Proposition 187: Dont Mess With Texas

Proposition 187: Don't Mess With Texas

In November of 1994, Californians passed the most controversial piece of
state legislation this decade. Proposition 187 was designed to stem the flow of
illegal aliens into California by withholding all non-emergency medical benefits
from non-naturalized citizens. Latinos turned out in record numbers to voice
their disapproval, and for good reason too. The health care resolutions of
Proposition 187 were products of poor reason and unsound economic judgment. The
resolutions did not get the state any closer to a balanced budget, and only
served to worsen the health care outlook for the future of California. It is
clear that Proposition 187 was a mistake, and should not be encouraged to be
repeated in Texas.
The most popular reason for passage, that supporters of Proposition 187
used, was the theory that a cut in illegal health services would save state
taxpayers several million dollars a year. This argument only applies to states
that have a personal income tax, often used to help fund health care for the
state, and when the illegal immigrants avoid paying this tax. Texas does not
have such a tax, so health care is funded by the taxes that everyone in the
state pays. That means that illegal aliens are paying just as much as "real
Americans" are in sales taxes, gas taxes, liquor taxes, and cigarette taxes. For
example, illegal aliens in San Diego, California accounted for 26.6 million
dollars in health care costs in 1994 (Serb 63). No...

Proposition 187: Dont Mess With Texas

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