The Texas House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1, the proposed state budget on Friday, with support from State Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound).

The House spending plan does not raise taxes and allocates $194 billion in overall spending for the next two years, a modest 2.1 percent increase from the previous state budget.

The proposed increase in spending equals less than what would be necessary to account for Texas’ population/inflation increase and comes in beneath the constitutional spending cap, according to Parker.

The House adopted spending plan places great emphasis on educating Texas children.  It adds an additional $2.8 billion dollars to K-12 education spending and keeps public education the state’s top funding priority.

House Members also added another $147 million to the Teacher Retirement System pension, increasing the state’s percentage contribution from 6.4 to 6.6 percent.

Additionally, the proposed state budget also invests more resources in higher education, including a $150 million increase to Texas Grants so that more young Texans will have the assistance necessary to achieve a college education.

“Crafting this budget entailed a long day on the House floor and a lot of teamwork,” Parker said.  “In the end I am proud of the state budget that my colleagues and I have put forward.  I believe that this two-year spending plan reflects Texas’ priorities by not raising taxes and investing heavily in education.  We have also extended mental health services to another 6,300 Texans, delivered a pay increase to our state law enforcement officers and strengthened our public pensions.”

The House-passed budget also identified areas to efficiently reduce spending where lawmakers felt strongly that more could be done with fewer dollars.  Those decreases aided in increasing other critical areas of spending, such as Parks and Wildlife and Child Protective Services.

Since the Senate has previously adopted their plan, both chambers must now address their small differences in order to advance an identical proposal to the Governor’s desk.

Initially elected in November 2006, Rep. Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompasses the communities of Flower Mound, Argyle, Lantana, Dish, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, Roanoke and portions of Lewisville, Fort Worth, Highland Village, Westlake and Southlake.

Serving in his 4th term in the Texas Legislature, Rep. Parker is focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation, strengthening border security and immigration policy, promoting fiscally responsible government spending, providing a strong public education system, enhancing public safety and protecting family values.  Rep. Parker is the current Chairman of the Corrections Committee.  He also serves on the Land and Resource Management Committee and the Criminal Procedure Committee.

When committee assignments were released at the end of January, I was honored to be selected as Chair of the Corrections Committee.  In the two months since, I have taken in a wealth of information on our criminal justice system. Our system, which is one of the largest in the world, currently employees more than 37,000 individuals, has an annual budget of $3.1 billion, houses over 150,000 incarcerated offenders in 111 correctional facilities and supervises more than 87,000 offenders under active parole.  At times, preparing myself to lead this important committee has felt like drinking water from a fire house, but preparation was necessary in order to make sure that I bring a business-minded approach to addressing our correctional challenges.

Part of my education in correctional matters included the unique opportunity to take the Corrections Committee to tour two prison facilities in Gatesville. We visited Mountain View, which houses female offenders, and Hughes, which houses male offenders.  Our tour started with a briefing from the units’ high-ranking officials. Committee members and I were afforded the opportunity to hear first-hand the successes and challenges that corrections leaders face every day. They oversee a myriad of different types of criminals and personalities. We observed the differences in how each prison accommodates inmates who are a risk to themselves, those that must be segregated from the general population due to their behavioral problems, the general populations, medical facilities and the unique industry training activities in which inmates participate.

Additionally, we were able to get an up-close look at Texas’ women’s death row.  The Mountain View facility also allowed us to tour the general population dormitory reserved for female inmates who are enrolled in a recently developed faith-based rehabilitation program. This program seeks to better prepare inmates for their eventual release.  I found it very moving to speak with the program’s participants and hear how their newfound faith had changed their outlook on life and readied them for re-entry to society in ways that traditional rehabilitation programs never did.  One inmate  went as far as to tell me that she now realizes why her parole consideration two years ago was rejected, so that she would graduate from the faith-based rehabilitation program.

In many ways, running a prison is like running a small community of a few thousand residents.  You have to manage several different personalities, as well individual sets of needs and complications.  Days have to be structured, coordination amongst your population is a necessity, and order must be maintained.  With Texas spending north of $50 a day to incarcerate an inmate, I found it necessary to personally assess areas where our prisons are performing well and where the continued challenges remain.  I look forward to continuing this legislative oversight by touring more prison facilities in the coming months.

The Corrections Committee has been referred over 70 House Bills for our close consideration, including important measures that seek to reform our state’s correctional process and re-tool the related state agencies.  More than 30 of those bills have been considered in public hearings.  Legislative measures approved by the Corrections Committee have already been considered by the full House of Representatives and I expect many more to be debated on the House floor as session continues.

I am often asked what it is that I want to accomplish with this Chairmanship.  The answer is simple.  Texas is already a national leader in corrections at both the juvenile and adult levels. My goal is to continue to lead the nation in corrections by making our system even more efficient and effective. Our Committee will work diligently to keep Texans safe, rehabilitate offenders when possible, and bring justice to victims and the community as a whole.

As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Texas House of Representatives.  Follow me on twitter at @tparker63 to receive periodic updates. Please do not hesitate to contact me at info@tanparker.com

Governor Rick Perry has some friendly competition in the crusade to make Texas a magnet for business investment and expansion from faraway places.

While Perry reaped a gusher of publicity on a corporate recruiting safari to California last month, State Rep. Tan Parker embarked on an economic development mission of his own without leaving the state when he played host last week to a delegation of Ukrainian government leaders who see Texas as a model for prosperity in the energy and agricultural arenas.

Parker – a Flower Mound Republican who’s serving his fourth term in the House – initiated the Ukrainians fact-finding trip to Texas when he was in their country on private business in June. Parker makes a living making deals in the private equity business when he’s not on the public clock as a lawmaker. But he doesn’t just measure success in dollar signs. Parker sees the relations that he’s forged with the Ukrainians as an opportunity for economic collaboration that can be mutually beneficial and a step toward global security as well.

So Parker extended an invitation to the Ukrainian leaders to come to Texas to see for themselves how to achieve success in the fields on which their own economy revolves. The Ukrainians arrived here early last week and spent five days on a whirlwind tour that Parker orchestrated with stops at the Texas Medical Center, Texas A&M University, the Barnett Shale drilling fields and the Texas Capitol.

Parker’s guests included the governor and the lieutenant governor of the Kharkiv region, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament and a small entourage with a handful of advisors. The Denton County lawmaker arranged meetings in Austin with Perry, Secretary of State John Steen and other state officials. Parker capped off the visit by setting up a meeting late last week between the foreign contingent and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who they apparently regarded as a political rock star despite the lack of a tea party in their homeland.

The Ukrainians met with private business leaders and academic experts as well. Parker said the group’s members were especially interested in the hydraulic fracking techniques that are being used to tap the massive natural gas reservoirs in the formation north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area near the legislator’s suburban home base.

Ukrainians believe that their future survival will depend on their ability to become energy independent from Russia where President Vladimir Putin have used oil and gas resources as a weapon to hold the neighboring nation’s economy hostage. But Parker suggested that an alliance with Texas could be the former Soviet Union member’s salvation – and he’s optimistic that the relationship can pay significant dividends for the state through direct investment by Ukrainians here and job opportunities for thousands of Texans as energy firms expand to Ukraine to capitalize on a resurgence of oil and gas there. Texas-based companies would be involved in all aspects of the Ukrainian energy industry from exploration and drilling to support services to equipment leasing and sales if Parker’s long-term goals materialize.

Parker, a former University of Dallas student body president who earned his master’s degree at the London School of Economics, brought the visit to an end with a roundtable discussion in Houston with the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, a group that includes more than 200 large U.S. companies that have business interests in Ukraine.

But Parker ensured in his duties as a tour guide that the Ukrainians would get a taste of Texas night life as well. Parker took his guests to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo last week on the night that country music superstar Toby Keith was the featured attraction.

Parker received a promotion early last month when Speaker Joe Straus named him as the new chairman of the House Corrections Committee – a job that he seems just as excited about as his moonlighting work as an international diplomat and deal broker on Texas’ behalf.

State Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) saw the economic opportunity Ukraine has to offer when he traveled to the region last year.  So next week, he is going to guide key Ukraine delegates across the state to show what Texas can provide as well.

Beginning Monday, the governor and lieutenant governor of Kharkiv, along with members of the Ukraine parliament, will travel with Parker to meet with Gov. Rick Perry and key business leaders to tour various sites in Texas where they will learn more about opportunities in the state.

“The sole purpose of this is to promote investment in Texas,” Parker said. “We want to expand economic opportunities for Texas and Ukraine. We do work out there, and they do work out here. Continued investment will only help our economies.”

Parker said upon his trip last spring, he learned that Texas and Ukraine share similar economic efforts. He invited delegates from Ukraine to come to Texas to explore ideas for a mutual economic benefit.

Parker said the group will spend the week visiting the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Houston Medical Center, the Johnson Space Center and the Barnett Shale in Denton or Tarrant County. He said the group will also meet with professors at Texas A&M about agriculture and energy.

“We’re going to discuss agricultural-best practices,” Parker said. “Agriculture and energy are the pillars of our economy. We have an abundance of natural resources and farming. We’re going to be discussing technology and energy, such as how we drill for oil and natural gas. Ukraine recognizes Texas’ leadership in energy and agriculture, so it’s important that Texas and the United States embrace Ukraine for our country’s best interest. And we’re going to talk about cooperation in science and medical technology.”

Parker said he hopes Ukraine energy companies can use Texas companies to help with their resources, thus creating opportunities in the state.

On the final day of the trip, the U.S./Ukraine Business Council will host a business roundtable discussion with representatives from some of the biggest businesses that do work in Ukraine.

“I want to set forth the framework to find multiple opportunities for economic development to expand,” Parker said. “I’m constantly looking for a way to grow the Texas economy by attracting new opportunities.”

Parker’s efforts on economic development are on top of a new role he has assumed. Parker was recently appointed the chairman of the House Committee on Corrections, which oversees the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted felons, the operation and management of state correctional facilities, juvenile offenders, procedures of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and other policy areas.


 

As many of you well know, strengthening our manufacturing sector remains one of my highest priorities.  A healthy manufacturing industry is the driving force behind a robust state economy.

Consider that manufacturing has the highest private sector average salary and that manufacturers fuel innovation by conducting over one-half of the research and development projects in this nation. At the height of the recent global economic recession, Texaslost hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs. Thankfully, however, as our economy in Texasbegan to rebound we were able to recover many of these jobs.

I was humbled to be appointed to the House Select Committee on Manufacturing so that I could participate in a thorough overview of this key part of our economy and its viability moving forward. We found that manufacturing in Texas benefits from many things, such as: abundant natural resources, low energy and labor costs and a regulatory climate that favors industry growth more than most states. However, manufacturing in Texas still faces many challenges as well.

Our infrastructure system is stretched thin and struggling to add the additional capacity necessary to support a healthy manufacturing industry. In water infrastructure alone it is estimated that we will experience a shortfall between industry needs and available resources as soon as 2060. Our permitting process can also be cumbersome. While attending a committee hearing in Dallas, I heard it estimated that over $60 billion in coastal manufacturing projects are currently held up in the permitting process. Then there is also Texas’ business taxes to consider, which can be complicated to accurately calculate and carry expensive compliance costs.

As imperative as meeting these challenges are, the one factor that is most important to a healthy Texas manufacturing sector is the development of a workforce to meet our current and future employment needs. Experts from all across our state agree that the effects from an insufficiently skilled workforce are making it difficult to hire qualified workers despite experiencing a significant number of individuals looking for employment.

The House Manufacturing Committee report emphasized the need to develop creative solutions to our skilled workforce shortfall. In that light, I will be introducing legislation this session that will give the manufacturing industry more direct control over how the state utilizes our educational resources. My proposal would allow new manufacturing facilities coming to Texas in a competitive process to partner with public universities, community colleges, high schools and licensed career schools in providing industry driven workforce training programs. In exchange for additional funding derived from a portion of the net-new sales tax revenue that a manufacturing project generates, these educational partners would then offer the specific courses and skills training that the project would need to ready their current and future workforce needs.

After carefully considering many options, I settled on this private sector / public education model for three reasons. First, it offers an incentive for new manufacturing facilities to bring their business and their jobs to Texas. Second, it allows the manufacturing industry direct influence into the curriculum offered in the skills courses that their workforce must take. And third, it places the workforce investment directly into our proven educational systems. This way a local high school vocational program could partner with a new manufacturing facility to access the funds it would need to enhance its career training courses to meet the workforce development needs of the facility.

The most critical task for securing both our continued economic prosperity and the employment opportunities for our citizens is to better prepare our workforce with the specific skills necessary to fill many high paying jobs in Texas that are already starting to go unfilled. I look forward to addressing this challenge during this legislative session. Follow me on twitter at @tparker63 to receive periodic updates, like me at facebook.com/TanParker63 and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of service.

(Flower Mound,Texas) State Representative Tan Parker was appointed Chairman of the important House Committee on Corrections.  The committee has oversight on such critical issues as: the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted felons, the operation and management of state correctional facilities, juvenile offenders, procedures of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and other policy areas.  Parker served on the Corrections Committee during the previous session before being chosen to lead it this session.

“It is a tremendous honor to lead the work of the Corrections Committee for the 83rd Legislative Session,” Parker stated.  “I am committed to putting forward thoughtful work in managing the committee and advancing legislation that will empower our correctional system to operate more effectively and efficiently.  With this role, I have been given a rare opportunity to improve our correctional processes in order to further safeguard the security of all our families, and it is a challenge that I am humbled to accept.”

Texas’ criminal justice system currently employees more than 37,000 individuals, has an annual budget of $3.1 billion, houses over 150,000 incarcerated offenders in 111 correctional facilities and supervises more than 87,000 offenders under active parole.  In addition to his Chairmanship, Parker was also appointed to the Land and Resource Management Committee and the Select Committee on Criminal Procedure.  With these appointments he will have the opportunity to further work on matters of criminal procedure and such critical issues as the management of public lands and the power of eminent domain.

In closing, Parker added, “This legislative session will be filled with many critical challenges and large expectations.  With the State House now organized and ready to conduct the people’s business, I am looking forward to utilizing my committee appointments in advancing business-minded, conservative legislation.”

Initially elected on November 7th of 2006, Representative Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompasses the cities of Flower Mound, Argyle, Lantana, Dish, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, Roanoke and portions of Lewisville, Fort Worth, Highland Village, Westlake and Southlake.

Serving in his 4th term in the Texas Legislature, Representative Parker is focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation, strengthening border security and immigration policy, promoting fiscally responsible government spending, providing a strong public education system and protecting family values.

Over the last six years, Texas has cut taxes, balanced budgets by reducing state spending, fostered a strong economic climate, put forth pro-job growth policies, safeguarded election integrity, and strengthened Texas’s commitment to the life of unborn children, among other victories.  Yet, much work still remains to keep Texas the envy of our nation.  I like to call it the road left to travel, and collectively this will be the focus of the upcoming legislative session.

Staying Fiscally Strong

The taxpayer victories of recent sessions would be for nothing if lawmakers don’t continue to focus on maintaining our fiscal discipline.  We must continue to look for ineffective or outdated taxes to eliminate, ways to cut spending in non-essential services, and continue to lead the nation in fiscal responsibility.

Readying Tomorrow’s Workforce

As I meet with business leaders and industry experts from all across this state, I hear the same theme over and over again, Texas’ tax and regulatory climate are both pro-business but if we really want to attract new economic development then we must better prepare our workforce.  I find that readying our workforce to meet our economy’s needs to be the most paramount challenge for our continued prosperity, and we will need to look at multiple ways to accomplish this goal.

We must continue to invest the lion’s share of our state resources in K-12 and higher education.Yet at the same time we must realize that not every well-paying career opportunity requires a college degree, nor does every student in Texas aspire to graduate from a four-year university.  That is why it is critical that we make vocational and career specific training abetter option for more Texans by utilizing existing programs in our public schools and licensed career training programs.  Texas is a diverse state with an enormous economy that requires a broadly educated workforce, and we must put the systems forward to meet that demand.

Meaningful Immigration Reform

Immigration reform is a dominate topic of conversation in Texas.  Many of us realize this to be an issue where Texas must act in the absence of real leadership at the federal level.  Through three terms in office, I have come to understand two principals with regard to this matter.  First, we are a nation of immigrants, and second, we are also a nation of laws.

Meaningful immigration reform starts with securing our border and strictly enforcing our existing laws.  We can accomplish this by continuing to increase border security funding, enacting a ban on sanctuary cities and more effectively scrutinizing one’s citizenship when applying for employment.  At the same time we must also work with the federal government in reforming our immigration process in order to aide those who desire to legally come to our country.

Strengthening Texas Values

Next session state lawmakers will be called upon again to stand up for our core values of faith, family, and wisely investing our resources for critical needs.  I expect measures to be brought before the body to further protect our property rights, secure our freedom of religious expression, and protect the rights for Texans to carry concealed weapons. We also know to expect additional pro-life measures to come before the Texas House.  Furthermore, Texas must identify ways to invest more of our limited resources in critical areas of infrastructure, such as building toward an improved highway system and meeting our growing demand for water.  These initiatives all center on bedrock principles that Texas was built on and you can expect to see me play an active role in moving them forward.

As I said last month, I am proud of how far we have come in such a short time, but I know that critical challenges lie ahead.  I look forward to addressing these challenges during this legislative session.  Follow me on twitter at @tparker63 to receive periodic updates and please do not hesitate to contact me at info@tanparker.com if I can ever be of service.

Flower Mound Republican Sworn in, Gets to Work on the Critical Issues Facing the County and State 

(Flower Mound, Texas)  Today State Representative Tan Parker took the oath of office to serve another term as the State Representative for southwestern Denton county.  In placing his right hand in the air, Rep. Parker swore to uphold the state and US constitutions, and to faithfully execute the duties of the office he assumes.  With the ceremonies concluded, Parker was quick to comment that Texas has many challenges to be addressed and much work to do.

“I am deeply honored to be here for another term and to have my district’s faith in my service,” Parker stated with his wife and two daughters at his side.  “Today was a very special day for my family and I, and I am eager and excited to spend the next 139 days addressing the critical issues facing this great state.”

Parker went on to comment that continuing to reduce taxes, readying a workforce to meet the needs of our diverse economy, making the $1 million exemption to the business franchise tax permanent, strengthening public education and preserving traditional Texas values as the key priorities for lawmakers to address this legislative session.  In addition, Parker will also focus on initiatives necessary to keep Denton county the best place in Texas to live, work and raise a family.

Parker concluded, “Session occurs once only every two years, this is our opportunity to make Texas stronger and the envy of the rest of the nation.  It is a responsibility that I take seriously, and I look forward to the work ahead and going back to my district in June with a long list of accomplishments.”

Initially elected on November 7th of 2006, Representative Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompasses the cities of Flower Mound, Argyle, Lantana, Dish, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, Roanoke and portions of Lewisville, Fort Worth, Highland Village, Westlake and Southlake.

Preparing for his 4th term in the Texas Legislature, Representative Parker is focusing his efforts on promoting fiscally responsible government spending, economic development, job creation, strengthening border security and immigration policy, providing a strong public education system and protecting family values.

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In keeping with his six year standard, Representative Tan Parker announced the temporary conclusion of his first Saturday coffee gathering with constituents, coinciding with the start of the 83rd Legislative Session.

The open office hours events will resume on Saturday, September 7, 2013.

“As has always been the case, my attention and focus will be on representing my constituents in Austin during the upcoming legislative session that starts in less than four weeks, “ said Parker.

“The last year and a half of meeting people through my open office hours program has given me great value and perspective to apply while serving them on the House floor.  I do look forward to restarting this great outreach program on September 7th.”

Additionally, Rep. Parker reminded his constituents that they are welcome to share their thoughts with him during the legislative session by contacting his Capitol office at 512.463.0688, his district office at 972.724.8477 or by e-mail at tan.parker@house.state.tx.us

Rep. Parker also intends to use twitter as a communication tool during the legislative session and encourages people to follow and tweet to him at @tparker63.

During a typical legislative session, Rep. Parker said he receives thousands of constituent correspondence and works diligently to be responsive to each of them.

Initially elected on November 7, 2006, Rep. Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompasses the cities of Flower Mound, Argyle, Lantana, Dish, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, Roanoke and portions of Lewisville, Fort Worth, Highland Village, Westlake and Southlake.

Preparing for his 4th term in the Texas Legislature, Representative Parker is focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation, strengthening border security and immigration policy, promoting fiscally responsible government spending, providing a strong public education system and protecting family values.

Parker is the current Vice Chairman of the Rules and Resolutions Committee.  He also serves on the Corrections, Urban Affairs and Manufacturing Committees.