The House Committee on Ways & Means 
         76th Legislature 
         May 5, 2000 
         9:30 a.m. 
         1401 Pacific, Dallas, Texas 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted on April 26, 2000, the House  
         Committee on Ways & Means met in a public hearing and was called  
         to order by the chair, Representative Oliveira, at 9:43 a.m. 
          
         Review of Tax Exemptions and Credits 
          
         The chair laid out the interim charge to: 
          
              Review the tax exemptions and credits approved by the 76th  
              Legislature, including S.B. 441 and the emergency severance  
              tax measures, and evaluate their success in achieving  
              legislative goals. 
          
         Testimony was taken.  (See attached witness list.) 
          
         Tax Structure Changes 
          
         The chair laid out the interim charge to: 
          
              Identify and list the specific changes to the tax structure  
              that would: 
              (1)  produce the most positive effect on the gross state  
              product; 
              (2)  produce the most positive effect on the creation and  
              retention of jobs that pay a living wage; 
              (3)  most benefit troubled or declining industries, such as  
              agriculture and oil production; 
              (4)  promote enhanced tax equity, including mitigation of  
              the regressivity of the current tax structure; and 
              (5)  address loopholes that permit certain classes of  
              taxpayers to avoid equitable taxation. 
          
         Testimony was taken.  (See attached witness list.) 
          
         At 2:18 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection,  
         the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair. 
          
         ________________________ 
         Rep. Oliveira, Chair 
  
         ________________________ 
         J.J. Garza, Clerk