Barry Smitherman saved Texas Taxpayers OVER $130 MILLION – Slashed Spending, Cut Budgets – Attorney General Race Update

If you want to know what a fiscally conservative leader looks like, look no further than Texas Attorney General Candidate Barry Smitherman. As Chairman of Texas Public Utility Commission and the Railroad Commission, Barry Smitherman spent DOUBLE DIGET percentages UNDER BUDGET and gave over 130 million dollars back to the State of Texas. (see facts and numbers below)

I don’t care who you are or which candidate you support for the 2014 Texas Attorney General election, Smitherman’s conservative spending record is IMPRESSIVE!

It is rare for a politician or government agency to spend LESS than what they are given because they know they might not be given as much the next year if they do not spend the amount they have this year. It is even rarer for a politician or government agency to ask for a budget that is LESS than what the government agency had been operating on in the past. Smitherman has done both of those and more. Smitherman accomplished this by being a smart conservative and figuring out how to do more for the money.

Barry Smitherman’s campaign sent me the following statement, along with several eye popping facts and numbers to back up Smitherman’s fiscal conservative credentials:

“Barry Smitherman has always looked out for the taxpayers and managed their money as if it was his own.  Smitherman emphasizes and demands efficient management at state agencies, excellent service, and doing more with few taxpayer dollars.”

Overall Spending at Public Utility Commission and Railroad Commission

During Smitherman’s tenure as Chairman of the PUC, the agency spent 20% less than the amount authorized by the Texas Legislature.  Through shrewd fiscal management, under Smitherman’s leadership the PUC returned unspent over $110 million it was allocated in the budget to the State Treasury.  The final appropriation request made by Smitherman as Chairman of the PUC included an operational budget that was nearly 11% less than the agency’s operational budget when he assumed the Chairmanship. 

Under Smitherman’s leadership at the Railroad Commission, the agency’s actual spending was well below its operating budget by more than $10 million in FY 2012.  As a result of effective management, this trend is projected to continue in FY 2013.  The Commission is in the process of closing out the books for FY 2013, but a conservative estimate shows that the Commission’s spending can be as much as $6 million under its budget for FY 2013.

Overall Spending for Personal Government Office

In FY 2012 and 2013, spending for Chairman Smitherman’s personal government office also came in significantly below its operating budget, saving thousands of dollars of taxpayer money.  Additionally, this year, Smitherman rejected thousands of dollars for a budget increase for his personal government office, while the other two candidates for Attorney General approved budget increases for their personal government offices in the House and Senate. 

Contribution to General Revenue

In FY 2013, the Commission spent approximately $20 million of General Revenue (GR), while generating $33 million of GR for the State of Texas.