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While less visible than other state executives, the General Land Office Commissioner is a powerful person who has the ability to shape statewide public policy. Texas’ General Land Office Commissioner is elected in a statewide election and serves a four year term.The central role of the General Land Office Commissioner is to manage a total of 20.3 million acres of state lands and mineral-right properties. This land includes beaches, bays, submerged lands out to 10.3 miles in the Gulf of Mexico, lands in the plains of West Texas, timberlands in East Texas and commercial property in urban areas.Additionally, this office oversees the Permanent School Fund, which is financed by leasing state land for oil drilling and gas production, real estate trades, sales, rentals and royalties. Dividends and interest from the Permanent School Fund investments go into the Available School Fund to be distributed to school districts on a per-pupil basis. With a balance of approximately $17 billion, the interest from the Permanent School Fund provides more than $700 million annually for public school funding. Other responsibilities for this office include housing the original Spanish, Mexican and Republic of Texas land grants and promoting programs, such as Adopt-A-Beach and Oil Spill Prevention and Response.The Land Commissioner is also in charge of administering loan programs for veterans through the Texas Veterans Land Board. The Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) was created in 1946 to administer a program to provide low-interest, long-term loans to Texas veterans for the purchase of land. Since its inception, more than 120,000 Texas veterans have taken advantage of this self-supporting program without costing the taxpayers. The program is funded by issuing bonds authorized by the voters. The bonds, as well as the cost of administering the program, are paid for by the veterans who participate in the program. In 1983, the Legislature added to the Land Commissioner's responsibilities by creating the Veterans Housing Assistance Program to assist Texas veterans in purchasing a home. In 1986, the VLB expanded the Veterans Housing Assistance Program, adding the Veterans Home Improvement Program to provide below-market interest rate loans to qualified Texas veterans for home repairs and improvements to their existing homes.The current General Land Office Commissioner is Jerry Patterson from Houston. He was elected in November 2002. Prior to this service, he served as a Texas Senator for six years. To learn more about the General Land Office, the Commissioner or the programs listed above, please visit the General Land Office website at www.glo.state.tx.us.
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