While many people believe that needle exchange programs simply facilitate or condone illegal drug use, there is a powerful conservative argument for why they’re good public policy.
Health care
In-depth reporting on public health, healthcare policy, hospitals, and wellness issues shaping communities across Texas, from The Texas Tribune.
Zerwas: Use Most of Rainy Day Fund or I’ll Get Spanked
At this morning’s TribLive conversation about health care, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, took a more aggressive position than most of his fellow Republicans on the subject of whether to tap the Rainy Day Fund and how much should be tapped.
Liveblog: Reform or Bust?
We liveblogged this morning from the Austin Club, where the subject of today’s TribLive was health care: the costs โ and solutions โ for Medicaid, payment reform in Texas vs. the federal health overhaul, and what kind of hit Texas’ neediest patients will take.
UT/TT Poll: Texans Are Ready to Roll the Dice
A majority of the state’s voters say they’re ready for full-blown casino gambling, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
TPPF, State Leaders: Medicaid Growth Is “Unsustainable”
A conservative think tank and Republican state leaders gathered this morning to offer their solutions to the state’s “unsustainable” Medicaid cost crunch.
Garnet Coleman: The TT Interview
The Democratic state representative from Houston on his Republican colleagues’ quest for a federal Medicaid waiver, the problem with block grants and what realistically the feds could do to help Texas and other states.
UT/TT Poll: Voters Want Budget Cuts but Don’t Like Options
By more than 2 to 1, Texas voters believe lawmakers should solve the state’s shortfall by cutting the budget, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, but they’re divided on specific cuts.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
The best of our best content from Feb. 14 to 18, 2011.
The Week in Texas Politics Recap: 2/14 to 2/18
No time to follow every twist and turn of the Texas Legislature? We’ve made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome.
Minorities Drove Strong Texas Growth, Census Figures Show
Texas’ explosive growth during the past decade was fueled by a boom in its minority population, which accounted for 89 percent of the total increase in population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.


