At Wednesday’s TribLive conversation, House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, talked about the likelihood of withdrawals from the Rainy Day Fund and whether the state can meet its obligations under the spending cap.
Joe Straus
Posted in
Public Education
TribLive: Straus on School Finance
At Wednesday’s TribLive conversation, House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, reacted to this week’s ruling on the school finance lawsuit and talked about what happens now.
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 inState Government
Updated: Straus Offers Details on Transparency Panel
House Speaker Joe Straus says a new Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations will delve into the finances, compensation packages and public-private partnerships across state government
Posted inState Government
Video: Smith County GOP Leader Says “Enough”
Ashton Oravetz, the former Smith County Republican Party chairman, describes the state and national Republican Party leaders of today as “dysfunctional, unethical, crony capitalists.”
Posted in
State Government
Subdued Start for Those at the Head of the Table
The legislative session just started, but it seems clear that state leaders are running low on what a former president from Texas once called “the vision thing.”
Posted in
Higher Education
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Batheja on growing calls for infrastructure spending, Dehn and Rocha report on voters’ legislative wishes, Murphy counts noses in the new Legislature, KUT’s Philpott sniffs out a push for tax relief, M. Smith tracks House Speaker Joe Straus after his re-election, Kalifa’s lovely time-lapse look at the Legislature’s first day, Aaronson on the Medicaid expansion, Aguilar on hopes for immigration reform, Grissom on the tribulations of Kerry Max Cook, Hamilton looks into a college curriculum battle, and E. Smith’s TribLive interview with Michael Williams: The best of our best for the week of Jan. 7, 2013.
Posted in
Politics
His Job Safe, Straus Now Faces Session’s Hurdles
After successfully fending off another challenge to his speakership, Joe Straus faces a tough task in the session. He will have to tackle issues that have been thorny for Republicans in the past, without further alienating the far right.
Posted in
State Government
Dewhurst, Straus, Perry See Opportunity to Take Up Tax Relief in Session
In a joint appearance Wednesday, Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus seemed to agree that taxes would go down. Meanwhile, none would commit to restoring education cuts from last session.
Posted in
State Government
Session’s First Day Long on Pomp, but Leaders Also Address Priorities
Texas legislators started their 83rd session with leaders who want to focus on water, infrastructure, budget transparency, education — and, perhaps, some tax relief.