TEXAS — The Texas Comptroller has the power of the purse in Texas. The state’s economy is the eighth largest in the world, and the comptroller tracks the state’s revenue and gives guidance to the Legislature. Three Democrats are vying for the seat currently held by interim Comptroller Kelly Hancock.
Two-term state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, thinks the state needs a comptroller that’s not part of the Republican Party.
“We need a watchdog over the public accounts of the state of Texas and not a lapdog,” said Eckhardt.
Houston Independent School District Trustee Savant Moore got in the race to give Texans more information on the money they pay the state.
“I will have workshops on financial literacy. I will be very transparent in this office so that you know where your taxpayer dollars are going,” said Moore.
And finance professional Michael Lange wants Texans to get the most bang for their buck.
“About 44% of all the people who work in Texas work in small businesses. If I’m the comptroller, I’m going to try to get that number to over 60%,” said Lange.
The comptroller will also oversee the state’s new school voucher program that allows qualifying families to pay for private school with public funds. All three candidates in the Democratic primary oppose school vouchers.
Moore says he would find the exit clause in the contract with Odyssey, the company that was paid $50 million from the allocated $1 billion to administer the voucher program.
“It’s an out-of-state company. It also is the lowest bidder that has no experience of having oversight over such a large program as ours,” said Moore.
Lange wants to replace Odyssey with a Texas-run operation.
“If you give me $50 million, I’d rather create jobs in Texas, not in Pennsylvania, doing that sort of work,” he said.
And Eckhardt, who consistently voted against vouchers, wants to make sure the program is transparent.
“The comptroller’s office can make sure that it reports out honestly who benefits most, who benefits least and who’s benefiting not at all from this voucher program,” she said.
Political scientist Cal Jillson says name recognition will be the biggest difference in this race.
“Sarah Eckhardt, the Austin area state legislator, is probably the best-known candidate,” said Jillson. “She is standing for comptroller but will not lose her state Senate seat if she doesn’t win that that race. So that gives her some swagger and flexibility.”
The winner of this Democratic primary will face one of the frontrunners in the Republican primary, which includes Hancock, Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines.