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