Lawmakers offered dueling interpretations Thursday of a Legislative Budget Board analysis predicting that the state could lose hundreds of thousands of jobs if the House’s budget bill is passed.
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
For Seniors in Texas, Hunger on the Rise
Hunger, at an all-time high in the U.S., is especially pronounced among seniors, with more than 6 million considered “food insecure.” And as Matt Largey of KUT News reports, the problem is growing in Texas.
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Economy
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 72
This week’s episode of the TribCast features Evan, Ross, Reeve and Ben talking mostly about the budget, but also a bit about redistricting and academic research.
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Economy
House, Senate Budget Goals Could Lead to Battle
As the House prepares for a vote on its budget bill, Senate lawmakers are hinting that they’re looking to spend more than their counterparts on public education — setting the stage for a budget battle.
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Economy
Classrooms A Priority
Republican senators say the state’s budget shortfall will mean educations cuts, but they said schools should focus first on eliminating non-classroom expenses and keeping as many teachers as possible.
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Economy
Infographic: The Politics of the Rainy Day Fund
Use our infographic to understand the intent of the Rainy Day Fund, what it takes to draw from that savings account, and the political arguments for and against using it.
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Economy
Who’s Watching the Stimulus?
The House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization Funding has expired, and its outspoken leader failed to get re-elected. So, amid all the state’s fiscal concerns, who is keeping an eye on the stimulus?
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Inside Intelligence
Inside Intelligence: The Rainy Day Fund Deal Will…
For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked whether the full Legislature will go along with a deal to tap the Rainy Day Fund and about how the budget process will finally work out.
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Economy
At South by Southwest, Another Type of British Invasion
Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune sat down with Dominick Chilcott, deputy ambassador for Britain, to talk about what lures companies from across the pond to South by Southwest.
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Economy
Combs Raises Estimate of State Revenue
The state’s budget outlook is improving and lawmakers will have more money to spend than they thought, Comptroller Susan Combs said in a letter to legislative leaders today.