A lawsuit filed by a Houston taxpayer group, Citizens Lowering Our Unfair Taxes (CLOUT), against legislative leaders over the level of state spending has been dismissed.
Visiting state District Judge Bill Bender of Seguin ruled that CLOUT didn't have standing to sue the Legislative Budget Board over the state's constitutional spending cap, which limits the state budget from growing more than the Texas economy.
The suit alleged that the LBB, which includes Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, House Speaker Tom Craddick and eight other key lawmakers, has used artificially inflated estimates of economic growth to justify higher spending limits.
It contended the school finance appropriations approved by the Legislature during the spring special session were unconstitutional.
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