All Coverage | The Texas Tribune

Data App: Hey, Big Spenders

By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles May 13, 2010

It's not only rich people and lobbyists and interest group activists who make political contributions. Texas congressional candidates gave at least $1.3 million to other campaigns and causes over the last 15 months, according to itemized records of campaign expenditures released for the first time by the Federal Election Commission. Topping the list of big spenders in the Texas delegation were U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, who contributed at least $240,000 — the highest dollar amount — and Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, who gave more than 60 contributions — the highest number. Search our database to see who gave what to whom. Full Story

Credit: Jacob Villanueva
On the Records: FEC Drops New Data

By Matt Stiles May 13, 2010

On Tuesday, the Federal Election Commission for the first time released detailed records for all congressional candidates' campaign spending. These records tell us who the candidates hire for advertising, consulting, etc., and can often be more interesting to politics junkies than lists of campaign donations. We've made spending by the Texas delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives searchable. Full Story

Credit: Jacob Villanueva
Guest Column: Why Student Regents Shouldn't Vote

By Charles Miller May 13, 2010

Would you turn all of your family's assets, its health and safety and future, or those of your friends and neighbors, over to an unknown university student, even one carefully selected? Of course not. Full Story
TribBlog: Study: Mentally Ill End Up in Texas Prisons

By Emily Ramshaw May 12, 2010

Texas has nearly eight times as many people with serious mental illness in jails and prisons as it does in psychiatric hospitals, according to a new study by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs’ Association. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmerich
TribBlog: Dewhurst Predicts No Tax Hikes or Gaming

By Ross Ramsey May 12, 2010

The state won't need new taxes or expanded legal gambling to cover a budget shortfall next session, but higher fees and more budget cuts are a possibility, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said at this morning's TribLive interview in Austin. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
The Brief: May 12, 2010

By Julián Aguilar May 12, 2010

State lawmakers could have 18 billion reasons to worry about next year's session. Full Story
A Voice but No Vote

By Alexa Garcia-Ditta May 12, 2010

It took decades to get Texas lawmakers to allow students to sit on each university system's board of regents — and only on the condition that they can't vote. But most other states with student regents do grant voting privileges. Full Story
The Workers' Comp Whistleblowers

By Elise Hu May 12, 2010

Former employees of the Division of Workers' Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance say their higher-ups have failed to sanction or remove dozens of physicians accused of fraudently overbilling and overtreating patients, costing insurers millions of dollars. The allegations of stalled enforcement action have sparked an inquiry by the State Auditor’s Office, records show. Full Story

Credit: Nathan Lindstrom, Jacob Villanueva
TribBlog: Senators Get Social

By Alexa Garcia-Ditta May 11, 2010

With more and more state employees and elected officials using websites like Facebook and Twitter the onslaught of social media use within governmental bodies brings with it a lot of questions. Full Story
TribBlog: $18 Billion Dollar Budget Hole

By Ben Philpott, KUT News May 11, 2010

Texas lawmakers have been fishing for ideas on how to fill a looming budget deficit when they return to Austin in 2011. Based on new projections out today, they’re gonna need a bigger boat. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Midday Brief: May 11, 2010

By Reeve Hamilton May 11, 2010

Your afternoon reading. Full Story
TribBlog: Perry Releases Updated Security Plan

By Brandi Grissom May 11, 2010

Gov. Rick Perry today released his updated homeland security plan, and border congressmen want to know why he's not sending more federal security money to the border. Full Story

Credit: Texans for Rick Perry
On the Records: Come and Take Our Data

By Matt Stiles and Niran Babalola May 11, 2010

Records in the Texas Tribune's data library are licensed under Creative Commons, which means you're free to download them, remix them and republish them — so long as you comply with our simple terms. Full Story

Credit: Texas A&M University
The Brief: May 11, 2010

By Reeve Hamilton May 11, 2010

Texans are not known for keeping their opinions to themselves. Full Story

Credit: United States Congress
Doctors Without Borders

By Emily Ramshaw and Matt Stiles May 11, 2010

That’s right — they’re not from Texas. Newly licensed physicians enlisting to treat the state’s Medicaid and Medicare patients are more likely to have been trained at international medical schools, according to a review of state medical licensing data. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles, Jacob Villanueva
The Graduation Gap

By Reeve Hamilton May 11, 2010

For years, Texas universities have focused on getting more students onto to their campuses. The hard part, it turns out, is getting them to leave in no more than six years. Full Story

Credit: wikipedia.org
TribBlog: Claytie Drops Suit Against Mayor

By Julián Aguilar May 10, 2010

Clayton Williams Jr. and Fort Stockton Mayor Ruben Falcon have resolved at least one of their conflicts. Full Story
On the Records: Prisons App 1.1

By Matt Stiles May 10, 2010

We've updated our Texas prisons app to include data and visualizations about inmates from each of the state's 254 counties. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
The Midday Brief: May 10, 2010

By Reeve Hamilton May 10, 2010

Your afternoon reading. Full Story
The Brief: May 10, 2010

By Reeve Hamilton May 10, 2010

The “a” in Plano must stand for “awkward.” Full Story