On November 7th, Texans will be voting on 14 propositions that involve changes to the Texas Constitution. This article provides an overview of one of the propositions. If you want to learn more about all of them, including information on how to register and important deadlines for the election, I’ve got you covered. You can find the complete list and associated information here.
As someone who values full disclosure about my political leanings and productive discussions, I’ll be sharing my personal take on each proposition as a Texas voter alongside you. This article is tagged as an opinion piece for that reason. While every factual matter is cited and sourced, I’ll still offer my opinion at the end.
I’d love to hear your thoughts too! Regardless of which side of the aisle you’re on or if you’re an independent Texan like myself, we’re all Texans working together for the Republic.
Proposition 12: The Dilemma of Prioritizing Small Government Over Everything Else
In this series, there’s one article that stands out from the rest, and it’s the one I want to talk about now. You can find all the other articles in the “author’s note” section above.
This particular tale belongs solely to Galveston, even though it will affect all of us through the voting process. Proposition, in itself, is a complete narrative that stands out from the rest.
The story starts with a man named Hank Dugie, who has an unusual desire to vote himself out of his job.
Take a look at his campaign video below, in which he elaborates on his reasoning.
How to Master the Dugie Dance
Proposition 12 can be better understood by looking at the story of Hank Dugie, who once ran for the position of treasurer in Galveston County.
During his campaign, he centered his platform on the idea of “small government” and made a promise to eliminate government waste. He started by targeting the very position he was running for as a means of showcasing his commitment to this promise.
According to Galveston ABC affiliate ABC13, Hank Dugie’s campaign was focused on the notion that the office is no longer necessary and getting rid of it could save taxpayers money. “My campaign centered around the idea that the office is a waste, taxpayers could save money if we abolished it. It’s really not a needed position anymore. It doesn’t provide any extra level of protection for taxpayers, all it does is cost them dollars,” he said shortly after the election.
In Galveston, the treasurer’s role is similar to that of most county treasurer positions in Texas. Their responsibilities include reconciling accounts, managing payroll, and issuing checks on behalf of the city.
The question that arises is, if there’s no treasurer, who takes on their responsibilities? According to Dugie, there’s no need to worry about hiring additional staff as they’re actually downsizing, which will result in cost savings for taxpayers. Furthermore, the county’s processes are being streamlined to enhance safety, ensuring that taxpayers’ money is well-spent. “We won’t have to hire more people. We are actually downsizing, saving taxpayers money, and at the same time, we are streamlining, making our processes safer so that the county taxpayers’ dollar will be better kept,” Dugie explained.
According to Dugie, four county employees who are currently working in his office will be relocated to other offices, but they will retain their current job descriptions.
The treasurer deserves recognition for his admirable decision to forego his salary of almost $120,000 when he took office. It is commendable to see a politician who practices what they preach.
According to Dugie, the county could save approximately half a million dollars through salaries and reducing overlap in functions that are already performed by other county departments. He emphasizes that this amount of money could be utilized for creating new roads, digging ditches, and returning savings to taxpayers. In the long run, there are many essential tasks that could be accomplished with this amount of money.
To Dugie’s credit, Galveston is not the only place facing this issue.
Several counties in our state have already made the decision to eliminate certain positions within their government. Nine counties, including Tarrant, Bee, Bexar, Colin, Andrews, El Paso, Gregg, Fayette, and Nueces, made the choice to eliminate a position years ago. It’s been over three decades since the last position was removed in 1987.
One of the key topics that Dugie’s platform centers around is the issue of county finances. Over the years, there have been concerns about the lack of accountability in this area, which is something that Dugie hopes to address. This sentiment was shared by Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice, who spoke to ABC13 and emphasized the importance of holding county officials accountable for their financial decisions.
According to Jones, Galveston County has had some financial problems in the past. He believes that it’s more convenient for voters to hold the commissioners court and the county judge accountable for an appointed auditor rather than an independently elected county treasurer. The reason being that most people are not aware of who the treasurer is and what their responsibilities are.
On January 3rd, Dugie initiated the process by filing an affidavit at the District Clerk’s office.
The time has come for us to determine whether or not Galveston requires a treasurer.
The office has been dubbed as the county’s “bank,” as it takes charge of managing county investments. However, there is a growing belief that the Commissioner’s Court could perform the same function without the need for the position. In fact, many counties have already abolished the role and have their Commissioner’s Court take on its responsibilities.
According to the County Treasurers Association of Texas, the proposed change may not result in any actual savings as the funds might simply be shifted to different areas within the county. Moreover, they believe that having an independently-elected treasurer, instead of an appointee of the Commissioner’s Court, is important for maintaining a separation of powers and avoiding potential conflicts of interest.
If a county has a treasurer, the treasurer has the authority to contest the legality and appropriateness of payment orders made by the Commissioner’s Court.
As for the ultimate decision, it’s in the hands of Galveston. I typically reserve my personal judgment on the matter.
I understand both perspectives of this argument. Personally, I am inclined towards the idea of retaining the independent electee. If this issue were to arise in my own county, I would prefer to implement reforms rather than removing the independent electee altogether.
As someone who values transparency and accountability in government, I tend to be skeptical of appointed officials and the individuals who choose them. In Texas, Commissioner’s Courts hold a significant amount of power, yet there is often a lack of oversight and accountability.
The reason behind the vote is still unclear.
The way the state manages its administrative code, which establishes and governs these positions, has a significant impact.
If there are any alterations or exceptions to the law, it would necessitate a modification to the Texas constitution, specifically incorporating the exclusion.
While I’m not entirely convinced that Dugie’s approach is the right one, I can certainly appreciate the fact that he’s passionate about his beliefs and committed to standing by them. While I may have some reservations about his reasoning, I have to give him credit for his unwavering principles and dedication to his cause.
