Howard said her top priorities include working to reverse the ratio of state-to-local public school funding. The state currently pays only 36 percent of the costs of public schools, the lowest share since before World War II.
"Reverse that ratio, and we will achieve significant property tax relief and eliminate the need for caps," Howard said.
In addition, Howard said she will continue to work with the Texas Tax Reform Commission to suggest ways in which the state can draw down as much as $1.5 billion in available federal revenue that is currently going unclaimed.
"Before we ask taxpayers to dig any deeper into their own pockets, let's make sure we're bringing home every dollar we deserve from Washington, D.C.," Howard said.
According to U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas forfeits an estimated $600 million a year in federal matching funs by not enrolling all eligible children of working parents in the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Howard said untold millions also go unclaimed for school-based Medicaid services and a wide range of health-related programs for which federal funds are available.
This is one of those areas where I've never understood the Texas Lege. They cut state funding for programs where we get federal matching funds. Now we're at 86-64 Republican to Democratic tilt in the Texas House.
