TribBlog: Sparking an Apology
They're sorry, folks. Spark Energy says it's sincerely sorry for causing such a literal roar at this morning's inauguration ceremony. Full Story
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![Spark Energy's banner that flew low above the Texas inauguration on Jan. 18, 2011.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmerich -
TribBlog: Scrounging for Cash
The Legislative Budget Board has begun distributing (to legislators — not to the public) its recommendations for how to save money and raise money to help balance the 2012-13 state budget. They plan to distribute copies of the budget itself (again, to lawmakers only) later tonight, and all of the documents will be available online to the public tomorrow morning. The details are still coming in, but here are some of the headlines from the LBB's Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Recommendations. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson -
TribBlog: Are Tax Holidays Over?
The Legislature's starting budget will apparently include proposals to cancel popular back-to-school sales tax holidays, cut discounts for retailers who remit sales taxes early, allow sales of liquor on Sundays to increase revenue from taxes on alcohol, cut the state's subsidy of dependent insurance premiums for state employees and lower the tax breaks for energy companies that take on certain high-cost gas drilling projects, sources say. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson -
On the Records: Inaugural Word Clouds
Texans heard from two familiar pols today: Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. We turned their prepared remarks into word clouds to help visualize the tone and rhetoric of their inaugural speeches at the Capitol. Full Story
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![Word cloud of Rick Perry's prepared remarks for his inauguration as Governor.]()
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TribBlog: Rick Perry's Inauguration Speech
The full text of Gov. Rick Perry's inauguration speech, as written. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmerich -
TribBlog: David Dewhurst's Inauguration Speech
Here's the full text of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's inauguration speech, as written. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
TribBlog: Perry's Third Inauguration Liveblog
Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry is set to be sworn in for an unprecedented third term, and a good-sized crowd has turned out for the festivities (and free barbecue). Stay with us for updates from the speech and swearing-in at the Capitol. Full Story
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![Reporters at Gov. Rick Perry's 2011 inauguration.]()
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Perry on the Budget
Gov. Rick Perry says the state has to live within its means and that "there's nothing new" about that. Full Story
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Perry on Jerry Brown
Gov. Rick Perry says he and California Gov. Jerry Brown have been comparing notes on the budget, Medicaid, and the federal government. Full Story
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Back to Basics
As be begins his second decade as governor, Rick Perry's plan is to deal with the basics: to make sure the state is on a smooth economic path, to pass a balanced state budget, to coax the federal government into loosening its purse strings and tightening its security on the Mexican border. Full Story
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Credit: Justin Dehn -
The Looming Cuts
With some top state leaders warning that Texas’ dire fiscal situation will lead to the loss of several thousand state jobs, House budget writers will release their first draft budget today. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, big job cuts may be just the beginning. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Rick Perry on "Sanctuary Cities"
Gov. Rick Perry says cities shouldn't require police officers to do immigration checks but shouldn't prevent it, either. Full Story
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The Looming Cuts
With some top state leaders warning that Texas' dire fiscal situation will lead to the loss of several thousand state jobs, House budget writers will release their first draft budget today. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, big job cuts may be just the beginning. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
TribBlog: Michael Williams Will Resign to Run
Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams will resign this week, allowing him to work full time on a race for U.S. Senate — and to avoid a potentially bruising legislative fight over the future of his agency. Full Story
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Jim Pitts on the Tea Party
The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on the Tea Partiers and other hyperconservative types who oppose him in his district. Full Story
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Jim Pitts on the Rainy Day Fund
The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on what lawmakers should do with the Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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Jim Pitts on Gambling
The chairman of the House Appropriations Committee on why he'd back legalized gambling as a source of revenue for the state's coffers. Full Story
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A Conversation With Jim Pitts
The Waxahachie Republican talks about the size of the budget shortfall, the possibility of new revenue sources and why he'd support legalized gambling. Full Story
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EPA Presses On in Fight With Texas
The Environmental Protection Agency took public comment in Dallas on Friday on its new rules for greenhouse gas regulations. Because Texas has refused to establish a greenhouse gas permitting process, the EPA will directly issue permits to companies here — but as Erika Aguilar of KUT News reports, federal officials say there won’t be a delay for companies wanting to them. Full Story
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A Conversation with Jim Pitts
For our latest TribLive conversation, I interviewed the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee about the budget shortfall, the possibility of new revenue sources, whether Joe Straus will retaliate against members who opposed him and whether Tea Party threats should be taken seriously. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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