Reform Sunset Commission

Reform the Sunset Commission to be a majority citizen-led commission on government reform (appointed by Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House).

Similar to the federal Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), private citizen commissioners should be appointed to provide experience and insight to the reform process. BRAC Commissioners are typically made up of retired military officers that can provide objectivity and credibility in decisions about military base closure. BRAC’s model has had demonstrable successes: BRAC’s realignment of Bergstrom Air Force Base eventually led to the relocation of Austin’s crowded Robert Mueller Airport to the current location on the site of the AFB, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Another state commission model to look to is the Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission (TBRC), which is made up of 25 business and community leaders as well as former public officials. This commission was created to examine the budget, expenditure, and taxation process for the state of Florida, and can make recommendations to the state Legislature or even directly to the ballot as constitutional amendments. In 2008, for example, four amendments to the Florida Constitution were proposed by the TBRC. Three of these amendments expanded property tax exemptions and were approved. A fourth would have authorized local option sales taxes to fund community colleges and was defeated by voters.

Currently, there are twelve members of the Sunset Commission – ten legislators and two members of the public. In order to be a majority citizen-led commission, nine new places for members of the public would need to be added, seven of them appointed by the Governor. Each commissioner would be limited to one 4-year term and citizen commissioners should represent a broad diversity of geography and background.

Increased involvement by business and community leaders in the Sunset Commission process would provide increased accountability to Texas taxpayers, and bring fresh proposals to the process.