Naughty and Nice Legislators

Photo from AFP-Texas

With Christmas fast approaching, Santa's making his list and checking it twice. And apparently, so is Americans for Prosperity-Texas, which released its 2009 Legislative Report Card to taxpayers. The group is a national organization which believes in reducing the size and scope of government in order to ensure individual prosperity and productivity.

Monday, AFP-Texas read a list, with the help of Santa Claus, of lawmakers who made the Nice list, earning an "A," or the naughty list by making an "F" for the last legislative session.

AFP State Director Peggy Venable said a number of legislators earned good marks this year. "As result of their work, Texas is doing relatively well,” she said. “Texas remains the beacon of fiscal sanity in this country because of the leadership of these legislators. Our legislative leaders –Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and Speaker Joe Straus, deserve recognition for steering Texas in the right direction.”

“Taxpayers have one thing on their Christmas list – less government and more liberty – and Santa made his list accordingly,” Venable said.

The report card grades are based on the legislator's votes on key issues relating to AFP's mission - defending "the American Dream Agenda," including lowering taxes, limiting government growth, and appraisal reform.

According to a press release from AFP-Texas, 44 State Representatives made the "nice" list with six House member earning an A+, including Linda Harper-Brown and Ken Paxton. Both are Republicans. 17 State Senators and 22 State Representatives fell on the "naughty" list, including State Sen. Kirk Watson and State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who are Democrats. No Austin-area lawmaker made the list.

“Texas is doing well as the No. 1 state in the country for business relocation, for having more Fortune 500 companies than any other state, and thanks to sound fiscal and regulator policies, Texas has created more jobs than all other states in the country combined,” said Venable.

The full list can be viewed here.