The Midday Brief: June 2, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

"At a news conference Wednesday in the Houston suburb of Deer Park, Perry said the federal government should stop what he called a 'power grab' by the Environmental Protection Agency. Last week, the EPA's regional director threatened to remove Texas' regulatory authority by midsummer if the state fails to comply with the Clean Air Act." — Texas Gov. Rick Perry says state a model for clean air — The Associated Press

"The state’s business tax has so far come in woefully short of the budgeted projections, new revenue figures show. The state has collected $3.6 billion from the business tax as of the May payment deadline, according to the Texas Comptroller. The budget estimates the total collection for the 2010 fiscal year would be $4.3 billion." — State’s business tax collections well short, Postcards

"Even as recent efforts to cap the well spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico have failed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today said that oil already in the water has moved westward more slowly than previously anticipated." — Texas beaches forecast to remain oil free for foreseeable future, The Examiner

"Hispanic children represent 91 percent of the public school enrollment increase over the past decade, according to Texas Education Agency statistics. The current school year shows an overall enrollment increase of 856,061 students from the 1999-2000 school year. The number of Hispanic students has increased by 775,075." — Hispanic children make up 91% of school enrollment growth, Texas Politics

New in the Texas Tribune:

Most Americans can access broadband Internet services where they live, but in rural Texas, some still lack the kind of connectivity that allows them to get online without the hassles of dial up. — TribBlog: Boosting Broadband

The expected deployment of 1,200 National Guard troops to the border has angered border advocacy groups, which fear the militarization of their communities will damage the local economy and negatively impact their way of life. — Troop Trauma