[caption id="attachment_189027" align="alignleft" width="220"]
Phil Stephenson[/caption]
Phil Stephenson (Republican, incumbent)
Hometown: Wharton 512-463-0604 (Austin office) 281-232-7900 (district office) www.philfortexas.com
What would your top priority be, if elected?
No. 1, reduce school property taxes on your home at a minimum. No. 2, eliminate unfunded liabilities in all of the state, cities, etc., pension plans of Texas. No. 3, eliminate the tremendous waste in our governments. How about zero-based budgets for every type of government?
What about your experience qualifies you to hold office?
I am a practicing certified public accountant with lots of audit experience in government financial [matters] for over 40 years. As the only practicing CPA in the House, I think I bring a different perspective to actually trying to solve financial problems and not just kicking [them] down the road. School property taxes on your home [need] to change and unfunded liabilities on pension [plans] can change, which will eliminate the unfunded liabilities without costing the state, cities, [and] special purpose districts. [We] have to work with those whom we promised a retirement system.
What are your thoughts on the state’s education funding formula which, although ruled constitutional, is expected to be discussed in the next legislative session?
[Fix] the weighted average [daily] attendance or WADA formula. Let’s make it simple so that everyone knows how it works.
