In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s advisors, former Republican Party Chair Steve Munisteri, is seen talking to supporters about what Abbott’s voucher proposal will look like next session. 

In the video, a supporter encourages Munisteri and the governor to “ask for the whole enchilada, universal ESAs.”  Munisteri responds that the proposal will be universal in terms of everyone being eligible, but it will really be more a question of funding.  He said once it was passed it was always possible to come back and ask for more later.  

Former Republican Party Chair Steve Munisteri talks with voucher proponents about Abbott's plans for the 89th Legislative session.

“I’m not saying don’t go for the whole enchilada,” Munisteri said. “I’m saying that if the Legislature is only willing to give you half the enchilada, but here’s the deal, they have a plate that you can add more enchiladas on the next session, because you already have the structure, wouldn’t you want to do that?” 

“So there’s no magic number. The $500 million was just what the legislature came up with last time, so it’s just going to be whatever you can push it up to. But something you need to keep in mind is that the structure will be there because it’s universal eligibility.  You can always have more students by the Legislature in subsequent sessions just continually upping the amount.” 

This is interesting because one of the key arguments Abbott and those willing to go along with him made last session was that this was only “a small voucher,” with little money ($500 million) devoted to it, and far more being given to public schools through the provisions in HB 1. Munisteri clearly seems to be telling this group of voucher advocates that that rhetoric was a setup, an illusion created in hopes of capturing more support for the bill. His comments, in fact, suggest that the arguments made by pro-public school groups, including ATPE, are true: Once the voucher is passed, $500 million will soon no longer be enough, and Abbott’s advisors have every intention of going back and asking for more. In fact, if the state were to fund every current private/homeschool student—as a handful of folks at this meeting are calling for—the cost will be closer to $15-$20 billion. Of course, Abbott publicly claims it is possible to have two robust school systems, as he did earlier this week at a press conference in Tyler. However, if Munisteri’s comments represent Abbott’s true vision, it’s hard to see how the math works on fully funding both systems 

As the rhetoric heats up and we inch closer to the start of the 89th legislative session, it is important to demand those asking for and supporting any voucher proposal to do so honestly and in good faith, providing transparency and agency to Texas taxpayers.