Ambassador Teel Bivins dead at 62
Bivins, who has been ailing from a rare disease for a number of years, served in the state Senate from 1988 until his confirmation as ambassador to Sweden in the George W. Bush administration. He was chairman of Education and later of Finance, and, along with Bill Ratliff and David Sibley, was part of the triumvirate, known informally as the “college of cardinals,” who were the most influential members of the Senate in the late nineties and early 2000s. Bivins was named to the Ten Best Legislators list in 2003.
This was the writeup for Bivins’ Ten Best recognition:
He was the point man for the good guys on the most important issue of the session. He spent his days and nights fighting the bad guys, and it almost did him in. With the Legislature facing a $9.9 billion shortfall, it fell to Teel Bivins, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, to fend off the ax-wielding House and the cleaver-waving governor’s office and produce a budget that met the state’s needs without raising taxes.
Budget hearings can be monotonous affairs, with bureaucrats droning on in endless acronyms. Bivins changed the course of the debate by scheduling hearings to portray what a pared-down budget would look like and who would be hurt the most. One afternoon, as the committee listened to more testimony about proposed health care cuts, the doors to the hearing room swung open again and again to the soft hum of electric wheelchairs. Soon the aisles were jammed with paraplegics who had come to beg lawmakers not to cut state funding for home health aides. The faces of committee members registered deep empathy. Reality had sunk in.
From that point on, the Senate focused on needs, not numbers. With the help of Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst, Bivins produced a bipartisan list of 23 senators who favored more spending without raising taxes (for instance, using money from the Rainy Day Fund and postponing some state payments). House members, seeing that they were about to be forced to vote for draconian cuts while the Senate was getting credit for making them unnecessary, demanded that their budget writers loosen the purse strings. The course was set toward a budget that would show as much mercy as possible.
The final budget negotiations with the House were excruciating. The level of spending was lower than Bivins wanted, but at least he had a deal. He asked himself, “Was it enough?” Late one night, when all but a few details had been worked out, he sat in his office and wondered if he could have done more for higher education, kids needing health insurance, the disabled, and the elderly. “I didn’t want to let egos get in the way,” he sighed. In a capitol brimming with lawmakers greedy for attention, he never let himself forget that writing a humane budget was a task too important for gamesmanship.
Tagged: teel bivins.
Thomas Graham says:
Paul,
Teel loved Texas and service to Texans more than most anything. Given his family roots, he could’ve done nothing with his life and been considered a success, but he chose to enter the arena and fight for good. He was a great man and a good guy.
Thomas
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paulburka says:
Thomas Graham, who is well known to many readers of this blog, was a longtime friend and adviser to Bivins. As Thomas indicates, Bivins came from a prominent Panhandle family and could have coasted through life. My colleague Patricia Kilday Hart authored the Ten Best writeup for Bivins, which captured his commitment to public service.
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Debra Haas says:
I had the pleasure and honor of working with Teel for most of his Senate career. While I was at TEA, and then at the LBB, Teel worked tireless to create a funding formula for public school facilities. Although we came from different ends of the political spectrum, we worked well together. He was honest, forthright, and committed to making the State of Texas a better place. We stayed in touch after he left the Senate, and I “went to the dark side” (as he referred to my decision to leave the state and go into private consulting. Texas is a better place for his service.
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Jim Nelson says:
He was Chair of Senate Ed while I was Commissioner. I screwed up some deal and went to him with hat in hand expecting a much deserved butt chewing. He just smiled, said everyone makes mistakes, and set out to help me fix it. I’ve long since forgotten what the issue happened to be, but I’ve never forgotten his reaction. If you look up public servant in the dictionary, you find Teel’s picture. I loved the guy. He’s been missed for years now. A great Texan.
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Cyndi Taylor Krier says:
What a devoted Texan, hard-working Senator and dear colleague! Teel Bivins had an oft-needed talent for deflecting tension with humor, for bringing folks together rather than letting political divisiveness rule the day.
I recall fondly how he would load up most of the Senate and head to west Texas for trail rides. Perhaps it wasn’t in the spirit of the open meetings act, but it led to discussions round camp fires that harkened back to the tradition of Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin where the embers burned as bright as Texas’ future and the focus was on what Texas could become.
And Texas became a better state because of Teel Bivin’s service.
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David Sibley says:
Teel could have done many things other than public service. He dedicated himself to the education of all Texans and made our state a better place. I am saddened by his passing but happy he is released to a better place.
He was smart, savvy and worked for progress rather than political points.
God bless Senator Bivins and Texas.
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James says:
One of the nicer people ever to grace the Texas Capitol has now officially left.
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LCGR says:
LOYALTY – “Good Answer” — Those of us who worked for him know what I’m talking about. God Bless you Teel. It was an honor to serve you and the constituents of Senate District 31.
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Dewhurst's Watchwinder says:
I smiled when I read Commissioner Nelson’s comment about Teel saving him from his own mistake. How many of us had Senator Bivins mark up our bills and make them — and US — better?
Who else remembers that day in 2001 that he spent the whole day in his committee by himself?
Truly a remarkable man.
You weren’t shabby either, Sibley. Thanks for the comment about a nice, smart, and gentlemanly man with a servant’s heart.
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Florence Shapiro says:
My heart aches today! Texas lost an amazing public servant, the education community lost one of its staunchest advocates, the Senate lost a treasured family member, and I lost a great friend.
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Frank Galitski says:
Like many of the previous posters, I too have many fond memories of Teel. One quick story. During his 1988 state senate campaign, Teel had the opportunity to drive a massive John Deer Combine Harvester combination down White Deer, Texas’ Main Street during the Fourth of July Parade. Teel was excellent rancher, however, he was a novice farm equipment operator, but after a few quick pointers from the local John Deer salesman, Teel got the Harvester situated in the parade line up. Teel was not just satisfied with just driving this giant piece of equipment, he decided to activate the enormous reciprocating knife cutter bar. One could only imagine the mayhem he could have caused, if he veered off course or was unable to stop this mammoth. But he drove it like a pro down the five block parade route while having the time of his life. So rather than shut it down at the end of the parade route, he turned right, went down a side street, got back in the parade line up and went down the parade route a second time!!! Needless to say he overwhelmingly carried Carson County and went on to decisively defeat Democrat Mel Phillips in November. God Bless Teel Bivins! Texas is a better place because of your service.
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Ben Sargent says:
Teel and I first met when he and I were fellow students at St. Andrews kindergarten in Amarillo, where his aunt was our teacher (and our mothers, in fact, had been in the same graduating class at Amarillo High School). As many others have noted here, life gave Teel enough advantages to do whatever he may have wanted, but we in Texas were fortunate enough that he turned his talents to public service. He took that mission very seriously and In my 40 years of observing the Texas Legislature close up, he stands out as one of the most skilled, collegial and public-spirited senators we have had. And a first-rate gentleman and friend to boot. Que te vaya bien, Teel!
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Bill Ratliff says:
Teel Bivins and I were freshman State Senators together in 1989. We spent our entire legislative careers working together and became the closest of friends.
I never knew Teel to make a legislative decision for any reason other than that he truly believed it was the best course for Texas and Texans. There is no higher compliment one can give than that.
His vision of right and wrong, his integrity, and his always bright outlook will be sorely missed.
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Joe Dyer says:
I had the distinct honor of working in the Senate during the years when that body was graced by three men of enormous stature. Teel Bivins, Bill Ratliff, and David Sibley. In the Senate, 11 votes can block a bill, but, at that time, it only took 3, those three.
Despite his stature, Sen. Bivins always took time to listen in hearings, give true consideration to all sides of an issue, and even give time to pesky staffers of other members who wanted to ask a question or get a signature. He was truly a Texas gentleman who will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace and may God bless his family.
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Kristine Bates says:
I am saddened to hear of the passing of Teel Bivins. During the 1988-89 legislative session, while I was going to college, I served as a Senate messenger. It was one of the best jobs I have ever had, still to this day! I had the honor of working in Senator Bivins’ office on numerous occasions. It was always my favorite office. I will remember him as a kind, gentle, always smiling, serious when needed and tall man! I know his loved ones and those who call him friend are in deep mourning today. He was a true treasure to Texas. May God bless his family.
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john smithee says:
Teel has been, and will always be, a role model for young Senators and House members. No self-promotion. Loyal, but not overly-partisan. Cordial with, but independent from, the special interests. Respectful of all. If there were more people like Teel Bivins in state government, we would all be the better for it. A year ago Teel told me that the day he resigned from the Senate, he felt like a huge load had been lifted from his back. No wonder. Teel took the issues facing the state, and the problems facing ordinary people, as his own.
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Briscoe Democrat Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
John Smithee, my condolences to the Bivins family, but wasn’t Teel the one who got chewed out by Bullock back in 1996 when the GOP took control of the State Senate ?
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David Sibley Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Briscoe
No
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Debra Haas Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
My husband and I have spent a significant part of the last two days talking about Teel, and how much the Legislature has changed since he (and Sens Ratliff and Sibley, among others) left. As a staffer, working with him, I always felt that he appreciated my time and work, and he read things with a critical eye – and gave great feedback on my work. He was respectful of my time, generous with his, and as JS said above, set a standard for others (and not just legislators) in terms of public service. I did some of my best work for Teel, and I am grateful the chance I had to know him.