Tag Archives: budget
Texas Has Plenty of Money, But Will Lawmakers Use it to Fix Their Years of Negligence?
State Comptroller Glenn Hegar released his revenue estimate for the 2020-2021 biennium. The upshot is: There’s money to spend, if the Legislature is willing.
Things appear to be going swimmingly for those hoping that Texas legislators will finally address two of the state’s most intractable, intertwined problems: a...Read More
Lawmaker Hopes Bill Will Encourage Legislature to End Shady Accounting Practice
Representative Joe Pickett wants to stop collecting fees from Texans to improve air quality and spend the $1.27 billion sitting unused in the TERP fund.
Texas collects millions of dollars every year from residents to improve air quality, but almost never spends it all. Instead, the Legislature hoards the money t...Read More
Texas Collects Fees from Residents to Clean Up the Air. Why Won’t Lawmakers Use It?
The Legislature uses an accounting trick to hoard money in the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan fund rather than appropriating it for clean air projects.
The Legislature uses an accounting trick to hoard money in the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan fund rather than appropriating it for clean air projects. ...Read More
Why Did Texas Democrats Support a Measure that would Erase Billions from State Budget?
Senators Hinojosa, Lucio, Uresti and West don’t jump at the opportunity to explain why they voted for SB 17.
Senators Hinojosa, Lucio, Uresti and West don’t jump at the opportunity to explain why they voted for SB 17. ...Read More
In House Budget Debate, Lawmakers Fret Over Petty Issues While Sucker-Punching the Poor
Much of the debate centered on tiny programs that cost a few million dollars each, or on symbolic gestures involving social issues.
Much of the debate centered on tiny programs that cost a few million dollars each, or on symbolic gestures involving social issues....Read More
The House Tea Party Caucus is Mad as Hell, Weaker Than Ever
The most colorful members of the House Freedom Caucus are against puppies and hospice care — and for cigarettes and hogs.
The most colorful members of the House Freedom Caucus are against puppies and hospice care — and for cigarettes and hogs....Read More
‘An Incredibly Conservative Budget’: A Guide to the Texas House Proposal
Though they’re having trouble finding money for child welfare, Medicaid and schools, lawmakers found $653 million to fund a state border security plan.
Though they’re having trouble finding money for child welfare, Medicaid and schools, lawmakers found $653 million to fund a state border security plan....Read More
Quixotic Plan to Amend U.S. Constitution Passes Texas House
While many economist and critics decry the idea, the Texas House passed a resolution requesting that Congress convene a convention of states to consider amendin...Read More
GOP Wants to Spend Millions on Border Security—Whatever That Means
Without a real definition of border security, state budget analysts can't tell whether spending has been effective, and yet $815 million is proposed anyway....Read More