As always, Texas legislators have an array of policies and trade-offs to consider during the 2021 legislative session. And given the projected budget deficit resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and dropping revenues from oil and gas production, tough decisions will be made in the Pink Dome this year.
What do Texans think about the pressing issues facing our state? What potential revenue enhancements do they support and oppose? In a time of political polarization, are there any areas of partisan agreement?
To answer these questions and more, the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston conducted an online survey among Texans 18 and older.
Fielded between Jan. 12 and Jan. 20, the 1,329 respondents were matched to a sampling frame on gender, age, race/ethnicity and education and are representative of the Texas adult population. An oversample of Harris County residents was also collected and will be used in the last two reports focusing on the state's most populous county.
Report One. Texas Policy & Politics 2021: Legislative Issues
This report examines the views of Texans on five different types of legislation that are presently being debated in the Texas Legislature: political reforms, criminal justice reforms, marijuana and casino legalization, and Medicaid expansion. It also explores the preferences of the residents of the nation's largest producer of oil and natural gas regarding the directions they believe the nation should go in terms of future sources of energy.
Highlights:
-The George Floyd Act criminal justice reform is supported by 72% of Texans, with 52% strongly supporting it.
-Two-thirds or more (70%) of Texans support reforms that would create an Independent Redistricting Commission.
-Texans favor the expansion of solar power plants (69%) and wind turbine farms (63%) as sources of energy in the United States.
-More than two-thirds (69%) of Texans support the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
-Nearly seven in 10 (69%) of Texans support banning the use of public funds by local governments to hire lobbyists.
-The adoption of online voter registration is favored by 66% of Texans.
-More than three-fifths (61%) of Texans support reforms that would either make the possession of small amounts (28%) or any amount (33%) of marijuana legal for any purpose.
-Allowing casino gambling in Texas similar to that which exists in Nevada and Louisiana is supported by more than half of Texans (58%).
Report Two. Texas Policy & Politics 2021: State Budget
The report on the state budget examines the views of Texans on a variety of options to generate more tax revenue for the state, a group of proposals for sales tax exemptions being considered during the 2021 legislative session and preferences for using the state's Rainy Day Fund to cover none, some or all of the current biennial budget's $1 billion deficit.
Highlights
-The most popular revenue enhancement option is the adoption of a vaping and electronic cigarette tax, which is supported by 84% of Texans, with almost two-thirds (65%) strongly supporting it.
-The most unpopular revenue enhancement option is the adoption of a state income tax, which is opposed by 82% of Texans, including 71% who strongly oppose it.
-A proposal to close the loopholes in the state's current property tax appraisal legislation allowing large companies to lower their property taxes is supported by 83% of Texans.
-More than four-fifths of Texans (82%) believe the Texas Legislature should tap the state's Rainy Day Fund for some amount of funds to help cover the current budget cycle's $1 billion deficit.
-More than seven in 10 Texans (72%) support an increase of the current state tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.
-The legalization and subsequent taxation of casino gambling is supported by 70% of Texans.
-Legalizing and taxing the sale of marijuana is supported by 66% of Texans.
-The granting of sales tax exemptions for a range of purchases are very popular among Texans, with a tax exemption on college textbooks the most popular option with 89% of support.
