Glenn Hegar
Incumbent Republican Candidate for Comptroller of Public Accounts
Hegar/Photo by Campaign
Question: What is your age?
Answer: 51
Q: What is your educational background? Please list any degrees or certificates earned and any institutions attended.
A: Texas A&M University, BA, St. Mary’s University, MA, St. Mary’s University, JD, University of Arkansas, LLM in Agriculture
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Q: If you are a business owner, please list the business or businesses that you own. (If this question is not applicable, please note that below.)
A: I have worked on our family farm and agriculture related businesses since my childhood. Even as a Senator and House member, I continued to work the land my family has farmed for generations until I was elected Comptroller. Unlike the Senate or House, the Comptroller is a full time job.
Q: Please list any civic boards or commissions (non-profit, government, union, political, etc.) on which you have served as a board member or equivalent.
A: I have been involved in a wide range of community and civic organizations throughout the state, and Dara and I both are active in our church, local charities and (as proud Aggies) Texas A&M. But beyond that, my time is dedicated to the activities and lives of my three teenagers. My family is more important to me than anything else. They may be 16, 13, and 13, yet I have only a few more years to truly help shape who they will be and set them on the right path for their journey in life. So their organizations are ALSO my organizations right now.
Q: Have you previously held or do you currently hold any elected office? If so, what office(s)?
A: Texas House Member, District 28 from 2003 – 2007. Texas Senator for District 18 from 2007 – 2014.
Q: If your campaign has any online campaign resources where voters can learn more about you, such as social media accounts or a website, please list them below.
A: GlennHegar.com | Facebook: facebook.com/GlennHegarTX | Twitter: @Glenn_Hegar
Q: Why did you decide to run for this office in 2022?
A: At the beginning of covid, I planned for this to be my last term in office, however that all changed as my office worked franticly to help keep businesses open. That coupled with the continued barrage of bad policies out of DC, convinced me that strong conservative leadership is more necessary than ever. The administration in Washington continues to push reckless and unnecessary spending that threatens to worsen the inflationary pressures Texans are already feeling. They are using every tool at their disposal to attack domestic oil and gas production while subjecting American consumers to sustained high energy costs. And the federal government has failed to live up to the promise made by the previous administration by rescinding Texas' 1115 Medicaid waiver. Texas needs steady leadership to ensure our economic recovery continues and our state remains the economic envy of the nation.
Every time I have sought public office, my family and I have gathered around the kitchen table and tried to answer the same questions. Is this right for our family and can I be of service to the people of Texas? We did the same thing this year, as my wife of 23 years and my three teenagers made the decision to run for re-election.
Q: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in office?
A: First and foremost, the Comptroller must always be focused on the Texas economy, and we must safeguard the values that have made Texas the economic envy of the nation and a magnet for businesses and job creators. The Biden administration seems laser focused in its efforts to cripple the Texas economy by attacking American oil and gas producers while lining the pockets of OPEC. At the same time, Democrats in Washington continue to push multi-trillion-dollar spending plans even as inflation rages out of control. I will remain focused on my core constitutional duties and my responsibilities as a steward of the overall Texas economy. It has never been more important to maintain conservative leadership, prevent Washington’s efforts to change the way Texas does business, and ensure Texas’ fiscal future is secure for our children and grandchildren.
The residential property tax burden in Texas remains a critical issue facing lawmakers, and as Comptroller, I can play a key role in helping the Legislature as it works to alleviate that burden. We have made significant progress in recent years in compressing property tax rates to try to reign in local property taxes, but a booming Texas economy and surging revenues present us with a tremendous opportunity to give money back to taxpayers in the form of increased property tax relief. The special sessions of 2021 provided a roadmap that we can use to alleviate some of the burden Texas homeowners feel year in and year out. We must do this while also protecting the health of the state’s savings account from wasteful spending and continuing to reform the way our hard-earned tax dollars are invested.
Additionally, I will continue to fight to against taxation without representation. I have fought to close tax loopholes and ensure that our tax laws are administered fairly and uniformly. We achieved some important victories in the last few years like leveling the playing field for in-state businesses competing with online merchants from out of state who were not required to collect sales taxes. Now we must prevent true taxation without representation where your local tax dollars from online purchases are shipped to other communities to fund their roads and lower their property taxes.
Q: What is an issue you believe has gone overlooked in your race and how will you address it if elected?
A: Voters in the panhandle know that access to high speed internet is more critical than ever. This session the legislature tasked me with creating the first Texas Broadband Development Office to bring high-speed internet to every corner of our state. Texas is not like any other state, and the sheer size of the state creates challenges like nowhere else. This will require a tremendous amount of effort and collaboration with communities and local stakeholders in all 254 counties in Texas, but the reward to readers of the Amarillo Pioneer and Texans all over will be a massive boost to the economy, greater access to healthcare for all Texans and increased educational opportunities for our children and grandchildren. This effort is already underway, and we will be conducting a tour of the state starting early in 2022 because the needs of Texans in your community are different from those in any other area.
Q: Why are you the best candidate for voters to support for this position?
A: As a 6th generation Texan who grew up farming land that my family has worked since the 1800s, I understand the issues facing rural communities throughout our state. I know that what works in Austin might not work in Amarillo and what's good for Harris County might not be good for Hemphill County. As your Comptroller I have fought to ensure all Texans have access to the freedom and opportunities that have made our state the greatest in the nation. I believe I am the best person to continue that fight and I am humbly asking for your support to do so.