Tag Archives: David Dewhurst

If we must cut the budget, let’s be smart about it

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib remembers the last time the state of Texas had a huge budget hole, and how it made things worse in its attempt to deal with it. For some, it’s not too early to fret that lawmakers will balance … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Lite Guv primary

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’re two weeks out from the start of early voting, and I don’t feel like I know any more about the prospective candidates for Lieutenant Governor than I did when they first announced their candidacies. [T]he odds remain long that … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Lite Guv primary

More on Chavez-Thompson

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Express News does a nice profile of Democratic Lite Guv candidate Linda Chavez-Thompson. The most important bits are right here: Party leaders gathered in Austin last month to brainstorm on promising candidates for the lieutenant governor’s race. They had … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Chavez-Thompson

A brief intro to Linda Chavez-Thompson

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Video of Linda Chavez-Thompson’s filing day remarks, from The Trib. They have more on Chavez-Thompson here. As I said, I’m really looking forward to Chavez-Thompson and Ronnie Earle making the case for themselves. And as expected, Chavez-Thompson’s candidacy has generated … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Lite Guv may not be what it used to be

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we have an interesting race for the Democratic nomination for Lite Guv, it’s worth wondering whether a Lt. Gov. Earle or a Lt. Gov. Katz would wield the same power as Lt. Gov. Dewhurst and his predecessors. Dave … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Lite Guv may not be what it used to be

Katz files

Posted on January 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

As expected, Austin restauranteur Marc Katz has filed for Lite Guv on the Democratic side, saying his family will contribute “millions” to his effort. Austin deli owner Marc Katz, filing papers to run for lieutenant governor at Texas Democratic Party … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Linda Chavez-Thompson

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We Democrats may have ourselves a real candidate for Lite Guv. Linda Chavez-Thompson, a former executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, is leaning toward running for lieutenant governor as a Democrat, according to multiple sources familiar with her plans. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Improving campaign finance disclosure

Posted on December 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is a step in the right direction. The [Texas Ethics Commission] adopted new rules last week that, beginning this summer, will require anyone running for office to use 19 defined subject categories to describe any goods, services or other … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Improving campaign finance disclosure

Kay may stay, but the jockeying never goes away

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry ponders the landscape now that we know we’ll still have KBH to kick around through at least March. [I]f Gov. Rick Perry appoints [Lt. Gov. David] Dewhurst to replace Hutchison, or if he wins a special election before … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dewhurst fibs about the budget and the stimulus

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

What Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst says: Given recent comments about our state’s budget, I feel it is time to separate fact from political fiction. The fact is, in stark contrast to the U. S. Congress, the Texas Constitution requires the … Continue reading →

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

Monitoring the food stamps problem

Posted on October 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sens. Judith Zaffirini and Tommy Williams will be keeping an eye on the food stamps situation. Zaffirini said in an interview that she and Williams will work with Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Tom Suehs on hiring more … Continue reading →

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

Kay’s dominoes

Posted on October 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry notes that if Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison waits until January to officially resign, there could be a profound effect on the Republican ballot. If she announces a resignation date during the filing period (Dec. 3 – Jan. 4), … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Kay’s dominoes

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

Katz announces for Lite Guv

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, at least we have a candidate. Marc Katz can’t help it. He’s gotta tell you. He’s planning to run for lieutenant governor. Katz, 62, Austin’s self-proclaimed deli king, said he plans to file paperwork to enter the race as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Katz announces for Lite Guv

Steroids: Still not a problem in the schools

Posted on August 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

At least, as far as our ridiculous and expensive steroid testing og high school athletes program can tell, we don’t have a problem. More than a year has passed since the state implemented one of the world’s most ambitious steroids … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Steroids: Still not a problem in the schools

From the “Nobody knows what KBH will do” department

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That would be because she doesn’t know what the hell she’s going to do. Here’s Kay, take one, from the Mark Davis radio show. Davis: So you’ll be coming out at some point. When do you think its decision time … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dewhurst settles financial disclosure complaint

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, now we have an idea of where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst gets his wealth. The Republican sent the Texas Ethics Commission two corrected financial statements covering 2007 and 2008 filings. The new disclosures show Dewhurst holds a stake in … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Dewhurst settles financial disclosure complaint

What The Dew is planning to do

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I linked to this Statesman article yesterday in regard to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s expectations for the Senate in the special session. It also contained this bit about Dewhurst’s view of his future: Dewhurst, in his first interview since before … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two out of three ain’t bad

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So of the three items on the call for this special session, two of them are sailing along. SB2, the Senate bill to keep state agencies like TxDOT alive, has already passed the full Senate by unanimous vote and will … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

And they’re off

Posted on July 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The special session gets started today, with the stated goal of being done by the weekend. House Speaker Joe Straus thinks his chamber can get everything done in three days, while Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is even more ambitious than … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And they’re off

Special session starts tomorrow

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The special session everyone knew was coming to address the disposition of several state agencies begins tomorrow. So far, at least, the agenda hasn’t changed from the original call. Gov. Rick Perry is being pressed to add issues ranging from … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The whole “two thirds” thing is more flexible than you might think

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Jeff Wentworth is mad as heck about some Senate rules shenanigans, according to the Statesman’s Jason Embry. Wentworth, R-San Antonio, thinks that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst abused his authority in the recently completed legislative session, and he wants … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The first domino

Posted on June 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Everybody’s been waiting to see what Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will do next year, in the anticipation that if he announces a run for something else, Attorney General Greg Abbott will announce that he’s running for Lite Gov, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cillizza on White

Posted on June 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The WaPo’s Chris Cilizza surveys the Senate campaign scene, and makes an interesting comment about Texas: Democrats’ best opportunities to broaden the current playing field are in Louisiana and Texas. […] Texas is a bit more of a longshot although … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Special session speculation

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We all know that the Lege adjourned without finishing all its business. A lot of people are speculating there will need to be a special session to deal with it. At this time, Governor Perry is not one of those … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Special session speculation

So what happens now?

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hell if I know. In a last-minute legislative meltdown, the Texas Senate adjourned Monday night without passing key measures to avert a shutdown of the Texas Department of Transportation and other state agencies, raising the specter of a special session … Continue reading →

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

One threat of a special session averted, another arises

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Gah. In a surprise ending to the second-to-last day of the legislative session, the House failed to pass the so-called sunset safety net bill, HB1959, before the midnight deadline tonight for the chamber to approve bills. The bill would allow … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Budget heads to the Governor

Posted on May 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, thanks in large part to the stimulus package and its infusion of funds that prevented the need to dip into the Rainy Day Fund, the budget process was relatively uncontroversial. Yesterday, it was passed by the House, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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?

Scaling back steroid testing in the schools

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, yes, yes. House and Senate budget negotiators will decide in the coming weeks whether the [$3 million a year program to test high school student athletes for steroids] continues — and its scope and pace. “It’s not needed. House … Continue reading →

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

Watch out for Medicaid

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A wrench just got thrown into the budget reconciliation negotiations. Forecasts that more Texans battered by the recession will qualify for free health care under the Medicaid program will require that the program receive nearly $1 billion more in state … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Watch out for Medicaid

It only hurts when it happens to you

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the likely death of the Wentworth nonpartisan redistricting committee bill, which wasn’t unexpected, but the real story is about how it went down. A move to put redistricting into the hands of a bi-partisan public commission … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It only hurts when it happens to you

Seventeen casinos?

Posted on April 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The chairman of the House committee that oversees gambling said Friday he has strong support for legislation that would open the door for 17 casinos, slot machines at racetracks, and Indian gaming in Texas. Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, said … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Extending Medicaid

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas likes to bill itself as a business-friendly state. But there’s one thing that a lot of businesses want that the Republican leadership has been unwilling to entertain, and that’s to make Medicaid renewals an annual event instead of every … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Extending Medicaid