Texas State Representative Ken Paxton sent a recent communication talking about "opportunities to balance our State budget without raising taxes while also ensuring that we are able to adequately fund our essential functions of government." In it, he talks about education tax credit scholarships: 

Some liberals are criticizing Governor Perry by saying "Texas has a $18 billion deficit." Correction: Texas does NOT have an $18 billion deficit. Texas has a balanced budget requirement in its State Constitution; it's not allowed to run into the red. Texas has a projected shortfall of up to $18 billion for the next biennial budget. It may come in that high, it may come in lower.

District 50 extends from northwest Austin, north Austin, Wells Branch, most of Pflugerville, and some parts of northeast Travis county.

If you are not sure whether you live in district 50, this handy link can help you find out: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Here is a map of the district (PDF).

On this July 4th, we celebrate America's 234th Birthday, commemorating the signing of Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. In declaring independence from colonial Britain, the signers closed with this pledge: 

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

One thing I have learned in my years working in high-technology: performance trumps promises. The best engineers, the best design teams, and the best companies, are not those who make big promises, it's those do their job, perform excellently, and deliver what they promise.

The simple principle of being responsible, doing your job, and doing what you say you'll do, should be an essential component of how a public servant works, right?