Weekend Insider: Need for Foster Care, Family Accused of Murder
In this episode of Weekend Insider, Claire Cardona explains the rise in the state's need for foster care, and Brandi Grissom introduces us to a family accused of murder. Full Story
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Survey: Teachers Say Working Conditions, Class Sizes Getting Worse
The Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers has released the results of a web survey that reports extensive teacher layoffs, increasing class sizes, and deteriorating work conditions following state budget cuts. Full Story
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Updated: Combs Taps the Brakes on Formula 1 Racing
The state won't spend any taxpayer money on Formula 1 in advance of Texas races, Comptroller Susan Combs announced this morning — days after racing officials expressed doubt over a Grand Prix here. It's not clear how that will affect the track. Full Story
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Memo to Voters: There's No Free Lunch
Voters clearly want good schools and nice roads and low taxes. It's a political and policy question straight out of a business textbook: What's the right balance of price and quality? Full Story
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Study: Texas Ranks Last in Mental Health Spending
Despite an increase in state spending on mental health care, Texas still ranks last in per capita funding for people with mental illness, according to a report issued by the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
What Do Voters Want?
Texas Republicans are playing with the old Milton Friedman line: There is no such thing as a free lunch. Full Story
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Inside Intelligence: On the Issues
The insiders answered questions from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll for the second week in a row, this time on the death penalty, education, top issues facing Texas, and whether the people they know would vote for a Mormon candidate with whom they agree on issues. Full Story
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UT/TT Poll: Mormon Candidates Face Hurdle
More than one in five Texas voters say most of the people they know would not vote for a Mormon presidential candidate even if they agreed with him or her on the issues, according to the new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Full Story
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School Dropouts, Politicians and the Funny Arithmetic of State Budgets
Every time a student drops out of public school, taxpayers save money. That’s one fewer student, at an annual savings of more than $11,000 per year from state and local sources. Full Story
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Schools and Taxes: The Next Big Thing
The primary elections come in less than five months. The general election is about a year away. When that's all out of the way, we'll all be talking about lawsuits — some that have been filed, some that will be filed later — on school finance and franchise taxes. Full Story
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Schooling the GOP
As the field of candidates shapes up for the March 2012 primaries, a new — at least since last election cycle — breed of GOP hopeful is emerging: the education Republican. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Court Hears Challenge to State Business Tax
A successful challenge to the state's primary business tax would throw lawmakers into special session to try to find enough money to pay for public schools, a lawyer for the state told the Texas Supreme Court today. Full Story
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Anticipating Budget Cuts, State Agencies Shrink
The numbers prove it: State government is shrinking. Many attribute the drop in state jobs to the budget cuts lawmakers passed last legislative session. But agencies had been preparing for the deficit by dropping employees for more than a year. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Interactive: Texas' Shrinking State Government
Anticipating the $15 billion in budget cuts lawmakers passed during the legislative session, state agencies have been dropping employees for more than a year. This table shows employment changes at state agencies from May 2010 to May 2011. Full Story
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Naomi Gonzalez: The TT Interview
El Paso's Democratic state representative on the media's portrayal of her hometown, why the grassroots is key to making gains for her party, and why she thinks immigration legislation will hurt Gov. Rick Perry on the campaign trail. Full Story
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31 Days, 31 Ways 2011: Tell Us How the Lege's Actions Affect You
We spent the month of August telling you 31 ways the Legislature's decisions will affect Texans. It's your turn to weigh in. Tell us how the decisions made by lawmakers this session will affect you or someone else you know. Full Story
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31 Days, 31 Ways: Nursing Homes Brace for Higher Costs, Sicker Patients
DAY 31 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: Nursing homes were spared the draconian cuts proposed by lawmakers at the beginning of the 2011 session. Still, despite growing caseloads and rising medical costs, they move forward with less state and federal support. Full Story
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31 Days, 31 Ways: State Cuts Nursing Education Funding
DAY 29 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: The state has dramatically reduced support for nursing education, meaning Texas will continue to face a critical shortage of registered nurses. Full Story
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31 Days, 31 Ways: Days, Services at State Parks Cut Back
DAY 26 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: 23 of the state's 94 parks face reductions in staff or operations. Full Story
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Video: Capitol Buzz - Perry On Stimulus "Strings".
Gov. Rick Perry likes to rail against the Obama administration's "failed" federal stimulus program, but he and state lawmakers have more than $17 billion in fed-stim dollars to thank for the last two balanced Texas budgets. Full Story
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