The House on Monday sent five members to negotiate a budget with the Senate, with instructions to avoid anything that looks like it would expand the state’s Medicaid program.
Economy
Get the latest on jobs, business, growth, and policy shaping the state’s economy with in-depth reporting from The Texas Tribune.
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Economy
House Budget Writers Support $500 Million More for Schools
The House Appropriations Committee unanimously approved an $874.9 million supplemental budget bill Thursday that includes $500 million more for schools and covers bills for last year’s wildfires.
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Economy
Perry Calls for $1.6 Billion in Business Tax Cuts
Gov. Rick Perry unveiled a four-point, $1.6 billion business tax relief plan Monday that includes an across-the-board rate reduction of the business franchise tax.
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Economy
Perry Ad Campaign Targets Illinois Businesses
UPDATED: Gov. Rick Perry launched a weeklong ad campaign Monday to lure Illinois businesses to Texas. The effort follows recent high-profile efforts by Perry to poach businesses from California.
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Economy
Video: Perry Backs Dedicated Car Sales Taxes for Highway Fund
Gov. Rick Perry called on dedicating future growth in the state’s motor vehicle sales taxes to be used to pay for road projects.
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Economy
Roadblocks Emerge for Transportation Funding
With less than two months left in the legislative session, some lawmakers are lowering expectations on what can get done related to funding for roads.
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Economy
A House Less Susceptible to Political Stampedes
In 2011, state lawmakers fresh from a Tea Party election surge were hypersensitive to the opinions of and instructions from conservative activists. But as Thursday’s House budget debate showed, this session isn’t quite the same.
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Economy
El Paso Power Plant Draws Opposition
Citing the need for more power to meet the demands of a burgeoning community, El Paso Electric plans to build a natural gas power plant. But a legislator has joined forces with a coalition of residents intent to fight the project.
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Economy
House Members Prepare for Long Budget Debate
Texas House members are expected to debate well into the night Thursday as they take up the lower chamber’s budget proposal, which includes 267 amendments.
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Economy
Zerwas: House Medicaid Reform Bill Will Incorporate Williams’ Plan
UPDATED: Rep. John Zerwas confirmed Wednesday that he will incorporate into his own Medicaid reform bill a proposal by Sen. Tommy Williams to use premium tax revenue to subsidize private health policies for the uninsured.