Despite the disdain of Texas’ Republican leadership, the state’s component of the Obama administration’s Weatherization Assistance Program has been quite successful — surpassing its goal of weatherizing more than 38,000 homes.
Becca Aaronson
Becca Aaronson was the first product manager at the Tribune, where she worked from 2010 to 2018. As product manager, Becca managed the Tribune's website redesign, coordinates cross-departmental projects and conducted user research to improve reader experience. She previously worked on the Tribune's data visuals team as a developer and project manager, contributing to several award-winning investigative projects. She covered health care from 2012 to 2014, making waves with her coverage of women's health and the Wendy Davis abortion filibuster.
She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural theory from Scripps College in Claremont, Calif.
Posted inHealth care
Despite Reforms, Abuse Continues at Texas Institutions for Disabled
More than two years after Texas leaders signed a federal agreement to improve care at the state’s institutions, not even a quarter of its terms have been met and mistreatment is still commonplace.
Posted in
Economy
Private Sector Continues to Create Jobs in Texas
Texas added 15,400 new jobs last month, according to statistics released today by the Texas Workforce Commission. The Texas unemployment rate, which increased over the last three months, remained steady in September at 8.5 percent.
Posted inEconomy
Interactive: Has the Federal Stimulus Program Created Jobs in Texas?
This interactive table shows how much stimulus funding was awarded to state agencies, how it was received and spent, and the number of jobs created or retained with the money, according to quarterly reports filed by recipients of stimulus funds.
Posted inState Government
Interactive: The Problem with Medicare Spending — and Proposals to Fix it
Use our interactive to understand the budget hole federal lawmakers have dug by not updating the Medicare funding formula, Texas physicians’ response to the problem, and the cost of varied proposals to fix it.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
On the Records: Fact Checking Perry on Texas Economy Claims
The Tribune loves infographics, including the recent one posted by the Perry campaign called “State of Texas Economy.” But like all claims made by a political campaign, it deserves the scrutiny of a fact-checking exercise.
Posted inState Government
Interactive: How Chris Christie Compares to Perry, Romney
If New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joins the GOP presidential race, how would his politics — sometimes labeled left of center by fellow Republicans — compare to those of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney?
Posted inEconomy
Interactive: Texas’ Shrinking State Government
Anticipating the $15 billion in budget cuts lawmakers passed during the legislative session, state agencies have been dropping employees for more than a year. This table shows employment changes at state agencies from May 2010 to May 2011.
Posted in
Economy
Anticipating Budget Cuts, State Agencies Shrink
The numbers prove it: State government is shrinking. Many attribute the drop in state jobs to the budget cuts lawmakers passed last legislative session. But agencies had been preparing for the deficit by dropping employees for more than a year.
Posted in
Health care
Liveblog: Health and Human Services at The Texas Tribune Festival
We’ll be liveblogging throughout the weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival’s health and human services track — which includes panels on the fight over federal health reform, whether Texas can cure cancer and what effect tort reform has had statewide.
