PERRY SLUSH FUNDS CONTINUE TO GIVE AWAY TAX PAYER DOLLARS WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY
(Austin, TX) - A new report has reinforced the need for accountability in one of Governor Rick Perry's slush funds, the Texas Enterprise Fund, which doles out taxpayer dollars to bring businesses to Texas and create more jobs. According to a study from non-profit Texans for Public Justice, nearly one out of three companies that have received grants from the Texas Enterprise Fund has announced layoffs or failed to meet employment growth goals, costing Texas taxpayers $211 million. These companies incurred no penalty for their failure to meet the conditions of their grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund. [Texans for Public Justice Report 12/18/07 - www.tpj.org/watchyourassets/enterprise/ ;
www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/ stories/1219dnbusenterprise.28a2fea.html]
"Instead of investing money in our children's schools and producing an educated workforce, Rick Perry is doling out wads of slush fund cash to his special interest friends," said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie.
Another corporate welfare recipient, NanoCoolers Incorporated, closed its doors in Texas - just nine months after receiving a check for $3 million dollars from the Emerging Technology Fund, another Perry slush fund. After failing to meet its goal, the company was forced to shut down and lay off its employees. And although this is not the first occurrence of recipients failing to meet expected goals, House Speaker Tom Craddick and his Republican-controlled State Legislature continue to write Perry a blank check for his special interest slush funds without instituting any accountability standards.
"Texans are tired of Republican politicians like Rick Perry and Tom Craddick who refuse to hold themselves or their special interest friends accountable," added Richie. "Texas voters have shown they are ready for change in Austin, and our Democratic candidates will offer that change to finally return responsible government to the people of the Lone Star State."
Action Center
With the TDP's new organizing tools, you can make your own TDP homepage, write letters to the editor, find an event near you, join a Democratic group, or create one of your own.
