol and meet with the various committee chairs, representatives, and senators. We welcome new members and advocates to join the fight for defending our constitution and our liberty from tyranny.  Join here:  https://rlc.org/join-the-rlc/

Here’s the Texas State’s website on the Legislative Session https://capitol.texas.gov/Home.aspx feel free to explore the site and stay updated on all the legislative activity. 

Welcome to our new blog! Our site is still under construction at the moment. However, for our first post, the RLC Texas has voted to make a statement regarding a coalition we were a part of for the past six years.

On July 6, 2022, the board of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas (RLCTX) voted to disassociate itself from the Freedom First Republicans Coalition.

We act in response to the recent back-to-back resignations of the state chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas (LCR), followed closely by his acting successor along with other state board members of LCR Texas, and their credible stated concerns.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas is greatly concerned with the co-opting of the LCR Texas leadership and its commitment to the mission and values of the Freedom First Republicans Coalition. Given these conditions, RLCTX has no choice but to withdraw from this coalition as we continue to uphold the values of liberty.

This signals that LCR Texas may no longer be acting primarily in the representation of Texas chapter members, but rather may now be acting under interference or strict direction from outside the state and leaves us unable to ensure that all our members of our Texas-based coalition, speaking on matters of concern to Texans, are in fact representing Texans, or share the commitment to the mission of Freedom First.

The Freedom First Republicans Coalition joined three different Republican groups in the common principle that in addressing issues of contention and conflicting rights, the liberty guarantees of our Constitution always come first, and that the best way to defend those guarantees of liberty is to defend them for everyone. It was the first liberty coalition of its kind in Texas. It won’t be the last.

This dissolution applies to the coalition only, and should not be considered a repudiation of the individual members of Log Cabin Republicans, or the values and principles of Freedom First that brought three Republican organizations together in the summer of 2016.