Next, I wish to talk briefly about unemployment and the causes of it. Currently, there are over 830,000 people in Texas and approximately 12 million people in America that are unemployed. Being unemployed is a terrible feeling for anyone to have to endure. I should know because I have been unemployed.   To me, there is no greater personal tragedy than a person who is willing to work and has a much needed job skill but is unable to find a job.   We can do better in creating more jobs for Texas families and as your next State Comptroller we will. 

Now, regarding the campaign that is before us. An effort will be made in this campaign to suggest that there aren't any real differences between the other candidates and myself.  Well, I believe there are and these differences are fundamental.  One of them has to do with our approach to government.  Two of my opponents have served as legislators for a combined 40 years.  I believe this is what real folks call "a career politician."  For most of their adult life both of them have been a part of the Austin Establishment.  Most of my adult life has been spent outside of government raising a family and running a business.  My experience in government is only two years during the time when I served as a Texas State Representative.    

When I became a State Representative, My colleagues and I inherited a state budget that was had a $25 billion shortfall.    My colleagues and I balanced the budget without a tax increase and passed the most conservative pieces of legislation in the history of Texas.  Yet, I know for certain that the state budget was filled with unnecessary wasteful spending.   That is why I authored and worked diligently to pass SB 563 with the help of Senator Mike Jackson.   This bill was the first step of my plan to reduce billions of dollars of wasteful spending in state government.  This was the first piece of legislation of its kind in all the nation and other states are now following our example.  By implementing Lean Six Sigma into state government Texas can save $10-$20 billion per year! We can do better and as your next Comptroller we will.
 

Unfortunately, my opponents, who were informed of the results of SB 563, didn't think that reducing wasteful state spending was worth their time or something that would benefit Texas taxpayers. Imagine that. It's apparent that my primary opponents forgot their so called conservative principles of limited government and responsible spending two items which protect Texas taxpayers.  

This past May, my opponents, who claim to be conservatives, passed a new budget that included a 26% increase in spending or another $22 billion in more spending than we did during the 2011 budget. Plus, my opponents failed to pass many other conservative pieces of legislation that were available during the regular session.  For example, my opponents failed to pass legislation that would have placed a constitutional limit on spending, and also failed to pass legislation that would increase or improve transparency on many different areas of government.   Finally, they also failed to address school finance, but they did manage to pass over 1500 more laws calling for and more and bigger government.

I had never in my life thought of seeking or holding public of office and I'm still not quite sure how it all happened.  In my own mind, I was a citizen who was concerned about family's future and the past 30 years as I watched the world pass by me I concluded that government wasn't the answer, but rather was the problem.  

I believe that if government is operated like we operate our homes and our businesses then government could solve many of the problems facing us today. I am convinced that career politicians, those who have been part of the problem, are not necessarily the best qualified to solve those problems. Albert Einstein once said, ""We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them."   How true this is.