Tag Archives: Legislative Budget Board

LBB calls for expanding Medicaid

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Quorum Report: LBB CALLS FOR FUNDING MEDICAID EXPANSION AS PART OF ITS ADDITIONAL BUDGET PRIORITIES The recommendation given to the Article II Senate Finance workgroup notes that $50.4 million in state funding would draw down $4 billion in … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on LBB calls for expanding Medicaid

This time it’s different

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Why is this school finance ruling different from all other school finance rulings? For one thing, it was way more comprehensive. The changes needed to correct the constitutional violations [Judge John] Dietz identified could comprise the most far-reaching overhaul of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From the “Anyone can call themselves an expert” department

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Now see, this is what happens when you go soliciting expert witnesses on Craigslist Joseph Bast, president and CEO of the Chicago-based Heartland Institute, is a witness for Texans for Real Efficiency and Equity in Education, or TREE, a group … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “Anyone can call themselves an expert” department

Another reason why spending caps are a bad idea

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There are many reasons why, but this is one we haven’t encountered before. Several political observers well-versed in the state’s finances say that lawmakers could hit the state’s spending limit this session, complicating efforts to access the $11.8 billion in … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dewhurst and Nelson push Medicaid reform

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m reserving judgment on this for now. Lt. Gov David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, on Wednesday touted Senate proposals they say would bring down spending on Medicaid, the state’s health program for the poor, by instituting quality-based … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dewhurst and Nelson push Medicaid reform

Why are we paying for a privatized psych hospital?

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Makes no sense to me. The Department of State Health Services has spent more than $2 million on bond interest for a psychiatric hospital that it doesn’t own and that was championed by Senate Finance Chairman Tommy Williams. But that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why are we paying for a privatized psych hospital?

It’s news but it’s not new

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Before the Labor Day weekend, Sen. Dan Patrick said something that was considered to be newsworthy even though he and others have been saying it for years. A Republican state senator calling for a tax increase is clearly in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Non-robust job numbers in Texas

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As goes the country, so goes the state. The Houston area is showing signs of a slowdown after coming off some fairly strong job gains during the winter months. “It’s very consistent with the national pattern,” said Barton Smith, professor … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

So what happens if there isn’t a school finance deal?

Posted on May 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall that having to change the school finance formula to distribute the billions of cuts to public education is causing problems with the budget. What happens if no changes are made to the formula? The Trib contemplates the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on So what happens if there isn’t a school finance deal?

Senate fails to bring the budget to the floor

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It started Monday when Senate Finance Chair Sen. Steve Ogden said he might pull same Rainy Day funds out of the budget in order to get more Republican (read: Dan Patrick) support for it. After some discussion about alternate ways … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Senate makes progress on the budget

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

They still haven’t gotten to the actual budget yet, but they’ve passed a bill that allows for some extra “non-tax revenue” plus a bunch of accounting gimmicks, which makes their less-penurious-than-the-House budget possible. The Texas Senate, digging publicly for money … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate makes progress on the budget

In Perry’s world

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry creates his own reality. You got a problem with that? Gov. Rick Perry, sticking to his guns against further use of the state’s rainy day fund, dismissed a question Tuesday about whether he’s planning for dislocation of tens … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate Finance Committee passes its budget

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The fight over the Rainy Day Fund is now officially on. A $176.5 billion budget for the 2012-13 biennium — 5.9 percent smaller than the current budget but almost $12 billion larger than the version passed earlier by the House … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate Finance Committee passes its budget

House ponders what to do about Amazon

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

My guess is that they ultimately won’t do anything this session, but it’s good to see the matter discussed by the Ways and Means Committee. If nothing else, it may lay the groundwork for a future session. House Bill 1317 … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on House ponders what to do about Amazon

The Lege’s job killing budget

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Do you think this is what all those people who came out to vote last November had in mind? The Legislative Budget Board, a nonpartisan state agency that helps lawmakers with budget numbers, predicts that House version of the 2012-2013 … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

From the “Stuff I’d like to see happen but won’t” files

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall that one of the LBB recommendations for helping to close the budget gap was to impose a $100 surcharge on the purchase of fuel-inefficient vehicles. I said at the time that I loved the idea but thought … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sunday liquor sales debate

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, one of the Legislative Budget Board recommendations for generating revenue is for the state to allow liquor sales on Sunday. The Statesman takes a look at the debate this proposal has generated. Legislation to allow Sunday liquor … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Is everything on the table or not?

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Some things are more on the table than others. Tax breaks that encouraged high-cost natural gas drilling in Texas cost state government $7.4 billion in lost revenue over six years and would cost the state billions more if continued, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Budget testimony from the Sheriff’s office

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to all of the education and HHSC-related testimony before the Senate Finance Committee this week, law enforcement agencies who will be affected by cuts to mental health services were also heard from. Here’s a press release sent out … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Budget testimony from the Sheriff’s office

Business leaders urged to oppose “cuts only” approach to the budget

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby is helping lead an effort to rally Texas business leaders against what he calls a “catastrophic” cuts-only approach to balancing the state’s budget in the face of a massive shortfall, estimated … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some reactions to LBB recommendations

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman asks around about three of the Legislative Budget Board recommendations for raising revenue. First, the suggestion to allow liquor sales on Sunday, which it projects would generate an extra $7.4 million. Not surprisingly, the liquor industry favors this, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

LBB recommendations

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We’re still waiting on the Pitts “You’re gonna get it good and hard” budget, but until then the Legislative Budget Board has released a list of recommendations for savings, which you can see here, that’s worth reviewing. There’s some good … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Do we or do we not have a structural deficit?

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In this corner, State Rep. Mike Villarreal: In a kerfuffle involving two House members who really like to engage in detailed discussions of Texas’ tax system, Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, sent reporters a letter in which he told Rep. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Perry scoffs at budget shortfall number

Posted on June 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What color is the sky on Rick Perry’s planet? Gov. Rick Perry says that where some see an $18 billion budget gap ahead for Texas, he sees a figure plucked from the sky. “I think it’s a number that somebody … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some cows are more sacred than others

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

To quote Mel Brooks, it’s good to be the king. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will not be denied his steroid testing money. The Texas Education Agency had included the $1 million cost of the steroid program among its $135.5 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Some cows are more sacred than others

The hole keeps getting deeper

Posted on March 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said multiple times that even if we survive the 2011 legislative session, the budget problems we’ll be dealing with next year aren’t going away. The reason for that is because we have a structural deficit, as the giant unaffordable … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The school district squeeze

Posted on March 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Everywhere you look there’s bad budget news. “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Fort Bend ISD Chief Financial Officer Tracy Hoke, who’s worked in school finance for two decades. “I could turn out every light, and we’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

What passes for good budget news these days

Posted on March 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Sales tax revenue didn’t decline as much as in previous months. In February, the state’s sales tax collections were down 8.8 percent compared with the same month a year earlier. Though still in the red, the February figure looked better … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A slow solution is bad but no solution is worse

Posted on November 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Same song, yet another verse: The food stamp situation in Texas is truly terrible. As Texas begins hiring hundreds of food stamp workers to help erase an application backlog that has left families waiting months for aid, no one expects … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on A slow solution is bad but no solution is worse

State to grudgingly hire a few more food stamps workers

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t strain yourselves, fellas. State leaders announced late Friday that more employees will be hired to help process food stamp applications. […] “In these tough economic times, the state of Texas must do everything in its power to ensure Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on State to grudgingly hire a few more food stamps workers

Food stamps fail

Posted on September 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

News item: Budget board denies request for more food stamps workers. The Legislative Budget Board has denied a request from the Health and Human Services Commission to hire about 650 state workers to relieve the state’s food stamp enrollment system, … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Is there a Medicaid issue or not?

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier this week, Sen. Steve Ogden and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst made the claim that Medicaid would require another $1 billion from the budget, and that this would constrain the budget reconciliation committee as it tries to fund everything that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is there a Medicaid issue or not?

Get ready for the next school funding lawsuit

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The handwriting is on the wall. Property tax cuts and a stingy state budget have left many Texas school districts saying they are short-changing children and warning of another lawsuit attempt to force reforms. Texas lawmakers plan to increase school … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get ready for the next school funding lawsuit

Will we or won’t we fix unemployment insurance?

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot of money riding on the answer to that question. The lure of $555 million in federal stimulus money for additional unemployment insurance has Texas legislators mulling whether to expand unemployment benefits to more workers. To get that … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Will we or won’t we fix unemployment insurance?