Special interests in Texas paying for Speaker Craddick's capitol building apartment

Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick has a taxpayer-provided apartment right inside the state's domed Capitol, the nation's only residence in any statehouse, and according to the AP, several lobbyists and business interests have contributed more than $1 million to renovate the 2,000-square-foot apartment behind the House chamber.

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In a letter to potential donors, Craddick and his wife, Nadine, say the renovation is a "gift to all Texans" that will let the speaker's residence "reflect the same attention to detail that is seen throughout the Capitol."

But watchdog groups say people and businesses that could benefit from future legislation should not pay to spruce up the taxpayer-provided home of the man who controls the destiny of proposed state laws...

The contributors to the renovation project are regular Craddick donors and supporters of historic preservation, DeLee said. Asked if donors could expect any favors in exchange for their contribution, she said: "Absolutely not."

The donor list, however, includes some who may have a stake in the outcome of the 2007 legislative session or who scored big victories when lawmakers met in 2005.

The AT&T Foundation, for example, donated $250,000. Last year, the Legislature made it easier for phone and other companies to offer cable-like services. Maxxam Inc., which wants to offer video gambling at its horse and dog tracks in Houston and Harlingen, gave $25,000.
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It's easy to see how there is a conflict of interest here, but as the article states, the donations are considered a gift to the state and the checks are being sent to the State Preservation Board, which maintains the Capitol, and thus they are not subject to campaign finance laws.

But this is really just an extreme sympton of problems we've long had in Texas with our office-holders taking large sums from special interests. You might think that goes for all states, and it does, but it's especially bad in Texas.

See, our legislators aren't paid enough to even live. A Texas Senator makes 7,000 dollars a year! Obviously they have to have other income, so this creates two problems. First, only candidates who are already well-0ff - because they are businessmen or lawyers usually - run for office (and have a chance of winning). Not teachers and others who serve our communities. Secondly, our office holders take money from special interests to supplement their salaries. This should be prohibited completely, but it's not because the people who could pass the laws and run the ethics commission are already beholden to these interests.

Most people agree on campaign finance reform, but it's hard to get people to agree to increase the incomes of legislators, but people need to realize this would actually benefit our government and our democracy because good, average people could actually run and become legislators, not just those who are special interests or beholden to them. I'd gladly pay these people more if it meant that because I'd rather have legislators paid a lot than have lavish, million-dollar apartments in the state capitol in return for supporting legislation favoring whoever is fitting the bill.

Wouldn't you?