In a decision sure to be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, state district Judge John Dietz ruled Monday in favor of more than 600 school districts on all of their major claims against the state.
83rd Legislative Session
Posted in
Economy
Good Times or Bad, the Budget Remains Tight
When money was tight two years ago, the state’s top budget writers employed cutbacks and accounting tricks to balance the budget. Money is flowing again, but the budget folks are still finding it easy to say no.
Posted in
Demographics
Lege Could Ban Drones Over Private Property
State Rep. Lance Gooden says he will carry legislation to make it illegal to use a drone to capture video or photographs of private property without the consent of the property’s owner or occupant.
Posted in
Economy
Ethics Commission Declines to Raise Legislators’ Session Pay
There will be no pay raise for legislators this year. The Texas Ethics Commission, at the urging of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus, declined to raise the per diem payments lawmakers get when they’re in session.
Posted in
Economy
Perry’s Call for Tax Relief is Subject of Confusion
The $1.8 billion in tax relief that Gov. Rick Perry called for this week was short on details, but the few that are out there are already sparking questions.
Posted in
State Government
TribLive: A Conversation with Williams and Pitts
Full video of my 1/31 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie.
Posted in
Public Education
Proposed Charter School Would Focus on Adults
Goodwill Industries hopes to open a charter school in Central Texas to help adults who lack a high school education. But there is an obstacle: The state only provides funding for students under age 26.
Posted in
Politics
Searching for Clues in Perry’s State of the State
The governor stayed away from social issues and some obvious hot-button topics in his State of the State speech this week. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a political speech.
Posted in
Public Education
TribLive: Williams and Pitts on Public Ed Funding
At Thursday’s TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, talked about how the school finance litigation affects the debate over public education funding.
Posted in
Health care
TribLive: Williams and Pitts on Medicaid
At Thursday’s TribLive conversation, state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, discussed what the state should do about its exploding Medicaid obligations.
