The latest budget news from The Texas Tribune.
As be begins his second decade as governor, Rick Perry's plan is to deal with the basics: to make sure the state is on a smooth economic path, to pass a balanced state budget, to coax the federal government into loosening its purse strings and tightening its security on the Mexican border. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PerryAndRoss.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry says the state has to live within its means and that "there's nothing new" about that. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Screen_shot_2011-01-17_at_7.31.41_PM.png)
With some top state leaders warning that Texas’ dire fiscal situation will lead to the loss of several thousand state jobs, House budget writers will release their first draft budget today. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, big job cuts may be just the beginning. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TexasGovJobs.jpg)
Gov. Rick Perry says he and California Gov. Jerry Brown have been comparing notes on the budget, Medicaid, and the federal government. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Screen_shot_2011-01-17_at_7.43.47_PM.png)
With some top state leaders warning that Texas' dire fiscal situation will lead to the loss of several thousand state jobs, House budget writers will release their first draft budget today. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, big job cuts may be just the beginning. Full Story
The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on what lawmakers should do with the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/PittsJazzHands.jpg)
Despite the budget crisis, thousands of Texas teachers know their jobs are safe. They possess a "continuing contract" — the public education equivalent of tenure. Many of the most senior educators are employed under these contracts, which may complicate the efforts of some districts to cut personnel costs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/PublicSchoolTeacher.jpg)
The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on why he'd back legalized gambling as a source of revenue for the state's coffers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/PittsYes.jpg)
The Waxahachie Republican talks about the size of the budget shortfall, the possibility of new revenue sources and why he'd support legalized gambling. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ca400ea20b5805bd1aaba8688810eaa4/BD%20INC%20Jim%20Pitts%202010)
For our latest TribLive conversation, I interviewed the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee about the budget shortfall, the possibility of new revenue sources, whether Joe Straus will retaliate against members who opposed him and whether Tea Party threats should be taken seriously. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9d97b31d86f61c5cda9ba4507fcbb631/TT%20Event%20Pitts%2005%202011)
In our TribLive conversation this morning, state Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, spoke frankly about the certainty that state employees would be cut as part of the Legislature's solution to the budget shortfall — and he said furloughs for employees who aren't cut may be ordered as well. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/PittsExplainsItAll.jpg)
Trib CEO Evan Smith spent the morning interviewing House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, at a TribLive event. And Pitts made some news. Here are a few headlines. Full Story
In our session kickoff edition of the TribCast, Ross, Elise, Ben and Reeve discuss the state's budget morass, so-called "sanctuary city" legislation and their impressions of the newly sworn-in Texas Legislature. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TT-TribCast-002.png)
And they're back! Texas lawmakers returned to Austin on Tuesday to launch the 82nd Texas Legislature. Our reporters were there and produced this live play-by-play. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/CapitolDome.jpg)
The Texas Legislature today starts its 140-day effort to puzzle out a massive budget deficit, political redistricting, immigration and a slew of other gnarly problems. The budget issues came into focus Monday with new numbers from the comptroller, who says the state is recovering, slowly, from the recession. But first, legislators will get organized, voting on new rules, a new Speaker, and getting sworn in. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Straus_Happy.jpg)
Democratic state lawmakers warned Monday of the "dangerous" cuts to public and higher education that are likely as the Legislature prepares to address a massive budget shortfall. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Screen_shot_2011-01-10_at_2.36.57_PM.png)
In a press conference announcing a projected $72.2 billion in state revenue in 2012-2013, Comptroller Susan Combs explains why her previous estimates have been off target. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Screen_shot_2011-01-10_at_11.34.09_AM.png)
The state will have $77.3 billion in general revenue during the next two-year budget cycle, Comptroller Susan Combs said this morning. The comptroller estimated the Rainy Day Fund will have $9.4 billion in it at the end of the 2012-2013 biennium and that the size of the current deficit is $4.3 billion. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b8ed19150a7fd85f8c8821b2c9d6480e/BD%20INC%20Combs%2003%20CMS%202011)
For our first TribLive conversation of 2011, I interviewed Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock; Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs; and Paul Workman, R-Austin, about the Speaker's race, the budget shortfall, immigration, the Tea Party and how they and other newbies will navigate the 82nd legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9d2ea3f4b3c3f2c8d445bb530d4544e3/TT%20Event%20Threeway%202011)
The 82nd Texas Legislature convenes in Austin this week, and while it’s not as much fun as the circus — usually — it’s more important and does have its share of comedy and drama. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/CapitolComputers.jpg)