Tell The TRUTH: Dear Fellow Texan

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2 0 1 3
N E W S L E T T E R
LEADING TRANSPARENCY H FIGHTING FEDERAL OVERREACH H PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN
Dear Fellow Texan,

Several months ago I announced I would not seek elective office in 2014. My husband and I are looking forward to spending more time on the ranch and with the next generation of our family, but my emphasis will continue to be all of Texas. In addition, I will be spending the balance of my term as your Comptroller maintaining a sharp focus on the duties of this office, while also sharing the story of Texas across the nation. The policy issues Ive been working on for twenty years will still be a primary interest of mine, and I am excited to continue this important work. Twenty-five years ago I began to look at the effects of endangered species law on private property, and in 1995 I co-authored the states landmark private property rights legislation to ensure the rights of landowners and our economy were protected. This continues to be an issue today and there is more work to be done. And because our children are our future and theirs must remain bright, another policy area that has been and will continue to be my passion is children and their health and well-being. Finally, bringing government into the sunlightholding all levels accountableand striving for efficient and transparent government also will be on my radar. I cannot thank you enough for your interest in conservative values and for your support for so many years. While I will not be serving in public office, I will continue my work with leaders across the country on these and other policy issues. Our future is too important to allow governmentand not the peopleto determine what is best for its citizens. After all, our country was founded on core principles of less government and on these words enshrined in the Texas Constitution:
Tell the TRUTH

DEBT. ITS ON EVERYONES MIND. Weve seen reports of cities and states facing ever-mounting public pension fund liabilities. And I heard your worries in 40 town halls across the state last year about the burden on our children and grandchildren. Thats why we published the report series, Texas, Its Your Money. The fourth report on public pension debt was the basis for legislation that was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry in May. All public pensions now will be required to post financial data online for taxpayer review. My thanks to Rep. Bill Callegari (R-Houston) and Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) for their hard work. However, legislative efforts to shine the light on all of the debt you are burdened with by every taxing entity at the local level were not successful, and were ultimately killed by technicalities. Many of us believe that governmental entities should tell you what you already owe before asking to borrow more. But it was clear that many cities, school districts, municipal utility districts and counties were not in favor of telling you the whole truth. Our thanks still to Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) and Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) for their tremendous efforts. Texas transparency won one and lost one. But we are not giving up the fight. We are already working to replicate each provision in the bills at the Comptrollers office. Objections were made that putting local debt information on the web was too costly, too confusing, too hardyet it was easy for you to pay! Lets prove them wrong. Visit www.TelltheTruthTexas.org. This site continues the transparency work we started my first week in the Comptrollers office. We absolutely welcome and need your feedback. H
All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority...
Thank you again, and may God continue to bless the great state of Texas.
TEXAS JOBS: Endangered Species?

PROTECTING OUR ECONOMY AND OUR NATURAL RESOURCES is what Texans do best. And our office now has $5 million in new funding approved by the 83rd Texas Legislature to help protect against federal overreach by funding peerreviewed scientific research on species to be sure they are not listed as threatened or endangered by the federal government. Since Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973, its reach has become enormous. Today, Texas has 125 species of plants, fish, animals, bugs and reptiles that are subject to some type of federal regulation under the ESA, including being listed as endangered. The Texas Legislature asked our office to be the chair of an Interagency Task Force to deal with the ESA in 2009. We created www.KeepingTexasFirst.org to track the economic impact of federal action on endangered species, as well as provide informational resources to help affected communities, businesses and landowners respond to the ESA. In 2011, when the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (DSL) threatened to endanger jobs in the vitally important Permian Basin, we worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders and developed a plan that now protects both Texas jobs and the DSL and was a key factor in stopping the listing of the lizard. The private sector also funded additional scientific research that was critical to this process. But this effort cannot be replicated on 125 species, so the $5 million is a start to protect the state against unwarranted listings. All public state universities are eligible for this state project. Being proactive, we can ensure our states economy continues to grow, and jobs and private property rights are protected. H
OUR FAMILY, and Yours

FAMILY IS THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES. Our middle son and his wife made us grandparents almost a year ago, and their baby boy is a blessing and a delight. Every day now, I am reminded of the importance of leaving our state and our country in better economic shape for generations of Texans to come. H
FIT FOR LIFE

ENSURING OUR KIDS ARE HEALTHY IS AN ECONOMIC IMPERATIVEthat is one of the messages I carried with me to the U.S.-Mexico Border Obesity Prevention Summit in McAllen in July, where I spoke on how public policy can help drive good practices. For most children, being overweight or obese is the result of unhealthy eating and too little physical activity. As a result, one in three children born today will develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. And the added annual health costs of obesityfor individuals and future employersare growing at alarming rates. Changing habits while young can reverse unhealthy trends. That is why we launched www.ReshapingTexas.org, empowering businesses, schools, health professionals and families by providing a one-stop spot for information on treating and preventing obesity. The Comptrollers office is also distributing more than 15,000 books and DVDs on nutrition and physical activity to Texas public libraries and low-income elementary schools. Sports equipment is also being donated to more than 3,500 schools with students in the fifth through eighth grades at the highest risk for obesity. A healthy life is the legacy we must pass on to our children. H
, r a e y y s u b a n e e b t e y Its e n o d t o n e r e w and
2013 ROUNDUP
demanding transparency and financial accountability, fighting federal overreach, protecting our children and growing the Texas economy.
Texas dreds of women at a In March, I joined hun It nt. blican Womens eve Federation of Repu red in all of those women was wonderful to see t. arency in governmen nsp demanding more tra
At the American Legislative Exchange Council in Chicago last month, I shared the Texas model for government transparency with hundreds of legislators from across our country. (Now, if we can just apply this model to the federal government!)
Over the summer, I visi ted New York City, wh ere I spoke to the media about the Texas succes s storywe are succes sful because we are rat ional about spending, carefu l about regulation and understand that busine ss drives the economy.
re I spoke to the National I also traveled to Boston whe s, Comptrollers and Association of State Auditor e office holders need to be Treasurers about how stat accountability. leaders for transparency and
And I was thrilled to join grassroo ts activists from across the nation in Orlando over the Labor Day Weekend at an Americans for Prosperity event where I shared how weve saved Texas taxpayer s more than $179 million by drivi ng sweeping reforms in purchasing and contracting, and by streamlining processes and identifying efficiencies within the Comptrollers office while improving services for taxpayers. We also discussed the national need for more transparencyat all levels.
Upcoming ACTIVITIES
OCTOBER 2013
n Attending n Speaking n Speaking n
Kick-off Meeting of The Brookings Advisory Panel on Public Pension Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Washington, DC to Texas Chemical Council about economic impact of Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Houston atTexas Federation of Republican Women Convention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Antonio
Speaking toAlaska School Health Instituteabout Childhood Obesity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anchorage, Alaska
NOVEMBER 2013
n Visiting
Members of Congress and others regarding theTexas Success Story, Government Accountability and Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Washington, D.C. to GOVERNING Institute about Transparency and Government Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin to Texas Institutional Investors Forum about Public Pension Reforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin toUS Oil and Gas Association about economic impact of Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Houston
n Speaking n Speaking n Speaking
FEBRUARY 2014
n Speaking
to National Association of Homebuildersabout economic impact of Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nevada
Presorted First Class U.S. Postage Paid Austin, Texas Permit No. 1149
Friends of Susan Combs Committee P.O. Box 160956 Austin, Texas 78716
Not printed or mailed at state expense
$1 Billion and counting: IS IT YOURS?

IN JULY, we announced the return of the billionth dollar to Texans and others like you over a six and a half year period from the states unclaimed property fund. This total exceeded all dollars returned by the program during the 44-year period prior to my taking office. Are we holding your money? To search for unclaimed property, visit www.ClaimItTexas.org. After all, it really is your money. H
ALL HAIL the Mighty State!

THE WORDS OF THE SONG ARE ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Mighty Texas leads the nation in job creation, and not by accident. A glance at California, Illinois and Michigan tells a story of policies gone wrong, of leadership that has failed. Our smart business policies, with low taxes, sensible regulations and tort reforms, make entrepreneurs feel welcome and encourage businesses to risk their
Source: www.governing.com, Bureau of Labor Statistics
capital here. H
Let Me Hear from YOU!

I WILL CONTINUE WORKING HARD to make government work smarter. For regular updates, please sign up at www.susancombs.com. And I want to hear from you your ideas, your concerns, your questions. You can reach me by e-mail me at [email protected] or by phone at (512) 327-3345. Follow us on Twitter: @SusanCombs Follow us on Facebook: Susan Combs Thanks so much for your continued support, and I hope you will join me in the fight to protect what we love and hold dear in our state and our nation.
Pd. Pol. Adv. By Friends of Susan Combs Committee, P.O. Box 160956, Austin, TX 78716, Ernest Angelo, Treasurer

Tell The TRUTH: Dear Fellow Texan

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F a l l

Dear Fellow Texan,

Tell the TRUTH

TEXAS JOBS: Endangered Species?

OUR FAMILY, and Yours

FIT FOR LIFE

Speaking toAlaska School Health Instituteabout Childhood Obesity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anchorage, Alaska

n Speaking n Speaking n Speaking

to National Association of Homebuildersabout economic impact of Endangered Species Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nevada

$1 Billion and counting: IS IT YOURS?

ALL HAIL the Mighty State!

Let Me Hear from YOU!

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