Category Archives: Budget ballyhoo

I knew that the Hochberg Amendment nearly passed in the previous special session. I’ve said all along that agreement among the Perry/Craddick/Dewhurst troika on HB2 and HB3 didn’t mean those bills would survive a vote in the House. And I’m … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Stunning. The Texas House, after rancorous debate and major changes to a multibillion-dollar school funding bill, voted down the measure Tuesday. Although the move appeared to spell trouble for the special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Rick Perry, another … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I think of all the bad things I could say about this series of special session on something that used to pretend to be school finance reform, the certainty that we’ll have to do it again is the worst. HB3 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I don’t know about you, but my weekend was much better for being almost completely special session-free. I’m even about a quarter of the way through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince now – Tiffany, true to form, finished it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Governor Perry has called another special session to deal with school finance. The special session that Gov. Rick Perry called to fix the state’s school finance system staggered to an end Wednesday … Continue reading → Continue reading →

At this point, HB2 (the school finance bill) seems to be headed towards acceptance (or at least an up-or-down vote), while HB3 (the tax bill) is still unresolved. Since HB2 won’t take effect until HB3 does, that means we’re still … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Now that I’ve got all the news on the special session out of the way, I want to call your attention to this Express News editorial. There’s a narrative that needs to come out of this farce, whether it ends … Continue reading → Continue reading →

You know the old joke about Texas weather (if you don’t like it, wait a few minutes, it’ll change)? That’s what the news on the special session over the last few days feels like to me. Feel free to try … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Postcards from the Lege and the Quorum Report are now saying there’s an agreement in principle on both HB2 and HB3. Presumably, if the powers that be are happy with what they’ve hammered out, the looming deadline of this session’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As I write this, there’s still no deal – in fact, QR now says that the earlier reports of a deal on HB2 were premature – and Governor Perry is making noises about keeping everyone in Austin for another 30 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

You know the drill…Still no agreement, but they’re oh so close. Today is the drop-dead day for any kind of agreement, and then they still have to get it passed without it being filibustered to death. Here’s a brief roundup. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

As of this evening, prospects on a school finance compromise are not looking good. “I wouldn’t kid you, this thing is flying on empty right now,” said Republican Sen. Steve Ogden, who is the chief Senate negotiator on the bill … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s hard to say where the ball is regarding the school finance reform plans (remember those? This session was supposed to be about school finance reform), since on Friday there was a sense of gloom and doom, and today there … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Now that David Dewhurst has said no more legislation until school finance is finished, one might wonder how that’s going. Five senators and five representatives are trying to work out their differences before the 30-day special session ends Wednesday. Many … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I admit, I didn’t think it would be possible for a school finance agreement to get hammered out in this special session, but apparently I’ve underestimated David Dewhurst’s willingness to sell out his principles. Now that all pretense of ever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I got the same press release Greg did (along with many others), I’m just a little behind in posting it. State Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) began airing a radio ad today in his hometown of Houston urging Texans to “say … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Senate passed something early this morning. It’s a muddle, but it’s apparently closer to the muddle that the House passed previously, so that makes it a victory of some kind. I’m not going to bother with any quoting because … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We’ve already seen several examples of how this special session on school finance has featured little more than a bunch of warmed-over ideas that failed to pass muster before, but Rick Casey finds one more that hadn’t gotten any mention … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The Senate has once again chosen to go its own way on a new tax plan. The Senate Finance Committee late Thursday voted 9-5 to pass a bill that links property tax cuts to voter approval of a tax on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Since various cigarette tax proposals have been floated around during the school finance reform debate, I thought this story on Michigan’s experience with a tax hike on tobacco would make for some useful reading. Cigarette sales in Michigan are on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

After much hemming and hawing over how it was awarded, Accenture has officially won the bid to take over the state’s health and human services screening. State officials claim the new system, which will begin processing CHIP applicants in November, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Wrapping things up for the week before the holiday weekend… The Senate has passed its form of school finance reform. The Senate measure would raise teacher pay by at least $500 in 2006 and an additional $1,500 in 2007, restore … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Have we achieved consensus yet? The House Ways and Means Committee passed a tax plan Wednesday with a steep hike in the sales tax that many senators oppose. The plan closes loopholes in the corporate franchise tax without imposing additional … Continue reading → Continue reading →

If you’re wondering how the whole consensus on school finance reform thing is going, here’s a clue: The House just passed the same plan it had put forward during the regular session. House Bill 2 would cut school property taxes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Perry’s plan helps rich at others’ expense Gov. Rick Perry’s plan for property tax relief would provide a windfall for the wealthiest families in Texas, but for lower-income renters the governor’s plan would be a financial drain on the family … Continue reading → Continue reading →

So the special session has started. Call me crazy, but the tone of this article shouldn’t give anyone much hope. The initial focus of the new session will be on Republican Speaker Tom Craddick and the GOP majority in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s official. Republican Gov. Rick Perry today vetoed the state’s $35.3 billion public education budget and called lawmakers back to the Capitol to finally find a solution to the school finance dilemma. “I recognize this is a bold step, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I confess, I didn’t think it was going to happen, but apparently it will: Lawmakers will return to Austin Tuesday for a special session on school finance, state Sen. Florence Shapiro said today. Shapiro, a leader on the school funding … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Perry hopeful schools deal will surface Gov. Rick Perry is optimistic about reaching an agreement on school finance after meeting separately this week with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick. “It’s very fair to say he feels … Continue reading → Continue reading →

You know how I’ve been agitating lately for Democrats, in particular State Reps, to talk about school finance and their alternative plan? This is the sort of thing I have in mind. Thank you, Rep. Garnet Coleman! (And on a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ve written before that now would be an excellent time for Democrats to start talking about their proposed alternative for school finance reform. This Waco Trib article gives further evidence in favor of that thesis. On the hottest partisan issue … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn has certified the state’s budget as balanced, meaning it can go to Governor Perry without further intervention from the Lege. In 2003, Strayhorn initially refused to give her seal of approval, and that action, which came … Continue reading → Continue reading →

You’re going to continue to hear Governor Perry rattle his saber about calling the Lege back for a special session on school finance. Actually, from what I’ve seen, Perry will continue to push the notion that the Lege will quickly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Say it with me: Governor Perry says he’ll call a special session on school finance reform if those pesky legislators can ever agree amongst themselves on how to go about doing it. “The final chapter is not written,” Perry said. … Continue reading → Continue reading →