Your afternoon reading.
The Midday Brief: January 18, 2010
2010: See Alma Run. For What?
Alma Aguado is running for Governor of Texas and, if Kay Bailey Hutchinson retires, for the U.S. Senate. While she says she would rather be governor, her Facebook page for politicians still reads, “Alma Aguado for U.S. Senate.”
The Brief: January 18, 2010
Debra Medina has a dream — and it’s not just to bring a gun into a grocery store.
Guest Column: The 2010 Agenda: Criminal Justice
In response to shrinking budgets, there’s a risk that lawmakers might feel compelled to scale back funding for treatment and diversion programming. Instead, it’s time for the state to seriously consider closing one or more of the 112 prison units it currently operates.
A Conversation with Joe Straus
For the first of our TribLive events, I interviewed the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives about his first session leading his colleagues, the coming budget turmoil, the controversial plans for a renovation of the Governor’s Mansion, the “scary as hell” health care reforms in play in Congress, and, of course, the titanic battle of Rick vs. Kay.
Latinos and the Pay Gap
In Texas, they earn 35 percent less than their Anglo counterparts — a disparity that’s bigger here than elsewhere. Is it because of education, age, discrimination, or some combination of the above?
Data App: Governor’s Race Cash
Search more than $35 million in campaign donations and loans collected by the top candidates in the governor’s race. You can also explore how they spent the money.
The Tuition Time Bomb
It costs an average of 63 percent more to attend a four-year state school today than it did in 2003 — and that’s still not enough to keep pace with bulging university budgets. Some policy makers see the higher education business model on the cusp of collapse.
TribLive featuring House Speaker Joe Straus
The Texas House Speaker discusses priorities for the next legislative session, his position on the tea party wing of the GOP and assesses his first year as speaker.



