In our last episode, Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts was about to open his umbrella for a deal that would use $4.3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to balance the current year’s budget, and that was going to happen at the beginning of the week.
March 2011
Posted in
Demographics
Garza: Pascual Made the “Right Decision”
The former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, South Texas native Antonio Garza, said he thinks his successor’s resignation this weekend was the right move if he felt he was no longer up to task.
Posted in
Health care
Surging Growth of Neonatal ICUs Brings Increased Budget Scrutiny
State health officials, searching for solutions to Texas’ budget shortfall, are eying neonatal intensive care units, which they fear are being overbuilt and overused by hospitals eager to profit from the high-cost care.
Posted in
Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Grissom on threats to re-entry programs for criminals, Hamilton on the tempest over the direction of UT, E. Smith’s interview with Joe Straus, Stiles and Chang’s new lobbying app, M. Smith and Weber on where state officeholders send their children to school, Aaronson on allowing new nuclear power plants, Aguilar on how Hispanic Republicans are handling immigration issues, Ramshaw talks abortion with Planned Parennthood’s Cecile Richards, Tan and Dehn on tapping the Rainy Day Fund and Galbraith on San Antonio and its water: The best of our best content from March 14 to 18, 2011.
Posted in
State Government
Neil Concedes to Howard in House Race
Dan Neil conceded to Democrat Donna Howard of Austin in the House District 48 race Friday afternoon, just days after a House committee turned back his challenge to the November election results.
Posted inState Government
The Midday Brief: Top Texas Headlines for March 18, 2011
Your afternoon reading: Perry, new cover boy, on why he’s not running for president; Hispanic Republican Conference backs voter ID
Posted in
Criminal Justice
The Week in Texas Politics Recap: March 14 to March 18
No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We’ve made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome.
Posted in
State Government
Hispanic Republicans Back Voter ID
The Hispanic Republican Conference has thrown its weight behind the controversial voter ID legislation slated to hit the House floor next week.
Posted in
Guides
Texplainer: Do Capitol Offices Select Their Own Hold Music?
Anyone in the habit of calling state legislators has probably had the pleasure and/or pain of the hold music to which staffers must occasionally subject them. Is the music the lawmakers’ choice, or is it out of their hands?
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Top Texas News for March 18, 2011
School districts and employees fearing worst-case estimates of 100,000 teacher layoffs throughout the state can breathe a little easier today.