The Evening Brief: March 20, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• On the Records: Texas Donors Boost Super PAC Backing Romney: "The Super PAC Restore Our Future, which supports Mitt Romney, received $3 million from Houston homebuilder Bob Perry and $100,000 from Contran Corporation CEO Harold Simmons of Dallas in February."
  

• Williams Releases Tax Returns, Urges Foes to Do Same: "Congressional candidate Michael Williams released his 2011 tax returns today, and the former Texas railroad commissioner urged his 11 Republican primary opponents to do the same."

• Outcomes-Based Higher Ed Funding Plans Move Forward: "A new funding model for public higher education in Texas is in the works. The latest proposal was revealed today at a committee meeting at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board."

Culled:

• Pro-Ron Paul super PAC Endorse Liberty sees fundraising slide (Politico): "Endorse Liberty, the main super PAC supporting Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential candidacy, isn’t looking too super anymore.  The organization raised less than $282,500 in February, new federal disclosure reports show — not even close to the $2.4 million it raised the month before in January."

• Texas suspends burro-killing policy in state park (The Associated Press): "The Texas wildlife agency said Tuesday it is suspending a policy that allows the killing of burros in a state park along the Mexican border after the Humane Society of the United States offered to devise a nonlethal plan to remove the destructive animals."

• Founder of pro-Dewhurst PAC, despite tie, will host TV forum (The Dallas Morning News): "The co-host of a political program on Houston public television will play a key on-air part in a televised Senate candidate forum in early May, despite his recent launch of a super PAC supporting frontrunner David Dewhurst."

• Conservative groups' mantra for next year's session: Cut, cut, cut (The Dallas Morning News): "Conservative groups that have set much of the agenda for the Republican-dominated Legislature say the state should aggressively pursue more spending cuts, and not ease reductions approved last year. The groups said Tuesday that in spite of recent signs the Texas economy is growing, lawmakers should require agencies and state colleges to shrink spending by 3 percent immediately and offer ideas for an additional 7 percent cut in the next two-year cycle."