We asked three big thinkers in the Capitol community — Talmadge Heflin, Eva DeLuna Castro and Bill Hammond — to tell us what they’d do if they had the power to take on the budget shortfall themselves.
82nd Legislative Session
Posted in
Health care
Castro: Start by Casting Aside Wishful Thinking
We need a balanced approach that uses our reserves and adds revenue. And we have to start by casting aside wishful thinking; we are writing the 2012-13 budget, with higher costs and increased enrollment in education and health care services — not some past budget.
Posted in
Public Education
In West Texas, a Town’s Fate Tied to Its School
With just 56 students, Marathon ISD is one of the state’s smallest. But its fate is critical to the West Texas town’s survival. And if what is happening here works, it could serve as a model for other towns looking to shield their way of life from the death knell of school closures.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Jail Officials: Mental Health Cuts Hurt Everyone
Slashing funds for community-based mental health care will hurt taxpayers and degrade the quality of life for thousands of mentally ill Texans and their families, Harris County Jail officials told Texas budget writers today in written testimony for the Senate Finance Committee.
Posted in
Demographics
Eissler: Don’t Check Immgration Status of Students
In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, the chair of the House Public Education Committee, said he opposed a bill by state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, that would require school districts to check the immigration status of students enrolling in Texas public schools.
Posted in
State Government
“The Daily Show” Does the Speaker’s Race
The long-awaited Daily Show segment on alleged anti-Semitism in the 2011 Speaker’s race was, predictably, funny. And that John Oliver: such a punim!
Posted in
Demographics
Eissler: Don’t Check Immgration Status of Students
In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said he opposed a bill that would require school districts to check the immigration status of public school students.
Posted in
Public Education
LiveBlog: TribLive with Rob Eissler
House Public Education Committee Chairman Rob Eissler talked with Texas Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith this morning. Here is our liveblog.
Posted in
Demographics
E-Verify Battle Could Soon Greet Texas Lawmakers
At least half a dozen bills have been filed in the Texas House mandating the use of the federal electronic employment verification system known as E-Verify. But is the system so fraught with errors that it actually hinders employers who use it to check the eligibility of new hires?
Posted in
Energy
EPA Proposes New Regulations on Rocket Fuel Ingredient
The Environmental Protection Agency is developing new drinking-water regulations for a toxic rocket-fuel ingredient found in 26 states — including Texas.
