It’s funny that you can win four statewide elections and still have people think you’re a goofball, in over your head. But maybe Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s fumbles leading to the Texas Senate’s budget vote give the lie to that. Maybe he’s goofy like a fox.
Rainy Day Fund
Posted in
Demographics
Perry on Senate Budget, Sanctuary Cities and Rainy Days
The governor told a press gaggle today that the Senate budget vote is a “step in right direction” — and that big-city police chiefs who oppose sanctuary city legislation must not have been listening last Election Day.
Posted in
Economy
Procedural Move Allows GOP to Pass Senate Budget
The $176 billion budget was approved along party lines, with all 19 Republicans voting for it and all 12 Democrats voting against.
Posted in
Economy
Failed Budget Vote Threatens Senate Tradition
Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden tried, and failed, to get 20 state senators to vote with him on a proposed state budget Tuesday. On Wednesday, he’s going to see if he can find 15.
Posted in
Economy
Senators Still Searching for Budget Support
Sen. Steve Ogden is still looking for 20 fellow senators willing to start the debate on the state budget and with less than a month left in the legislative session, the pressure is on.
Posted in
Health care
David Dewhurst: The TT Interview
With less than five weeks left to go in the session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sat down with the Tribune to talk about his future political plans, the status of the budget in the Senate and in the biennial parley between the Senate and the House, redistricting and the tug-of-war over the Rainy Day Fund.
Posted in
Economy
Dewhurst Makes Budget Pitch to Senators
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, trying to build enough support to bring the budget up for consideration this week, appealed in writing to state senators, supporting the plan and a provision that would allow the state to spend $3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on a freshman lawmaker’s rogue antics, Aguilar on how cartel violence affects tick eradication, Galbraith on Midland’s water woes, Hamilton on the exit of a higher ed reformer, Murphy maps voting age by county, Philpott on the data breach at the Comptroller’s office, Ramsey on why Susan Combs needs to eat crow, my TribLive interview with U.S. Sen John Cornyn, Ramshaw on Cornyn’s refusal to take the “nickel tour” of Planned Parenthood, M. Smith annotates the contracts of superintendents, Stiles on a GOP-friendly redistricting map and Tan on a possible Rainy Day Fund raid: The best of our best content from April 18 to 22, 2011.
Posted in
Economy
Senate Panel Approves $176.5 Billion Budget
A $176.5 billion budget for the 2012-13 biennium — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget but almost $12 billion larger than the version passed earlier by the House — won approval from the Senate Finance Committee Thursday.
Posted in
State Government
Guest Column: How to Bridge the Budget Gap
As the clock counts down to the end of the regular session on May 30, it’s fair to ask House and Senate leaders — and all members — to meet our needs, not our wants. Here’s how they can bridge the multi-billion-dollar gap between their budget plans without any new taxes.
