Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst joined Texas Farm Bureau officials Tuesday to accept the endorsement of the Waco-based group’s political action committee.

At a news conference Dewhurst, a rancher, expressed his desire to pass legislation favored by the Farm Bureau to strengthen the position of landowners in negotiations over compensation for land seized through the eminent domain process.

“We’ll pass out eminent domain (legislation) early,” Dewhurst said. “I believe and your whole organization believes in the rights of private property (and) making sure that if . . . cities, counties, utilities, TxDOT needs some of our land that there’s a fair arm’s length negotiation and you’re not taken advantage of.”

Dewhurst has a Democratic challenger in Linda Chavez-Thompson, a former AFL-CIO official.

Dewhurst also addressed the state’s projected multi-billion dollar budget deficit.

“We’re looking at a budget shortfall which has been reported of $15 to $18 billion,” he said, which he attributed in part to the Legislature’s decision last year to balance the budget with stimulus dollars, and what’s called the structural deficit.

In 2006 the Legislature cut property taxes for schools by a third and raised taxes through a new business tax, but in the process created an ongoing revenue shortfall.

The new tax fell well short of accounting for the revenue loss from the property tax cuts contributing along with the economic downturn to the level of the deficit.

Dewhurst noted he, along with Gov. Rick Perry, called for 5 percent spending cuts at most state agencies, and also pointed out that legislators will be able to dip into the state’s rainy day fund as they work on the budget.

“Thank goodness the Legislature saved a little over $10 billion, and I’ve been working over the last year to come up with non-tax revenue so we can balance this budget and still protect all of our essential services,” he said.

After the afternoon news conference, the lieutenant governor attended a fundraiser benefiting recently elected State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury.

Though Birdwell does not have to face a Democratic general election opponent, he endured a bruising and expensive four-way special election and runoff, eventually defeating former Republican senator-turned lobbyist David Sibley.

Birdwell said he would have several fundraisers across the district. Last week, he held one in Austin and invited numerous lobbyists.

Tuesday’s invitation listed State Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson as attending and Dewhurst as special guest the event.

The event was held at the Robinson home of the owner of Johnson Roofing, Bill Johnson. Tickets cost $50 per person.

Tickets ranged between $250- and $1,000-per-couple for a special reception.

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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