Good Times or Bad, the Texas Budget is Tight
Two years ago, Texas lawmakers didn’t have enough money to spend. Now, it seems, they can’t spend all the money they have.
Back in 2011, they were forced to cut programs and services — in part by their own promises not to raise taxes and fees.
Now they’re fenced in by self-imposed spending caps, the need to fill some of the gaps in the current budget and a school finance lawsuit that could require a multibillion-dollar remedy this year.
The lead budget writers two years ago said the money wasn’t available for everything the state was already ...
Comments (16)
Josi Moon Lauritzen via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Duh, restore budget cuts to education!
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Fully fund education! Why won't they? They desire to defund and push their privatize scheme.
Jody Rozecki Farris via Texas Tribune on Facebook
We continue to be 49th in the nation for taking care of our special needs children. These sweet little kids are on a ten year wait list just to get medical insurance. Where are our priorities!?
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Education was not cut. Education spending has been on the rise. What you may be referring to was the one time infusion of federal money. The State explicitly told the school districts that was a one time expenditure and not to count on that money again but as was predicted by many the school districts spent the money in not a wise manner and are now short money.
Government has to learn to budget wisely, live within their means and to tighten their belts when they need to. But when people see "surplus" they think that is a green light to spend. IT is irresponsible to spend that money on new budgetary expenses and expect the state to cover those expenses ion future budgets. Spending for one time items is appropriate since it does not put a strain on future budgets.
It is a shame that Home Economic classes are not taught in schools anymore. If they were and if they were mandatory, then perhaps people would understand how to make a budget and live within their means.
Rick Archer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Matthew Cowan....spending has NOT gone up! Any rise in spending would only account for inflation. The state us spending at least $500 less per student than it was 2 years ago. Add to that the real rise per student in education costs and you get a severe lack of funding.
Michael Hull
Matthew, you seem to know everything about education--what happened to the Home Economics courses???? Budget cuts....???
I'll give you points for being consistent, but not much else...
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick, spending has gone up. What you consider a cut was the disappearance of the one time funding grant. So yes you got less money than before but that was not your base budget. The state added money to the base budget. Educators were warned of that when the grant was given. Now we know that educators took that money and expected that to be their base funding level in the future. Throwing more money is not going to solve the problem. I suggest you look locally.
Rick Archer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The grants are not what I'm talking about! You sound like Michelle Rhee. Local control is not the problem. What's makes you an expert? Tell me your background.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What is your background Rick? From what I have gathered is that you do not know what you are talking about.
Rick Archer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
School Administrator, Superintendent's certificate. What's yours son.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Licensed Teacher. You know the people who actually teach and put up with the bureaucratic nonsense from administrators and superintendents that actually get in the way of actually teaching!!
Rick Archer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Clueless about what goes on outside your classroom. Please don't stereotype admins. Do you like it when teachers are stereotyped? Someone is giving you the wrong facts. You must be republican.
Nora Dearing via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick Perry needs to honor the promise this state made to its citizens and fully fund public education. I'm a teacher and we do more with less. Less money, less staff, less training and more students.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rick, I am well informed about what occurs outside the classroom. But from your tone and attitude, I described you accurately. You are the type of admin who shuffles the paper, makes busy work and bully those around him to seem important. You make excuses when performance is down and as usual take no responsibility and blame those under you. Yes, as a third generation teacher I have met and heard much about your type before and have no use for you.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Nora you are doing less because the districts are taking more for administration positions, and more money for superintendents. They give them fat bonuses and big buyouts. Overpaying on school construction and focusing on things not needed.
hans5162@ix.netcom.com hans
It is increasingly apparent from these posts, that Matthew Cowan is a pseudonym for Peggy Venable. Only a woman old enough to have served in the Reagan Administration would argue that it's a shame that home economics classes are not taught anymore. Also, the lies that "Matthew" seems to repeat are the same lies that Peggy Venable shamelessly flogs. Also, AFP has a history of creating fake websites and fake people who supposedly support their radical agenda. Matthew Cowan is a lying troll for AFP.