SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 480
WHEREAS, The year 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the
founding of the Texas Public Policy Foundation; and
WHEREAS, In the 20 years since its founding, the foundation
has been a tireless defender of the founding principles of this
great country of liberty, personal responsibility, and free
enterprise; and
WHEREAS, The foundation was founded in San Antonio in 1989
by a small group of civic-minded Texans who were inspired by the
effectiveness of the Heritage Foundation at the national level
and wanted to protect Texans' liberty and freedom by bringing
independent, market-based research to tackle problems facing
state government; and
WHEREAS, While the Texas Public Policy Foundation was
founded with an initial focus on education and tort reform, the
foundation has grown to become a broad-based research institute
examining issues that include taxes, government spending,
criminal justice, health care, property rights, public
infrastructure, consumer markets, and the environment; and
WHEREAS, The foundation's current board of directors
consists of members from a variety of professions, including law,
medicine, oil, media, real estate, and academia; and
WHEREAS, The foundation is the state's largest free-market
public policy research institute, with academic research,
policy-driven events, and independent insight as its hallmarks; and
WHEREAS, With research conducted by in-house policy
analysts and scholars from across the state, nation, and world,
the foundation pursues the highest standards of academic
integrity; and
WHEREAS, The foundation has played an integral role in the
Texas legislative process by providing principled and
independent research and recommendations and educating elected
leaders without regard to their political affiliation or
philosophical viewpoint; and
WHEREAS, Implementation of the foundation's research
recommendations has contributed to the economic successes of
this great state, as Texas now leads or ranks near the top in the
nation in the number of Fortune 500 companies, overall job
creation, and state financial condition and proudly ranks almost
last in per capita general revenue tax burden; and
WHEREAS, The foundation has grown during the past 20 years
into a leading defender of freedom and liberty, with almost 20
employees and contracted experts and a budget of more than $3
million; it is now the largest state-based think tank in the
nation and serves as a model for other free-market organizations;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st
Legislature, hereby congratulate the Texas Public Policy
Foundation on its notable achievements and its 20th anniversary
and extend to the foundation sincere best wishes for continued
success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the Texas Public Policy Foundation as an expression of high
regard from the Texas Senate.
Shapiro
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 27, 2009.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate