During the 1990's I was active in the Texas Public Employees Association while Sharp was comptroller. He may be a Democrat, but he was not a friend to state employees.
He was the first comptroller that made cost of living raises contingent upon budgetary conditions as they were evaluated on a month-by-month basis and the pay raises required his authorization. There was one biennium when the Legislature approved 3% pay raises for each year. I don't remember the specific details, but I believe that we received 2% about four months into the budget and then we received 1% in the eleventh month. I think we received 1% early in the second year, but didn't get the remaining 2% until the last month and state employees thought he wouldn't ever grant it which would have meant losing that increase forever. That new method created havoc on determining how much to withhold from the paychecks and cost most of the employees a few thousand dollars each during that biennium. In addition, the employees had to check their accounts every month since the payment amount varied each month due to this issue and leveling of FICA taxes.
I sat out the race when Sharp ran against Perry for Lt. Governor in 1998 because I just couldn't vote for him. He lost by a small margin and Perry was promoted up the ranks. It may not have been the beginning of the demise of the Democratic party in Texas, but the fact that he was on that ballot and the one in 2002 when he lost to Dewhurst has hurt Democratic candidates ever since.
Please no hate mails, it's just my humble opinion.
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