Texas PACS: A Roundup of the Special Interests Driving Texas' Political Action Committees

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Minor Ideological
& Single-Issue PACs

Environment

Nine PACs influencing environmental issues spent $132,956.

Two PACs accounted for 94 percent of the environmental money. Significantly, both of these PACs are conservation groups that promote mass breeding programs to restock wildlife species prized by sports hunters and fishermen. Environmental groups that broadly defend wildlife habitat, such as the Sierra Club or Clean Water Action, spent chump change.⁴⁶

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) led this subcategory, spending $109,847. Wealthy recreational ocean fishermen organized CCA in 1976 to protect redfish from commercial overfishing. CCA works with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to prevent illegal fishing and to breed sport fish to restock the Gulf of Mexico.

The Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), a hunters’ property-rights group that acts as the right hand of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), spent $14,614. TWA has helped get the TPWD to put property rights ahead of the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act. Recently, the burden has shifted to mother nature to prove her worth in dollars, as TPWD treats wildlife as an agribusiness opportunity. With oil and cattle revenues falling, some ranchers are opening newfangled dude ranches where high-paying hunters are virtually guaranteed a “harvest” regardless of their skills. In June 1998, TPWD commissioners approved a controversial permit system that allows landowners to trap, pen and breed “wild” deer on private land.⁴⁷ The only other environmental PAC to clear $5,000 was the Committee for Responsible and Efficient Water Management ($5,284), which cited environmental concerns in opposing an unsuccessful bond drive for the Applewhite Reservoir in San Antonio.

Guns
In addition to the Texas Wildlife Association hunters discussed above, four gun PACs spent $117,603 to keep Texas’ powder dry. The National Rifle Association spent $46,942, overshooting the Texas State Rifle Association ($33,322). The Greater Texas Sportsmen’s Coalition spent $28,288, followed by the Texas Gun Dealers Association ($9,050). At the federal and state levels, Texas gun groups promote concealed handgun laws and oppose legislation that would impose taxes or ownership restrictions on guns.

Tax Revolts
Eleven tax-revolt groups spent $91,728 to fight government spending; 88 percent of this money came from just three PACs. The Taxpayers Defense Fund ($57,381) represents fiscal conservatives tied to investors in a baseball franchise. Much of its money opposed a competing franchise’s initiative to get taxpayers to finance a baseball stadium in Austin.⁴⁸ The Houston-based Association for the Promotion of Local Government and Equality in Taxation spent $15,000 to oppose a failed 1995 ad valorem tax bill (HB 2611). The Tyler/Smith County Association of Taxpayers ($8,059) opposes local tax spending that it deems superfluous.

Minorities/Women
Seventeen minority PACs spent just $84,565; seven PACs accounted for 75 percent of this money. The Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus spent $24,551. Although Baptists are not a minority in Texas, the Baptist Ministers Association of Houston ($21,389) is affiliated with the historically black National Baptist Convention of America. Finally, the Texas Women’s Political Caucus and four local chapters led by the Austin one spent $13,700.

Local Government
A mish mash of 17 PACs focused on local government issues spent $43,883. Almost half of this money came from just three PACs. The Texas Rural Water Association spent $9,250 on behalf of small rural water utilities. Voice Our Total Enthusiasm PAC (VOTEPAC) spent $6,055 to support local candidates in the Corpus Christi area. The McLennan County Good Government League spent $5,000 in the Waco area.

Abortion
Five PACs battling over womb policies spent $36,023. Three PACs accounted for 99 percent of this money. Abortion-rights groups, led by Planned Parenthood ($21,253) and the Texas Abortion Rights Action League ($8,672), out spent anti-abortion groups five to one. The top anti-abortion force, the Texas Right to Life PAC, spent $5,585. Nonetheless, many better-funded PACs in the Republican/Conservative and Democratic/Liberal categories also influence this issue.

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