Legislative

Perry visits Lubbock, touts school cost sharing plan
Texas could offer school districts a carrot to share out-of-classroom costs this fall before at least one senator prods them with a stick. [ View Article ] Sep 1, 2010, 08:28

Writing the Texas Budget for 2012 and 2013
The Texas Legislature will convene on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, for the 82nd Regular Session. For essential state services to continue in 2012 and 2013, the Legislature must pass a state budget before adjourning. This Policy Page explains the process of writing the 2012-13 budget and how you can participate to ensure a budget aligned with your values—a budget that invests in the critical public services and structures necessary to create opportunity and prosperity. [ View Article ] Sep 1, 2010, 07:06

LT. GOVERNOR DEWHURST AND SPEAKER STRAUS SEND LETTER TO EDUCATION SECRETARY ARNE DUNCAN
Austin--Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker of the House Joe Straus sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan expressing concerns with upcoming U.S. Department of Education guidelines for state funding under H.R. 1586, and requesting flexibility that will allow Texas to spend its fair share of taxpayer dollars in a manner consistent with the Texas state constitution and equitable for the teachers and schoolchildren of Texas. [ View Article ] Aug 31, 2010, 08:39

Swinford resigning from House
FYI: AUSTIN - Retiring Rep. David Swinford, who had been contemplating resigning his seat before his last two-year term expired in January, has made it official. He is retiring today. In an Aug. 26 letter to Gov. Rick Perry, with copies to legislative leaders, the Dumas Republican said he is giving up his Texas House District 87 seat today. "After much discussion and consultation with District 87's leaders, community leaders and good friends, I have decided the greatest parting gift to my constituents would be to retire early," Swinford said in his one-page letter to Perry. But although two weeks ago Swinford told the Amarillo Globe-News that he was contemplating becoming a lobbyist after stepping down, he said in a Monday interview he has yet to decide whether he would do it. [ View Article ] Aug 31, 2010, 08:31

Top Texas House Races to Watch
FYI: Only 10 days out from Labor Day — the unofficial start of the campaign season — we bring you a scouting report on the 21 Texas House races to watch this fall. We based our picks on dozens of interviews with politicos and our own analysis of district voting patterns, campaign coffers, the relative strength of the candidates and issues that could turn each contest. [ View Article ] Aug 27, 2010, 08:31

Texas GOP questions Dunnam's residency
State Republican Chairman Steve Munisteri says House Democratic leader Jim Dunnam "has actively deceived the voters" of Central Texas about where he lives. State GOP spokesman Bryan Preston goes further, saying Dunnam "has made himself ineligible" by living outside his district for the past eight years. Dunnam, though, says Republicans are beating a dead horse. [ View Article ] Aug 27, 2010, 07:34

Governor Talks Government In Tyler
Brandon and Connie Barron don't identify themselves as Democrats or Republicans. She is a newly-registered nurse. He worked in the oil and gas industry and is now a stay-at-home dad. The Barrons are transplants from Houston, and said they are both familiar and unimpressed with former mayor Bill White, the Democratic challenger to the longest-serving governor in the state's history. [ View Article ] Aug 26, 2010, 07:56

Perry's work schedule lacks documentation
The governor who considers himself one of the state's hardest workers has few official records to back up that claim -- especially compared to the detailed schedules kept by his fellow big-state governors, which were obtained by The Texas Tribune through open records requests. [ View Article ] Aug 24, 2010, 07:49

In the red, lawmakers may get schooled
AUSTIN - Nearly 5 million students from kindergarten through 12th grade are back in Texas public schools today, most with some degree of anxiety ranging from excitement to consternation. Perhaps just as anxious are school administrators and other officials, but not for reasons that are purely academic. For starters, in next year's session of the Legislature lawmakers are expected to face what could be the largest budget shortfall in state history, perhaps as much as $18 billion over the next two fiscal years. [ View Article ] Aug 23, 2010, 08:37

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