<p>(Houston, Texas) On June 17th and June 18th, 9,000 Texan delegates convened to determine their Year 2000 Platform. Texas CSE was there to inject our key economic issues into the platform – and we did!</p>
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<font size =1><b>Texas CSE staff get our message out at<br> the Texas State Republican Convention.</b></font></center></p>
<p>Texas CSE staff and volunteer activists have been working for months through the precinct, county and state senate conventions to provide information on CSE’s key issues. As a direct result of the efforts of Texas CSE staff and volunteer activists, more than 20 of the 30 state senate convention resolutions submitted to the state convention contained language proposed by Texas CSE.</p>
<p><center><img src="http://www.cse.org/images/cse/868_2.gif"><br>
<font size =1><b>Convention delegates gather around Texas<br> CSE’s booth to learn more about CSE’s issues.</b></font></center></p>
<p>Texas CSE was able to provide specific language on all of CSE’s key economic issues: tax reform, environmental reform, tort reform, school choice, Social Security, and health care. One of the most controversial issues at the convention was tax reform. Texas CSE and our allies were able to modify the platform to reflect support for fundamental tax reform, without alienating supporters of either the flat tax or the national retail sales tax.</p>
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<font size =1><b>CSE's Sharkman with State Senate,<br> District 3 candidate Rep. Todd Staples.</b></font></center></p>
<p>Texas CSE also unveiled a preliminary report from the “Texas Tort Reform Economic Impact Results.” The CSE study, conducted by respected economist Ray Perryman, finds tort reform helps save consumers money, provides greater access to the courts, and creates a healthy vibrant economy.</p>
<p>CSE’s Sharkman was the celebrity at the Texas CSE reception honoring this year’s 26 “Friends of the Taxpayer” award winners. The legislators honored at the reception were recognized for their pro-tort reform votes and their support for lower taxes and limited government. State Sen. Florence Shapiro and Reps. Jerry Madden, John Shields, Leo Berman, and Todd Staples (who is also a candidate for State Senate, District 3) were among the awardees attending the reception.</p>