The Department of Public Safety, which is struggling financially, is planning to use $16 million of the federal stimulus dollars that Gov. Rick Perry begrudgingly accepted to plug a hole in the border security budget. The decision follows a mandate by Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and House Speaker Joe Straus that state agencies cut 5 percent out of their budgets to meet an anticipated shortfall.
Joe Straus
Posted inState Government
Brian McCall on Craddick vs. Straus
The retiring Republican state representative from Plano reviews House Speaker Joe Straus’ first year on the job.
Posted in
State Government
The Brief: January 18, 2010
Debra Medina has a dream — and it’s not just to bring a gun into a grocery store.
Posted inState Government
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.
Posted inState Government
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.
Posted in
Economy
TribBlog: Snip, Snip
No surprise here, but still: State leaders want state agencies to cut five percent from their current budgets “due to the uncertainty of the state’s short-term economic future, as well as potentially substantial long-term costs associated with the passage of federal legislation currently being debated in Washington, D.C.”
Posted inState Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 11
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben pregame the GOP gubernatorial debate, consider the political prospects of ESPN’s Craig James and sum up House Speaker Joe Straus’ appearance at the inaugural TribLive event.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Straus Wants to Slow Down on Mansion
The state ought to slow down proposals to expand the Governor’s Mansion, House Speaker Joe Straus said in the inaugural TribLive event this morning, creating an obstacle to an idea endorsed by First Lady Anita Perry that has stirred historic preservationists in Texas.
Posted in
Demographics
Slow Medicine
As El Paso begins to wear the new off its hard-fought medical school, another Texas border community is starting on the long road to establishing its own. University of Texas System officials are evaluating how long it will take and how much it could cost to train the next generation of doctors in the Rio Grande Valley.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Alexander Out, Davis In
House Speaker Joe Straus named Denise Davis his new chief of staff and said former Rep. Clyde Alexander, who had held that post, will become a senior advisor.
