Tag Archives: rainy day fund

Bill Hammond gets his name in the papers again

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Whether he actually achieves any of the goals that are the basis for many of these stories remains to be seen. Hammond, a former business owner and Republican lawmaker from Dallas, is accustomed to steering the state business organization between … Continue reading →

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School district reserves

Posted on March 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Perry sure does like the idea of spending other people’s money. Pressed on using the Rainy Day Fund to help close of the state’s massive budget shortfall and avoid dramatic cuts, particularly to school funding, Gov. Rick Perry earlier … Continue reading →

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Smaller cuts from the Senate

Posted on March 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Trail Blazers: The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday adopted a school funding plan for the next two years that would cut basic funding for school districts by nearly 6 percent – or $2 billion a year – to handle a … Continue reading →

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House Appropriations Committee passes a budget

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not much different than what they started out with. House budget-writers were able to sprinkle some extra money into education and health care but otherwise did little to change the bare-bones proposal with which they started. The 2012-13 budget … Continue reading →

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Can the Lege pass a budget?

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Robert Miller: [T]here is a growing chasm between the House and the Senate on the budget. The Governor and House leadership have agreed to spend $3.2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to balance the FY 2010-11 budget. But, the … Continue reading →

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What the decision to use Rainy Day funds means for school districts

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From School Zone: As you might know by now — unless you’re tuning out the news over spring break — the House Appropriations Committee, with Gov. Rick Perry’s blessing, agreed to spend up to $3.2 billion from the rainy-day fund … Continue reading →

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It’s a start

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Credit where it’s due, from a story about the Lobby Day effort by teachers and other public school supporters. New member Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, reminds folks that the current budget shortfall reflects a structural deficit that began in … Continue reading →

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Still going through the couch cushions

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate is looking for funds wherever it can find them. Hoping to cushion the impact of proposed state budget cuts to public education and health care, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Wednesday that a special subcommittee will be named … Continue reading →

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What would you do to help your school?

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Would you do as much as this third grade girl? To 8-year-old Elodie Giles, art class isn’t a budget extra. It’s what she looks forward to every week. She’s just not certain she can look forward to it next year. … Continue reading →

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The itty bitty budget deal

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not nothing, but not by much. Gov. Rick Perry and House leaders struck a deal Tuesday to spend $3.2 billion from the state’s rainy day fund to fix one piece of the state’s budget shortfall. […] Perry said at … Continue reading →

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Comptroller finds a few more bucks

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Better than a sharp stick in the eye. Comptroller Susan Combs has revised the state’s 2011 revenue estimate by $300 million because of stronger-than-expected sales tax collections. That change would reduce the deficit in the current budget to $4 billion … Continue reading →

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Rally redux

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Many of the folks who rallied in Austin on Saturday stayed around for an encore today. “At a time when our educators and our educational system is under attack more than ever before, we are here to let our lawmakers … Continue reading →

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Thousands attend the Save Texas Schools rally

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Our voices have been heard. Whether we are listened to remains to be seen. Parents, educators, and students from across the state marched to the Capitol Saturday for the Save Texas Schools rally to express their concern over what could … Continue reading →

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Huffman says nothing about public education

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Republican State Sen. Joan Huffman writes an op-ed in the West U Examiner about public education that manages to say absolutely nothing of substance. As the mother of a public school student, I am a firm supporter of Texas public … Continue reading →

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Rally Day

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks in part to our only Governor, those attending today’s rally are even more fired up about it. As thousands of teachers, school staffers and parents prepare for a state Capitol rally Saturday against education cuts, they’ve found new recruits … Continue reading →

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HISD starts cutting

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

HISD’s board of trustees began the budget cutting process on Thursday in anticipation of cuts to public education funding in the Legislature. Barring some really good news from the Lege, there will be much more of this to come. The … Continue reading →

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Perry lies about teachers being fired

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There’s really no other way to characterize this. At a press conference this morning to discuss states’ rights, Gov. Rick Perry was asked about the thousands of Texas teachers expected at the Capitol this weekend to protest legislative proposals to … Continue reading →

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Going through the couch cushions

Posted on March 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

“Taxes” may be a dirty word, but the Lege is busy looking for revenue in other places. “Right now, there is a tremendous amount of effort being invested in identifying new revenues that avoid being called a tax bill,” said … Continue reading →

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Hochberg’s “Let’s get real” bill

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Scott Hochberg has filed a school finance bill that he himself wouldn’t vote for. It’s to make sure everyone realizes what the proposed cuts to public education really mean. Under HB 2485, all school districts would be treated as … Continue reading →

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Getting ready for the Save Texas Schools rally

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This needs to be big. Teachers, parents and school district employees will head by the thousands to the state Capitol over Spring Break for two rallies, hoping to show lawmakers what’s at stake with budget cuts to education. They’re ready … Continue reading →

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Push for HB275

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

HB275 is the bill by Rep. Jim Pitts to spend money from the Rainy Day Fund to close the budget shortfall from the 2010-11 biennium. Here’s an update about it from a group called Spring Branch Speaks, sent to me … Continue reading →

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Comptroller states the obvious about the deficit

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Obvious if you’ve been paying attention, anyway. The Texas comptroller told the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday that she can’t imagine solving the current budget crisis through cuts alone. Susan Combs spoke at a hearing designed to be a reality … Continue reading →

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Activists for the disabled protest in front of Perry’s office

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Go for it! About 35 Texans in wheelchairs, denouncing proposed state budget cuts, staged a sit-in outside Gov. Rick Perry’s Capitol office late Tuesday. Protesters with the disability rights group Adapt of Texas vowed to stay until they were removed … Continue reading →

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Budget cuts are bad for the economy

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed this last week. Texas’ cuts-only approach to its budget shortfall won’t solve the state’s long-term fiscal problems, according to Standard & Poor’s, a major bond rating agency. “We believe that a balanced approach that includes both … Continue reading →

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Ogden on board with Pitts about Rainy Day Fund

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Steve Ogden, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, joins with his House counterpart Rep. Jim Pitts in endorsing the use of the Rainy Day Fund to at least close the deficit from the 2010-11 biennium. Senate Finance … Continue reading →

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Ellis and Hobby on class size limits

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Rodney Ellis and former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby hit all the high points in writing about the 22:1 class size limit and the effects we’d see if it were lifted. The simple truth is that the 22-1 ratio … Continue reading →

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Pitts endorses using at least some of the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, the House’s lead budget writer, today filed bill that would draw down nearly $4.3 billion of rainy-day money to cover the state’s deficit in the current two-year cycle. Pitts’ plan would tap a … Continue reading →

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Deadline to RSVP for March 14 Lobby Day event

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder about this. Monday, March 14th, 7 am – 7 pm: Legislative Day at the Texas Capitol in Austin, organized by Houston Federation of Teachers. HFT has invited parents to join them in meeting with as many state … Continue reading →

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Just a reminder: Save Texas Schools

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder: Save Texas Schools – Fund Public Education Now! Our Schools, Our Kids, Our Future Texas students are tough, but they’ve never faced a crisis like this. In every school district across the Lone Star State, the same … Continue reading →

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From the “Tell us something we didn’t already know” department

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texans like the idea of budget cuts but hate the specifics, proving that we’re just like everybody else. By a margin of more than 2 to 1, Texas voters believe that lawmakers should solve the state’s massive shortfall by cutting … Continue reading →

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Two more things you can do for public schools

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to the three things I mentioned on Sunday and the live HISD TV show tonight at 6:30 about the budget, here are two more things to put on your agenda for the public schools. First, via the HISD … Continue reading →

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Three things you can do to help save Texas public schools

Posted on February 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

1. First and foremost, make sure you understand the scope of the issue and how it will affect you. Here’s an email that was sent out by the Spring Branch ISD to its parents: Why should you care about the … Continue reading →

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Get your HISD budget questions answered

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: HISD to Host Live Television Show to Focus on State Budget and its Effects on HISD Viewers can call in, email, and tweet their comments and questions about the district’s budget review and planning process What: “HISD … Continue reading →

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Sacrifice is for the little people

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You almost have to admire the gall. Milton Rister, director of administration in Gov. Rick Perry’s office, just asked Senate budget writers for a net increase of $81.5 million in state funds for the next two years. If I took … Continue reading →

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