One day after the Senate passed its version of the budget for the next biennium, the Texas Public Policy Foundation expanded its media campaign for a “conservative budget.” They produced a series of new ads now running on statewide television. The timing appears to be strategic, as the Senate and House prepare to reconcile their spending plans in conference committee.
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
Video: House Unlikely to Support Senate Budget
The Senate Finance Committee passed a budget this week that proposes spending about $12 billion more than the House in the next biennium. At first glance, House Appropriations Chair Jim Pitts says there’s no way his chamber can meet the Senate halfway.
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Economy
Senate Panel Approves $176.5 Billion Budget
A $176.5 billion budget for the 2012-13 biennium — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget but almost $12 billion larger than the version passed earlier by the House — won approval from the Senate Finance Committee Thursday.
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Economy
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 76
In this week’s jam-packed episode, Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben discuss higher education reformers, data security at the Comptroller’s office, redistricting, the budget, and birthdays.
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Economy
Ogden Proposes Taking Additional $3B From Rainy Day Fund
Senate Finance Chair Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, has dropped the news many have been waiting to hear: He wants to attach a contingency provision to the 2012-13 budget that would withdraw $3 billion from the Rainy Day Fund.
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Economy
Senators Look for Money Without Saying “Taxes”
State senators have unveiled a list of almost $5 billion in cash-flow tricks, property sales and fees that could be used to ease cuts in the state budget, but it’s not enough to completely close the gap between what they have available and what they hope to spend.
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Economy
Senate Budget Takes Aim at Hospitals
It doesn’t include a “sick tax.” But the Senate version of the state’s 2012-13 budget still takes direct aim at hospitals, in an effort to find hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings and narrow the state’s revenue gap.
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Economy
Interactive: How Would You Close the State’s Budget Gap?
Solving the state’s 2012-13 budget woes is a hard job and perhaps the best way to show that is to let you decide for yourself how the $27 billion shortfall should be closed. Use our interactive budget shortfall app to see what you’re willing to give up to close the gap.
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Economy
Could Soda Tax Fill Budget Hole?
Republican lawmakers have vowed to close the budget hole without a new tax. But that hasn’t stopped Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, from proposing a penny per ounce tax on soft drinks.
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Economy
A Budget Problem Deferred — to Now
The 2006 tax swap — lowering local school property taxes and creating a new business tax to make up the difference — is at the center of Texas’ current budget troubles. The architects are still pointing fingers over what and whom to blame for the state’s “structural deficit.”