A $40 million state incentive package was one of many reasons Toyota agreed to move its headquarters to Plano, company CEO Jim Lentz said Thursday. Yet absent the subsidy, picking Texas would have been a “real tough sell.”
Aman Batheja
Aman Batheja was a political reporter and editor for the Tribune from 2012 to 2019. Previously he worked for eight years at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, most of that time covering state and local politics. A native of Cedarhurst, New York, he has an undergraduate degree in journalism and psychology from New York University and a master's in economics from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Posted in
Transportation
Here’s What it’s Like to Ride in a Google Self-driving Car in Austin
A reporter’s brief trip in the backseat of a Google self-driving car shows how developers are taking advantage of Austin’s traffic patterns to teach its software how to handle the mundane and the unpredictable.
Posted inState Government
State Securities Board Questions Intent of Abbott’s Veto
The State Securities Board is questioning whether Gov. Greg Abbott really intended to veto $1.2 million for employee raises from its budget, part of more than $200 million in funds that remain in legal limbo.
Posted inState Government
Texas High Court Ruling Shields Contract Details
A recent ruling by the Texas Supreme Court has made it easier for private companies to keep secret details of their contracts with the state of Texas and local governments, a move that public information advocates warn is ripe for abuse.
Posted inState Government
Abbott Sets Sights on Easing Traffic Congestion in Texas
Also, a petition is delivered demanding action in the Sandra Bland case and a car crashes through a gate on the Capitol grounds.
Posted inState Government
Will Another Traffic Nightmare Precede the Next Big Storm?
Before Hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast 10 years ago, there was an evacuation marked by a traffic disaster. Officials say they’re prepared to avoid a similar catastrophe on the roads. This is part of our “Road From Rita” series, a collaboration with the Beaumont Enterprise.
Posted in
State Government
Rangers Find Stickland’s Staff Registered Supporters
A Texas Rangers investigation released Tuesday found that the staff of state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, filled out witness registration forms for people who were not in the Capitol but that no one committed any prosecutable offenses.
Posted in
Politics
House Committee to Revisit Stickland v. Pickett
A state investigation that began after one House member ejected another from a hearing for allegedly signing up absent witnesses to support legislation could reach its conclusion Tuesday at a House committee hearing.
Posted in
Politics
In Embrace of Street Artist, Cruz Increasingly Courts Controversy
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign has launched a business partnership with a street artist with a history of controversial statements on social media, including using racial epithets and rooting for President Barack Obama’s assassination.
Posted in
Politics
Rick Perry Suspends Presidential Campaign
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Friday suspended his bid for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, facing dwindling resources, bare bones staff and a staggeringly low position in the polls.
