Nearly 37 percent of the state’s population of nearly 25 million is Latino, but only about 1.2 million Latinos who were registered to vote in 2008 cast ballots. Pinpointing when the emerging majority group in Texas will begin wielding its power at election time is no small feat. Scores of campaigns, party activists and interest groups spend millions of dollars each year trying to determine what will happen when that day comes.
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley sits along the Texas-Mexico border, where agriculture, trade and a rapidly growing tech sector shape daily life. The region includes communities such as McAllen, Brownsville and Harlingen. The communities are on the front lines of some of the state’s most consequential immigration and border-policy debates.
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Demographics
TribBlog: Troops to Texas Aug. 1
Of the 1,200 National Guard troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border, Texas will see 250 — fewer than half of the 524 ordered to Arizona.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Grissom’s three-part series (here, here and here) on prosperity and peril along the U.S.-Mexico border, Hu on the Division of Workers’ Compensation audit report, Stiles puts more than 3,000 personal disclosure forms filed by politicians, candidates and state officials online, M. Smith on attempts to curb the practice of barratry (better known as ambulance chasing), Ramsey interviews the chair of the Texas Libertarian Party, Hamilton on attempts to improve the success rates of community colleges, Galbraith on whether electric deregulation has helped or hurt Texans, Aguilar talks to a chronicler of the bloody narco-wars and Ramshaw on doctors who most often prescribe antipsychotic drugs to the state’s neediest patients: The best of our best from July 12 to 16, 2010.
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Demographics
HuTube: Perry on FOX Business
Gov. Rick Perry chats with the FOX Business Network’s Neil Cavuto about his latest poll numbers, the moratorium on deep water drilling and the cancellation of a Border Governors’ Conference that was going to take place in Arizona, until Mexican governors boycotted the meeting.
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Criminal Justice
On the Records: How Public Servants Make Their Money
The Texas Ethics Commission recently released more than 3,000 personal financial statements — documents that detail state officials’ financial interests and liabilities. Read, download or embed them with our new application.
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey’s interview with Rick Perry’s chief consultant, Stiles on the massive amount of cash that cities are collecting from red-light cameras, Grissom on the coming debate over the Democrats’ two-step primary/caucus process, Thevenot on the State Board of Education’s latest controversial plan, Aguilar on immigrants deported for minor infractions, Ramshaw on the social conscience (or lack thereof) of medical schools, M. Smith on a nascent voter registration effort in Harris County, Hamilton’s interview with the newest state senator, Philpott on Bill White’s feistier week, Galbraith on how tighter EPA rules will affect Texas and Hu on questions about the governor’s transparency: The best of our best from June 21 to 25, 2010.
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Higher Education
TribBlog: Excellence for Aid?
A previously rejected proposal that would give TEXAS Grants to college students based on academic merit, rather than on a first-come, first-served basis, saw the light again on Wednesday — but old tensions still linger about who should get a piece of the nearly $615 million financial aid pie first.
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Health care
TribBlog: Renaissance Talks Valley Carve-Out
In a hearing before House budget-writers today, officials of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance conceded they’ll move toward Medicaid managed care in the Rio Grande Valley, so long as it’s done with lots of local input.
Posted in
Health care
No More Valley Carve-Out?
When Texas expanded its Medicaid managed care program in 2003 to cover more than urban centers, the Rio Grande Valley narrowly avoided being included. But as state leaders stare down a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall, they say it’s unlikely the Valley will make it through another session without being roped in.
Posted in
Demographics
Gimme Shelter
Despite the drug war raging on the other side of the border, the number of Mexican nationals applying for asylum in the United States is declining. Approvals are down even further.
