Perry: Don't Start Making Plans to Spend Surplus
Gov. Rick Perry warned Texas lawmakers not to start making grand plans for the multibillion-dollar budget surplus and the growing Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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Combs Says Texas Lawmakers Will Have $101.4 Billion for Budget
A day before the start of the 2013 legislative session, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs delivered much-improved budget news compared with two years ago. Lawmakers will have $101.4 billion for their next two-year budget. Full Story
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School Finance Trial Will Influence Session, With or Without a Final Decision
A final decision in the school finance trial against the state involving more than two-thirds of its districts and charter schools likely won’t happen until after the lights go out in the 83rd Legislature. But that doesn’t mean what’s happening inside of the courtroom now won’t have an impact on policy under the pink dome. Full Story
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Spending-Limits Bill Serves as a Great Excuse
Some state lawmakers don't trust themselves not to spend more money than they really think they should spend. They want a law that would tie their own hands. Full Story
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School Finance Lawsuits Give Lawmakers an Out
The courts aren't expected to finish their work on school finance until after the regular legislative session, giving lawmakers an excuse for leaving some expensive work incomplete for now. Full Story
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Gains in Texas Budget a Source of Hot Debate
Does Texas need a constitutional cap on spending growth to protect it from the whims of future lawmakers or save it from the current ones? Supporters of the proposal are at odds. Full Story
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Tax Incentives Could Prove Divisive For GOP
Republican leaders like to say government should just get out of the way and let the private sector do work its unfettered magic. But during the session, they may have a hard time squaring their stated philosophy with their support for tax giveaways to private industry. Full Story
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What if Government Officials Were Scrutinized Like Football Coaches?
Imagine a government as accountable to voters for its performance as football coaches are to the ire of fans and boosters. Full Story
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TribLive: Seliger on the Cost of a College Education
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, discussed the prospect of tuition reregulation and whether the state is adequately funding higher ed. Full Story
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Two Years After Big Cuts, Battle Over Budget Caps Looms
After the Legislature cut billions of dollars from the state budget in 2011, some hoped to see at least some of the funding restored in 2013. But with the next legislative session quickly approaching, others are pushing to limit that spending. Full Story
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State Leaders Adopt Spending Cap for 2014-15 Budget
State leaders including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus on Thursday voted to cap the state’s spending growth rate at 10.71 percent for the next-two year budget. Full Story
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College Funding Turns on Definition of "Provide"
The state of Texas used to cover half of the costs of higher education at state colleges and universities. Now it's around 13 percent at the University of Texas at Austin and 22 percent at Texas A&M University in College Station. Full Story
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UT/TT Poll: Economic Issues Are Top Concerns
Economic and immigration issues remain top concerns in the state, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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At Budget Meetings, Policy Decisions Few Voters Notice
A couple of key "process" decisions — adopting an official prediction of how much the economy and population will grow, and deciding how big a patch to put on the current state budget — could limit state spending for the next two years. Full Story
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Something Borrowed, Something Sued
The decision that comes from the school finance trial that will begin on Oct. 22 will set the tone for the next round of reforms. But there’s a separate conversation happening outside the courtroom that could be equally instructive — and indicates funding for schools may face challenges not only at the state but the local level. Full Story
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State Lawmakers Take Aim at Accounting Tricks
Some of the extra tax revenue the state has recently found will be needed to help pay for accounting gimmicks used to help balance the current budget. Ahead of the next legislative session, lawmakers are looking to put an end to such tricks. Full Story
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Inside Intelligence: About Those Money-Makers...
For this week's nonscientific survey of government and political insiders, we asked about tax reform, swapping local property taxes for something else, and whether voters and legislators are on the same page on casinos. Full Story
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Budget Outlook is Better, but Not Necessarily Good
Writing the state budget might not be as difficult next year as it was two years ago, but things haven't improved enough to make it easy. Full Story
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Weekend Insider: Texas Budget, Assistance for Migrant Students
In this edition of the Weekend Insider: The Texas state budget may not be as bad as expected, and a program to help migrant students attend college reaches a milestone. Full Story
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Which Pocket?
A one-for-one swap of sales taxes for property taxes would raise the state sales tax to 17.85 percent from 6.25 percent, or enough to add almost $3,500 to the price of an average car. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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