AP: Texas

11/17/2005

By LIZ AUSTIN  / Associated Press

Talmadge Heflin, a once-powerful state lawmaker defeated last year by a political newcomer in a race decided by 16 votes, has applied to become the Texas Lottery's next executive director.

Heflin, a 65-year-old Houston Republican, said he submitted his application Monday at the request of Texas Lottery Commission Chairman C. Thomas Clowe.

He must be interviewed by Clowe and commissioner James Cox, which could happen during Friday's commission meeting, said commission spokesman Bobby Heith. While the commission could vote Friday on hiring an executive director, it wasn't clear whether the agency had completed a required background check on Heflin and whether the panel would have to wait for the results to give him the job.

Heflin said he is familiar with lottery operations from his time in the Legislature.

"I've had an interest in making the lottery the best it can be ever since the people said they wanted it," Heflin said. "I did what I could to encourage them to have a really well-run operation. From time to time, they've kind of stubbed their toe."

Heflin would not discuss his conversations with Clowe.

"Those conversations were private," Heflin said.

If hired, Heflin would receive a $115,000 salary to lead the $3.5 billion agency, the third-largest lottery in the nation. Heflin said if he gets the job, he would not consider running for his old House seat until 2008 at the earliest.

Heflin would replace Reagan Greer, who resigned under fire in July after admitting he'd signed off on advertising Lotto Texas jackpots that were higher than ticket sales could support.

Clowe and Cox have interviewed four other finalists selected by a search committee from a pool of more than 100 applicants.

Hiring Heflin would give the agency an influential and much-needed ally in the Texas House. The House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee has been questioning management practices at the lottery, summoning its leaders to testify three times in 17 months.

The most recent hearing was Monday, with a former lottery employee alleging agency officials misled the Legislature about the functionality of its disaster recovery site, tried to block public information requests that might have revealed wrongdoing and bullied employees into silence.

Clowe and acting executive director Gary Grief denied all the accusations and said the emergency site is fully operational.

Heflin's 21-year legislative career ended in his defeat by Democratic Rep. Hubert Vo, the first Vietnamese to serve in the Texas House.

An election recount showed Vo's victory margin over Heflin was 33 votes, and Heflin challenged the results before the Texas House. While Heflin gained 17 votes in the investigation, he withdrew that challenge in February to avoid the possibility of a bitter partisan fight in the chamber.

Heflin had been a Texas House member since 1983 and became chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. He was appropriations chairman in 2003, when the state faced a $10 billion budget shortfall.

The Legislature balanced the budget that year without raising taxes, but with increases in fees and deep cuts to state agencies and social programs.

State Rep. Garnet Coleman, who served on the House Appropriations Committee with Heflin, said hiring him to lead the lottery would be unusual given his background but not surprising considering his political connections.

"Whether or not he's the best person for that job will be based on his administrative experience," said Coleman, D-Houston. "Legislative experience is not administrative experience, but we've seen people make the transition and do very well."

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank founded by influential GOP donor James Leininger, announced Tuesday that Heflin is leading a comprehensive study of the state's budget in an effort to recommend cost savings in the next legislative session.

Foundation spokesman Michael Quinn Sullivan said Heflin has been working on the study for a couple of months but may have to resign if he gets the lottery job.

"Talmadge has been a very good friend of the foundation over the years," he said. "We just look forward to continuing working with him should this new role develop."

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On the Net:

Texas Lottery Commission, http://www.txlottery.org