The specifics keep moving around, but House management still wants to see the tax and school finance bills on the floor for debate by March 7 or 8. That means the committees in control must move the bills next week.
Wobbly, but Still in Motion
Posted in
Health care
The Ides of March
Mention March 2006 to political people in Texas, and you’ll trigger a conversation about the top of the ballot. But March 2006 — the month of the primaries and, in particular, the Republican primaries — is on the minds of a fair number of legislators who want to remain in office after this term.
Posted inState Government
Packing for Which Trip?
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison hasn’t yet said what she’s running for next year, but there might be a hint in the hiring.
Posted inState Government
The Longest Day
Picture this day in the Texas House: A major education overhaul, a new business tax (and several other taxes) to pay for it, a vote on property appraisal caps, another on a statewide property tax, and a vote on expanding gaming in Texas to allow high-tech slot machines and dog and horse tracks.
Posted in
Health care
It Never Hurts to Ask
Can you remember a particular State of the State speech? That’s not meant as a slap at Gov. Rick Perry — we’re just noting the historical significance of the form. What’s useful about these spiels is that they tell you what direction a governor hopes a Legislature will take. It’s where Perry said he wanted a reexamination of some death penalty issues four years ago, for instance. This year, his list was devoid of surprises, but gave listeners a sense of his direction. Some highlights:
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Health care
It’s Only Money
Two weeks ago, the smart guys were betting there’d be $1 billion to $2 billion in red ink in the state’s starting budget. Instead, it’s in the black, though it will probably swing from one inkwell to the other in the next few weeks.
Posted in
Health care
Easy as Pie
Piece number one fell into place Monday, when Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn announced the state’s financial fortunes have improved over two years ago and the ugly budget fight that ensued then might be avoided this time around. Budgeteers, nervous about Strayhorn’s steady political attacks on Gov. Rick Perry, were braced for worse news. Instead, her numbers were within a hair’s breadth of their own predictions about state income.
Posted inState Government
The Title is Set, but Not the Tune
Everybody in School Finance Land seems to agree the state needs a new “broad-based business tax” to help buy down local property taxes. You can hear those four words from Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and from House Speaker Tom Craddick. You’ll hear them a lot more over the next six months.
Posted inState Government
Season’s Greetings!
This is the last issue of Texas Weekly for 2004. We’re taking two weeks off and will return in the first week of January, in time for the government and political fun to begin all over again. Thanks for your support this year: We appreciate your business and wish you a wonderful holiday season.
Posted inState Government
Visions of Sugar Plums
A kind of inertia surfaces in the parlor speculation of political people that follows every big election. Top-of-the-ballot stuff is so well trodden that you can talk about whether She will challenge Him and everybody in Texas knows what you’re babbling about. But while most eyes are focused on two of the state’s top officeholders, other ambitions are being stoked. No one has declared for anything yet — except for Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Gov. Rick Perry, the only two statewides who say they’ll definitely seek reelection — but trial balloons fill the sky.
