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The latest budget news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Barack the Knife

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    What happens in Washington doesn't stay in Washington. Lawmakers, industry leaders and special interest groups are studying President Obama’s 2010 budget to figure out how spending cuts and other changes at the federal level could impact Texas. Ben Philpott, who's covering politics and public policy for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story 

  • Burned Orange

    By Brian Thevenot

    A clash over a beloved campus music club at UT-Austin portends the gnashing of teeth at schools statewide as a budgetary winter threatens to envelop higher education. Full Story 

    Bill Powers speaks about budget cuts at The University of Texas on Tuesday, February 2nd.
    Credit: Jacqueline Mermea

  • Ticked

    By Julián Aguilar

    The worst outbreak of fever-tick infestations in South Texas in four decades has ranchers and animal-health officials scrambling to prevent not just a loss of billions to the state cattle's industry but an outright ban on our cattle. Full Story 

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  • No Experience Necessary

    By Abby Rapoport

    Few members of the State Board of Education have finance expertise. Should we be concerned that they manage the investments of the $23 billion Permanent School Fund? Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • The Tuition Time Bomb

    By Brian Thevenot

    It costs an average of 63 percent more to attend a four-year state school today than it did in 2003 — and that's still not enough to keep pace with bulging university budgets. Some policy makers see the higher education business model on the cusp of collapse. Full Story 

    Tuition increases in Texas public colleges 2003 and 2008
    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • TribBlog: Snip, Snip

    By Ross Ramsey

    No surprise here, but still: State leaders want state agencies to cut five percent from their current budgets "due to the uncertainty of the state's short-term economic future, as well as potentially substantial long-term costs associated with the passage of federal legislation currently being debated in Washington, D.C." Full Story 

  • Out of the Race

    By Abby Rapoport

    Texas will not apply for Race for the Top, the one-time federal grant worth up to $700 million for the state. Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott cited strings attached to the potential money: “It was chock full of burdens. Their overall policy was to control curriculum across the country." Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • It's Still the Economy, Stupid

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Sales taxes are down and the recession in Texas hasn't bottomed, so financial concerns will almost certainly factor into the governor's race. Ben Philpott, covering that contest for KUT News and the Tribune, takes a look. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • The Hidden Food Line

    By Brian Thevenot

    Pending food-stamp applications have soared in Texas — from about 38,000 a year ago to more than 65,000 in October. Two-thirds of those people had waited longer than the federally mandated 30 days, and nearly half had waited more than 60 days. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    It was a political week, with a full-court press from our staff on Bill White's switch to the governor's race and all of the fallout; the moves during the first week of filing for political races; Philpott's look at Republicans challenging Republicans; Hu's latest in the popular Stump Interrupted series; Ramshaw on emergency rooms, family doctors, and child protection; Stiles and Grissom mapping payday lending locations juxtaposed with family income data; Rapoport on the state budget and education; Thevenot on KBH's plans for schools; and Hamilton on the power (or not) of political endorsements. The best of the best from November 28 to December 4, 2009. Full Story 

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  • 2010: Ogden Will Seek Another Term

    By Ross Ramsey

    State Sen. Steve Ogden, who said earlier this year he would leave the Legislature after his current term, will seek another two years in office after all. And he may have drawn the first primary opponent of his political career. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Grading KBH's Education Plans

    By Brian Thevenot

    Education has emerged as one of the more contentious fronts in the gubernatorial campaign, with Kay Bailey Hutchison this week releasing a barrage of school proposals and attacks on the status quo. But the differences between the candidates have more to do with execution than with design. Full Story 

    U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, appearing at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin.
    Credit: Elise Hu

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Money

    By Abby Rapoport

    The Rainy Day Fund seems like weather word play waiting to happen. It can plug holes in the budget, defend against an economic perfect storm and keep the deficit clouds at bay. That’s certainly how some see it when looking at the next biennium's projected shortfalls. Full Story 

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