Bill Caption

Requesting the lieutenant governor and the speaker to create a joint interim committee to study the development and potential economic impact of a cruise industry on the Texas coast between Calhoun and Cameron Counties.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal note. 

Bill Analysis

House Concurrent Resolution 108 would request that the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives create a joint interim committee to conduct a study regarding the development of a cruise industry on the Texas coast between Calhoun and Cameron Counties, including its potential economic impact and options for incentives to attract the cruise industry to South Texas.

Vote Recommendation Notes

The role of a limited government is not to develop and/or grow an industry, nor to "attract" an industry's actors by offering tax or monetary incentives to some of them. House Concurrent Resolution 108 would require the creation of a joint committee to consider doing just that regarding the cruise industry. It is likely that such a joint committee would come to the conclusion that new economic development and incentive programs are needed for the cruise industry and future legislation would be proposed to do just that. As a consequence, we oppose HCR 108.

Economic development incentive programs are supposed to encourage economic growth and the creation of jobs by awarding monetary and tax incentives (taxpayers' money) to businesses that consider moving to or expanding their activities in Texas. But by using taxpayer money to foster economic development, what government is really doing is picking winners and losers, forgetting that not one single person has all the knowledge necessary to predict what will be tomorrow's successful industries or companies. This is not the proper role of a limited government and such programs distort the free market system.

The second chamber sponsor is Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.