Lt Gov Dewhurst is interviewed at ROL booth at RPT

Lt. Gov David Dewhurst is interviewed by Ben Streusand


Upcoming session, we will have a blanced budget without raising taxes, and we have redistricting -- we have a busy session upcoming.

We have transportation, public education and higher education challengs. Washington -- ObamaCare, spending, offshore mratorium on drilling, this Administration does not respect states rights.

We will absolutely balance the budget without raising taxes, we did it in 2003 and we were told we had a $5 billion deficit which was actually $10 billion deficit. I came in Jan 2003 and we had that large deficit, no savings.

Fast forward, in 2007, we saved the surplus so last year we were one of 6 states in the Black instead of other states in the red. That is critical as our bond ratings are good and we don't want our credit rating to go down. We must hold onto $4-5 billion or 5% of our budget. Last year, in the middle of a terrible recession, only 2 states whose credit ratings improved -- North Dakota and TEXAS with 25 million people.

In last 10 years, only one state that created net new jobs -- TEXAS.

We need to use some of the rainy day funds to fill the budget gap, we have a umber of sources of revenue, last year we made a decision not to touch the rainy day fund - it will grow to $10.2- $10.7 billing. Just asked the Gov and Speaker to sign on a measure to tighten our belts to the tune of $9 billion. We must make sure we save for the coming years.

We need to save for 2013.

Is leadership trying to make sure fed dollars don't have strings attached? Yes, ObamaCare does not improve health outcomes, we have measures, ideas, proposals -- two blockbuster bills were introduced last year to pay doctors more and pay for outcomes, but ObamaCare doesn't do that. It adds 2 million people to the state roles. ObamaCare will cost TX $27 BILLION TX dollars! That will cut into public ed, higher ed, buildling roads -- that is not right, said Dewhurst.

Voter ID? The Senate passed the bill last session. Americans have shed blood to protect the sanctity of our votes -- you can't check out a library book without a photo ID. We must protect the sanctity of our votes.

Does the Republican party need to change and elect more conservative candidates who stand for the principles? The Tea Paries, made of Ds and Rs has energized the voters.

The growth in our state budget has been under population and inflation growth. I have comfort that legislators will do the right thing.

Dewhurst said we must repeal and replace ObamaCare in each and very state. We must collect signatures for RevereAmerica -- sign up and remind the Administration we don't like this. Sign the petition at the Dewhurst booth - or to go DavidDewhurst.com.