Zerwas on Texas budget, school choice and bathroom bill (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 2/23 conversation with Texas House Appropriations Chair John Zerwas, R-Richmond. Full Story
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Texas House's chief budget writer: State shouldn't cut border security funding
The Texas’ House’s chief budget writer said that President Trump’s emergence in Washington shouldn’t give state lawmakers license to slice hefty appropriations for border security — at least not yet. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, answers questions regarding a lean Texas budget with an appearance at a Texas Tribune event on Feb. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
UT/TT Poll: How Texas voters rank the state Legislature’s priorities
Most Texans don't know the state faces a tight budget, but asked what they'd do in a pinch, many of them say they'd dip into the state's savings account, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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House budget proposal would defund Gov. Abbott's pre-K program
The House has proposed cutting all funding for a pre-K grant program that Gov. Greg Abbott has discussed as a priority this legislative session — setting the stage for a battle in the Legislature. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs House Bill 4, which adds funding for pre-kindergarten, into law at the Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center in Austin on May 28, 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: Lawmakers can turn to a bag of tricks to balance state budget
With an official forecast that less money will be available, the next state budget is tight. The finance folks are looking for money to make it balance, but don't fret: They've got plenty of tax-avoiding, budget-balancing tricks in their bags. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Rainy Day Fund takes center stage at first House budget hearing
Budget writers in the Texas House are considering tapping the state's savings account because they have a lot less money at their discretion this session. Full Story
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![Longtime state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Katy, in the House Chamber on Feb. 9, 2017. Zerwas was named chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee by Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
With money tight, Texas budget writers eyeing billions approved by voters for roads
More than a year after Texas voters approved routing billions in state sales taxes to roads and bridges, some lawmakers are questioning whether the first payment of $5 billion should move forward as planned. Full Story
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![A natural gas drilling boom in the Eagle Ford Shale area in South Texas is straining the area's rural roads as more than 1,000 loaded trucks are needed to bring a single well into production.]()
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Analysis: Texas makes do with broken but legal school finance system
It’s a confusing time in school finance — a maelstrom of local and state governments trying to master a byzantine system that is faltering in every way but the most important one: The courts say it's broken, but constitutionally sound. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tim Park / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Abbott and the $200 million bully pulpit
Talking — the bully pulpit, as Teddy Roosevelt called it — is one of the biggest powers available to a Texas governor. Greg Abbott is trying to trim the state budget with a speech. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott prepares to deliver his State of the State address, flanked by (l.-r.) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, state Sens. Donna Campbell, R-San Antonio, and Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, and House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
At state agencies without a public crisis, workers fear they won't see raises
Advocates for state employees hope that lawmakers approve substantial pay raises — including for state workers who don't work at an agency that's facing a high-profile crisis. Full Story
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![Yolanda White, a board member for the Texas State Employees Union, speaks at a press conference on January 30, 2017 in front of the state Capitol.]()
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Texas Gov. Abbott's statewide hiring freeze comes with some exceptions
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday imposed an immediate hiring freeze on state agencies through the end of August. His office said Tuesday that the Department of Family and Protective Services is among those exempted from it. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the House on the opening Day of the 85th legislative session, Jan. 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
In State of State, Abbott imposes hiring freeze, declares 4 issues "emergencies"
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked lawmakers to immediately take on so-called "sanctuary cities," the state's broken child welfare system and a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution. Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott prepares to deliver his State of the State address, flanked by (l.-r.) Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, state Sens. Donna Campbell, R-San Antonio, and Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, and House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pans Texas House budget proposal
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Thursday panned the Texas House's budget proposal, suggesting it is fiscally irresponsible because it exceeds Comptroller Glenn Hegar's biennial revenue estimate. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during January 11, 2017 Tribune Conversation]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Texas university leaders warn of dire consequences if Senate budget is implemented
In a day-long hearing, university presidents and chancellors said their schools might have to lay off faculty and cut classes if hundreds of millions of dollars worth of "special items" aren't put back in the budget. Full Story
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![Happy Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, watches passage of SB 1 budget bill on a 30-1 vote April 14, 2015. Lone no vote was Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston.]()
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Straus seeks to publish efficiency report that Patrick wanted scrapped
House Speaker Joe Straus has asked a state agency to release its ideas for improving government efficiency. The request came on the heels of news that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had directed the board to do the exact opposite. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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Analysis: A Senate budget that takes more off the top than it first appears
The Texas Senate's proposed budget, with one exception, is a carefully assembled conservative start to a 20-week legislative spending negotiation. But they finished off their work with a chainsaw. Full Story
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![September 15, 2016 Senate Finance Committee hearing at the Texas Capitol]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Decision on budget tactic could affect millions in university funds
Schools say they rely heavily on "special item" appropriations for higher education. The Senate hasn't appropriated any so far, but it could add them later. Full Story
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Analysis: Spinning numbers in lawmakers’ proposed budgets
For lessons in how to speak positively about bad news — without telling lies — you might consider studying at the feet of the people who write the Texas budget. Full Story
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House, Senate disagree on how to fund the state's oil and gas regulator
Texas House and Senate leaders unveiled dueling budget proposals this week that are billions of dollars apart. Full Story
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Lawmakers likely to wage in-state tuition policy fight again this year
Will Texas legislators repeal in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants? One Republican lawmaker is determined to make it happen. Full Story
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![Former and current lawmakers gather at the Texas Capitol showing their support for HB 1403 which passed in 2001 ensuring that all Texas would have access to in-state college tuition regardless of immigration status.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera