Agenda Texas: Perry Joins the Fight

With only four weeks until the end of the 83rd legislative session, we’ll see more bills hitting the House and Senate floors.

Budget, Budget Everywhere

The only must-pass bill, the state budget for the next two years, will garner much of the attention this week, even though that legislation has already passed the House and Senate.

Texas Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey said lawmakers are dealing with a few different budget issues as they wrap up the session.

"How much money should they spend on big programs like water, transportation and the governor's call for a tax cut? Should they break the constitutional limit on spending growth?" Ramsey said. "And they're kind of worried about using money from the state's Rainy Day Fund."

Ramsey said Gov. Rick Perry's renewed push to get his budget priorities passed has also caused some problems at the Legislature — especially since the governor is threatening a veto if his pet items, like a business tax cut, aren't passed.

Traveling to the Bush Museum

A quick follow-up on last week’s dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center:

I asked if you planned on making a trip to Dallas to visit the museum, which opens to the public on Wednesday. Responses were split about 50-50, with some saying "of course" they’d visit the Bush or any other presidential museum, and others saying their opposition to the wars started during the Bush administration will keep them away.

You can join always join the conversation at AgendaTexas@kut.org and on Twitter @Agenda Texas.