State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, is dropping his bid for state Senate and won’t seek reelection to the Texas House next year, he said Sunday. Gattis said State Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, will seek reelection after all.
State Government
Stay informed on Texas state government with The Texas Tribune’s in-depth coverage of the governor, Legislature, state agencies, and policies shaping the future of Texas.
Posted inState Government
HuTube: WFAA’s Extended Interview with KBH
Kay Bailey Hutchison launches sharp attacks against Governor Rick Perry in a twenty-minute television interview.
Posted in
Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Ramsey and others on Bill White and the changing state of the race for governor; Thevenot’s two-parter on what Dallas churches are doing to combat social ills and racial division; Ramshaw on the use of force by school district police departments (and why parents don’t know about it); Grissom’s two-parter, abetted by Stiles, on unregulated payday lenders; Aguilar on Mexican immigrants who play against type; and Rapoport on those missing extra checks for retired public employees. The best of the best from November 21 to 25, 2009.
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State Government
TribBlog: Castro Incontrovertible
Well, now it’s official: The mayor of San Antonio will save us all.
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State Government
HuTube: Hammer All Over This Land
A very special season finale of Dancing with the Stars features Texas’ paunchy political star, Tom DeLay.
Posted inState Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 005
It’s the Thanksgiving episode of The Texas Tribune TribCast. Evan Smith, Ross Ramsey, Elise Hu and Ben Philpott talk about the shakeup in the Democratic race for governor and the ramifications for the Republicans.
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State Government
The Checks Aren’t in the Mail
Sorry, retired teachers and other public employees: You’ll have to do without that extra $500 you were expecting. And you shouldn’t count on any additional benefits next year — not if the state pension fund continues to be, in the words on one state senator, “actuarially unsound.”
Posted inState Government
Interview with David Dunn on charter schools
David Dunn, former advisor to President Bush and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, has returned home to found the Texas Charter School Association. He takes the tough questions on charter performance, future expansion and accountability for results.
Posted in
Public Education
Hidden Force
School district police departments use tasers, pepper spray, dogs and drawn handguns to control crime on campus. But most don’t keep data on the incidents, leaving parents no way to track them. Many even refuse to turn over their “use of force” guidelines, saying parting with their policies could create a security threat.