SB 1 - State Budget

SB 1 is the Senate’s proposed Texas 2026-2027 biennium budget. It appropriates over $336 billion, including federal funds, with the largest expenditures directed toward education, healthcare, and public safety. While it includes funding for infrastructure and border security, it also represents a significant expansion of government spending, particularly in state-funded programs. The budget allocates over $160 billion from state funds (General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated), and another $76 billion from other state funds, totaling roughly $237 billion in total state funds spending, marking a substantial increase from previous budgets. Instead of prioritizing spending restraint and tax relief, it increases allocations for various state agencies, growing the size of government rather than reducing inefficiencies. Additionally, billions are earmarked for bond debt service payments, saddling future taxpayers with unnecessary long-term obligations.

Despite another record surplus over roughly $24 billion (over-collected taxpayer money), the budget only return roughly $6 billion to taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. The budget fails to implement much needed tax reductions or spending cuts, leaving taxpayers with an ever-expanding government footprint. A more fiscally responsible approach would focus on freezing the budget at 2024-2025 levels, or at the very least including all spending under a strict spending limit using population+inflation as a maximum, curbing unnecessary expenditures, and returning more money to taxpayers through meaningful tax relief.