League of Women Voters election survey: Paul E. Osborn, candidate for Texas State Sen. - District 16

by Staff of League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters of Dallas sent a questionnaire to every candidate running for public office in Dallas County. The election on November 4th features a number of local races to decide state and national Senate and House of Representatives seats.

The responses of Paul E. Osborn (L), who is running for the Texas State Senate - District 16 seat, appear below. Osborn is running against Rain Levy Minns (D) and incumbent John J. Carona (R).

LWV Please describe the training and experience that qualify you for this office.

Osborn: My broad experience in global business development and formal training in advanced economics uniquely qualifies me as a State Senator who will foster a business friendly state economy through smaller government and lower taxes, and ensure more personal freedom to the benefit of all Texans.

LWV The Texas Legislature in 2007 overhauled business taxes to provide property tax relief for homeowners, but many small business owners in Texas now claim that their property tax decrease was far less than their business tax increase. What measures should be taken to maintain adequate state tax revenues without unduly burdening individual taxpayers or small business?

Osborn: Repeal the Business Activity Tax for funding schools and focus efforts on streamlining the administration of our public school systems to avoid waste and lesson overall budget expenditures. Oppose the Gross Margins Tax too. Taxation for business, where it does exist, should be singular and uniform as in a flat tax. Education, like any other service, is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality and efficiency with more diversity of choice.

LWV Texas deregulated electricity rates with the promise that competition between suppliers would lower consumers’ electric rates, yet rates in Texas remain well above the national average. What measures should be taken to ensure electric power reliability and affordability in Texas?

Osborn: Let the freer, deregulated market for Texas electricity continue to take its course. The state’s power generation is still highly dependent on expensive natural gas and the tired, antiquated assets of the state regulated monopoly infrastructure. However, capital investment in alternative energies, more efficient power plants and additional transmission facilities is being made thanks to deregulation and competition, which will result in lower costs to consumers combined with greater network reliability.

LWV According to the most recent published data of the Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel, insurance industry losses in Texas have decreased by 85%, yet homeowners’ rates have fallen by only 4%. What reforms would you support to lower homeowners’ rates in Texas?

Osborn: The Legislature must allow the homeowners insurance marketplace to be as free of state lead restraints as practical. This will induce competition, which will let market forces set consumer prices for homeowners insurance to lower levels. Irresponsible land development in flood plains and catastrophe funding requirements should be scrutinized as well.

LWV The Texas legislature has not increased the gas tax since 1991, and also diverts millions of dollars of transportation funds to other areas of the state budget such as education and the Department of Public Safety. The public has voiced much disapproval of toll roads and public/private partnerships to build new roads. How would you fund construction of new roads and maintenance of existing roads and bridges?

Osborn: Diverting transportation funds for other uses must be stopped. Against 3P, equates to double taxation. Support right of private enterprise to construct and operate toll roads provided they are not established by government power. Favor keeping taxation to the lowest feasible level, with user fees and congestion taxes as alternatives.

LWV If diversions from the State’s transportation fund are stopped, how would you pay for those items that are currently funded by gas tax monies?

Osborn: Private toll roads receive its funding directly from those drivers gaining benefit from it, with additional capital funding from the private sector. Congestion tax could fund our roads and alternative mass transportation like rail and bus for viable and more publicly efficient substitutes to driving motor vehicles.

LWV Currently, sales prices of most residential property are disclosed while those of commercial property are not. Do you support public disclosure of commercial real estate sales prices so as to ensure fair and accurate appraisals?

Osborn: Taxation, where it does exist, should be uniform and objectively calculated. Therefore, I would support legislation for the elimination of the property tax since it currently cannot be assessed in any objective manner. However, until a time when an alternative means of financing can be achieved, I would support any effort to restrict appraisal valuations.