Vol 30, Issue 45 Print Issue

The Week in the Rearview Mirror

Greg Abbott launched a series of education policy roundtables, debuting what his campaign said would be a "major issue" for the campaign of the leading Republican candidate for governor. The occasion soon led to a back-and-forth with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis over $5.4 billion in cuts for public education in the 2011 state budget.

Former Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tom Pauken decided against continuing his long-shot campaign for governor against Attorney General Greg Abbott. Pauken explained that "unfortunately we are nowhere near where we need to be financially and organizationally to win this race."

To address privacy concerns raised by state leaders, the Texas Department of Insurance proposed additional rules for the so-called navigators directed to help Texans find health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst charged lawmakers with examining a recent crime enforcement surge effort in the Rio Grande Valley and said he would push to add $60 million worth of border enforcement per year until the border is secure.

Political People and their Moves

Well, that didn't take long. Outgoing Texas A&M University President R. Bowen Loftin has been officially named the new chancellor of the University of Missouri.

James Clancy of Portland and Tom Ramsay of Mount Vernon were both reappointed to new terms with the Texas Ethics Commission by Gov. Rick Perry. Their new terms in office run through Nov. 19, 2017.

Steven Mach of Houston was appointed by Perry to a spot on the Public Safety Commission. His term runs through Dec. 31, 2015.

Margie Johnson has been named to lead the Texas Education Agency's Office of Complaints, Investigations and School Accountability. The new office will receive and investigate "complaints and allegations regarding school accountability, educator misconduct, and misuse of state and federal funds," per a TEA release.

Ted Shaw will take over as leader of the Texas Hospital Association on Feb. 1. He is currently chief financial officer at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas.

David Reynolds, the former director of the Texas Medical Association's political arm, will take over as executive director of the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association on Dec. 9.

The Texas Border Coalition has named Adan Farias, Pharr's mayor pro tem, as its new chairman and former Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas as its new chairman-elect. Their terms run until 2015.