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Editor’s note: To help voters learn more about the candidates, the Advocate is printing profiles provided by the League of Women Voters in contested races in the May 24 primary runoff election.

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Qualifications:

• What training, experience and characteristics qualify you for this position?

Rainy Day Fund:

• What is the optimal amount to be held in the Rainy Day Fund and what is the criteria for usage? What is your opinion on using the fund to pay down the state’s debt vs. using it to help citizens that have been harmed by catastrophes?

Taxes:

• In your opinion, what is the proper balance of tax revenues sources to fairly fund state government, including public schools?

Financial Obligations:

• What needs to be done, if anything, to ensure that Texas can meet its long-term financial obligations such as infrastructure maintenance, state employee pensions and health care coverage for public school teachers and employees?

Priorities:

• As Comptroller, what would be your highest priorities for the next four years, and how do you intend to accomplish them?
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Janet T. Dudding - Dem Certified Public Accountant website: janetdudding4texas.com

Qualifications:

• I’m a certified public accountant (CPA) who’s spent my adult life in governmental accounting, auditing, administration and even investigations.

Rainy Day Fund:

• Government Finance Officers Association recommends a minimum of two months of regular revenue or regular expenditures be maintained in a rainy day fund. Typically, rainy day monies mitigate the risk of unstable revenues or unexpected expenditures. Natural disasters fall into the second category.
• The state of Texas’ general obligation debt currently is rated AAA/AAA/AAA/AAA.

Taxes:

• The Texas Legislature added $6.5 billion in funding to public schools in 2019. Yet per a 2021 SPLC report, Texas currently ranks 40th in the nation.
• New revenue streams are needed. Legalizing adult-use cannabis could bring $1 billion in tax revenue (and decriminalization could save $300 million). Look at “green” taxes to build revenue streams from green energy.

Financial Obligations:

• Regarding infrastructure, Texas should accept the $35 billion of federal Infrastructure and Jobs Act dollars.
• With fuel efficient vehicles, it would be interested to look at creating a revenue stream from alternative fuels to maintain roads.
• Public school employees in all but about 12 school districts do not participate in Social Security and they should. Find the money.

Priorities:

• Comptroller has the bully pulpit on how our money is spent.
• Expanding comp mental health and healthcare to 1.4 million adult Texans saves $100 million in state tax and our property taxes.
• Work with local governments re broadband as a local utility, keeping the costs down and creating an income stream.
• Work with state agencies, reduce methane emissions on state property.

Angel Luis Vega - Dem Strategist and Author website: angelvega.com

Qualifications:

• I am a purpose-driven professional offering over 20 years in business strategy, finance, operations, managing multimillion-dollar budgets, and large groups of people. Bachelor of Business Administration and Master in Management and Leadership.

Rainy Day Fund:

• We should increase the fund to $25 billion and allocate $1.75 to $2 billion annually. The primary purpose of these funds should be for natural disasters and recession to support our communities, support people keeping their homes, adequately fund our schools, support any healthcare crisis, provide food assistance and guarantee public safety.

Taxes:

• Suppose we focus on boosting Texans entrepreneurship, attracting new business opportunities, eliminating the corporate tax loopholes, and reducing the unemployment rate to under 3%. In that case, the proper balance of tax revenue could be at $145 billion. For the spending budget, $140 billion annually, including public school funding and health care.

Financial Obligations:

• We need to have a transparent tax administration. Be effective in forecasting, identifying the fundamental long-term obligations, putting our community first without eliminating essential funds for our public school teachers, employees, retirees, and community programs. Invest strategically, attract more business ventures to the state and legalize recreational marijuana.

Priorities: I would focus on transparency, accountability, efficiency, optimizing the office’s capabilities, boosting entrepreneurship, attracting new business opportunities, thriving jobs, and reducing unemployment under 3%. Guarantee retirement security and protect pensions. I will make decisions in the interest of all the people of Texas, not the special interest groups.

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