The U.S. House has passed a bill on Tuesday that is expected to send about $800 million to bolster the stateโs education budget. But thanks to an amendment added by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, the funding comes with Texas-specific strings attached. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune has this report.
Politics
Stay informed with The Texas Tribuneโs in-depth political coverage, including Texas elections, state government, policy debates, and the leaders shaping the future of the state.
TribBlog: Border Residents Feel Safe, Poll Finds
A large majority of the residents of Texas cities on the U.S.-Mexico border feel relatively safe despite harsh rhetoric from lawmakers and a consistent media portrayal of their communities as war zones, according to a poll released today.
The Polling Center: White’s No Mad Man
Bill White deciding to travel to points far from Austin and Dallas while President Barack Obama visits the state today to raise money and speak at the University of Texas presents us with yet another mountain-out-of-a-molehill political story in the long, hot summer of gassy coverage of the governorโs race. A look at Obamaโs standing in Texas makes it clear that White would be nuts to share a stage with Obama unless he feels like doing a favor for Gov. Rick Perryโs ad team.
TribBlog: How Much Do Kids Count?
Texas ranks 34th nationally in childhood well-being, has the third highest teen birth rate and is experiencing a rapid increase in child poverty, according to new numbers released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS Count data center.
The Map: Get Out the Vote
El Paso and Hidalgo are the largest Latino-majority and Democratic-leaning counties in the state, and they rank near the bottom when you compare the size of their voting age population to the actual number of people who show up at the polls. Collin and Fort Bend are growing suburban counties with larger Anglo populations that tend to lean Republican and produce some of the highest turnouts of eligible voters anywhere in Texas. Guess which pair gets the most attention and has the most clout?
The Map: The Giant Still Sleeps
Nearly 37 percent of the state’s population of nearly 25 million is Latino, but only about 1.2 million Latinos who were registered to vote in 2008 cast ballots. Pinpointing when the emerging majority group in Texas will begin wielding its power at election time is no small feat. Scores of campaigns, party activists and interest groups spend millions of dollars each year trying to determine what will happen when that day comes.
2010: Rasmussen: Perry 50, White 41
Gov. Rick Perry leads Democrat Bill White 50-41 in the latest poll from Rasmussen Reports.
The Brief: June 25, 2010
That extra spring in Democrats’ step this weekend? Blame it on the Green Party.
2010: Perry 43, White 43
According to a new poll released by Public Policy Polling, Democratic challenger Bill White is running neck and neck with incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
Dave Carney: The TT Interview
During last weekend’s GOP convention in Dallas, the chief consultant to Rick Perry’s re-election campaign talked to the Tribune about the strategy behind his strategy, why many people believe a Perry run for president is coming, the mistake that Bill White is making, the canard of the “39 Percent Governor” and the whole states-versus-the-feds thing.

