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Momentum to eliminate government waste is sweeping the nation — from Washington’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to parallel initiatives in Texas. In that spirit, we recently met to discuss Senate Bill 19 (SB19), which state Senator Mayes Middleton authored, and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick designated a top legislative priority.
It would make Texas the first state to ban the use of public funds for lobbying — essential to restore republican principles and defund corrupt, anti-taxpayer special interests. We are a government of the people, by the people and for the people, which makes using the people’s money to push special interests untenable.
What exactly is taxpayer-funded lobbying? In recent years, Texas has seen a surge of local governments, school districts and associations — such as the Texas Association of School Boards — hiring lobbyists with your tax dollars to wine, dine and entertain legislators in an effort to influence legislation.
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Tax-funded lobbying serves special interests, not the public interest
Under Texas law, "lobbying" refers to registered Austin lobbyists hired or contracted to influence legislation. Despite taxpayers’ expectation that government entities act in the public’s interest, local governments, school districts and associations regularly hire lobbyists to thwart the will of voters.
The Texas legislature is battling to free Texas residents from having to fund groups that lobby against the will of voters. FILE: Texas state Capitol in Austin, Texas. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty Images)
Your tax dollars are being used to lobby for divisive, left-wing causes. Progressive politicians backed by radicals like billionaire George Soros use hundreds of millions of dollars to try and force their agenda on the Texas legislature to kill common-sense policies and push the state left.
For example, taxpayer-funded lobbyists in Texas spend public funds to oppose bans on men entering women's restrooms. Worse still, many unelected bureaucrats and regulators are captured by the very industries they oversee, using tax dollars on lobbyists who entrench oligopolies and crush competition.
Unsurprisingly, taxpayer-funded lobbyists also oppose tax relief and instead support increasing sales taxes, gas taxes and raising vehicle registration fees. They’ve lobbied against common-sense issues such as border security, voter ID, teacher pay raises, election integrity with citizenship verification and parental choice in education.
Tax dollars serve core functions — not lobbyists
At a time when Texas faces real problems in public safety, infrastructure and essential services, spending upwards of $100 million annually on lobbyists is indefensible. The public overwhelmingly agrees.
A recent public opinion poll reveals that 81% of Texans oppose the practice and would prefer that the Texas legislature abolish it. Rather than waste money arming ideological opponents to fight for causes Texans reject, Texas leaders should boldly pursue a better future: investing valuable tax dollars in roads or law enforcement or, better yet, offering Texans tax relief.
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Crucially, SB19 in no way silences local governments. Local officials can still call, write and testify before the legislature — precisely as our founders intended. Cities, and indeed all local governments, were created to serve the people, and the people are tired of having their voices drowned out by hired guns using their own tax dollars against them.
A ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying encourages direct representation and communication. It in no way prevents local elected officials or their staff from communicating with the legislature, traveling to Austin, or incurring related expenses to make their voice heard.
Your tax dollars are being used to lobby for divisive, left-wing causes. Progressive politicians backed by radicals like billionaire George Soros use hundreds of millions of dollars to try and force their agenda on the Texas legislature to kill common-sense policies and push the state left.
Tax-funded lobbying undermines constitutional principles
All government is created by the people, who grant it powers to represent us. By funding lobbyists who push agendas voters reject, local governments violate the consent of the governed and break the core principle of representation from which the American and Texas constitutions derive their authority. In effect, entrenched bureaucrats create a self-sustaining cycle of influence that subverts genuine democracy.
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By continuing to allow public funds to flow into the hands of progressive special interests that undermine the very principles Texans hold dear, we risk eroding the constitutional foundations on which our state and nation were built. As part of this broader struggle, taxpayer-funded lobbying is the USAID of Texas, but the DOGE initiative — including SB19 — aims to defund this egregious waste.
By passing SB19, we will strengthen public trust and ensure tax dollars serve Texans’ real needs, not the interests of bureaucrats and their hired guns. This session, we hope you will join us in the call to finally ban taxpayer-funded lobbying once and for all. It is time to show the country that government of, by and for the people thrives here in the Lone Star State.
Joe Lonsdale is an entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded Palantir Technologies and the venture firm 8VC. He is the chairman of the University of Austin (UATX) and the Cicero Institute, a nationwide policy group.
