Tag Archives: stimulus

Just how viable is the Grand Parkway anyway?

Posted on July 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So it’s official, Commissioners Court has voted to seek stimulus funding for the Grand Parkway Segment E despite numerous concerns about the way they went about it. Houston Tomorrow explores a facet of this that I hadn’t been aware of … Continue reading →

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Education stimulus money for Texas approved

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The U.S. Department of Education has approved Texas’ application for using $3.2 billion in federal stimulus money, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said. That money will be used to pay for textbooks and a $1.9 billion increase in school … Continue reading →

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Our friend the stimulus package

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Embry tells us just how much Texas relied on the stimulus package this year. A new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures shows that federal stimulus dollars played a large role in allowing Texas lawmakers to balance … Continue reading →

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Watson on unemployment

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Sen. Kirk Watson reviews the bidding on how the state of Texas has handled its unemployment issues. As was noted during this past legislative session by Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken (who was appointed by the Governor and once … Continue reading →

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Rice gets stimulus funds for physics building

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Go Owls! Rice University narrowly missed a chance at federal funding for a new physics building last year. The $787 billion federal stimulus plan offered a second chance. The National Institute of Standards and Technology announced Monday that Rice will … Continue reading →

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Cities lose out in transportation stimulus funding

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is not a surprise, but it is a missed opportunity. Two-thirds of the country lives in large metropolitan areas, home to the nation’s worst traffic jams and some of its oldest roads and bridges. But cities and their surrounding … Continue reading →

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Texas applies for SUPERTRAIN funds

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing my series of SUPERTRAIN-funding-request posts, here’s the DMN transportation blog on the status of Texas’ request. It took longer than I expected, but the Texas Department of Transportation has shared its preliminary application for its share of the $8 … Continue reading →

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More unemployed, fewer benefits

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, no one could have predicted this. In a sign of lingering hardship, more than 15,000 Texans will lose their unemployment checks at the end of the month because they have exhausted their benefits after 59 weeks without a job. … Continue reading →

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Sales tax revenues drop

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The 2011 legislative session is going to be so much fun. Texas’ sales tax collections could fall $550 million short of budget projections for the current fiscal year, figures released Friday by Comptroller Susan Combs show. The $1.6 billion collected … Continue reading →

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Oklahoma gets on the SUPERTRAIN

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome aboard! The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said Friday it has taken an initial step to apply for high-speed rail funding that, if successful, could return passenger service to Tulsa. ODOT spokeswoman Terri Angier said top speeds between Tulsa and … Continue reading →

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The western SUPERTRAIN

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve heard of the Texas T-Bone SUPERTRAIN proposal that would link up Houston. San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas. That’s already been designated as one of the high-speed rail corridors that are in line for federal funding. There’s another such corridor … Continue reading →

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Texas to get stimulus funds for education

Posted on July 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Two weeks ago I wondered if there might be an issue with Texas receiving stimulus funds for education because of the way these funds had been appropriated in the state budget. I’m pleased to see that the answer is no, … Continue reading →

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Berman not running for Governor

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That’s too bad, because it means the Republican primary won’t be as mean, nasty, and bats-in-the-belfry crazy as it could have been. But while Leo Berman won’t be in the race, Bermanism will be. Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Leo … Continue reading →

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Stimulus funds and road projects

Posted on July 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Stimulus funds are coming to a road that may be near you. Texas received $2.25 billion from the stimulus for transportation. That’s on top of the $3 billion it got in federal highway funds this year. The regular federal allotment … Continue reading →

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From the “Things are tough all over” department

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas trying to keep up with unemployment claims. The rising number of jobless Texans has generated more claims than the Texas Workforce Commission can handle. The commission has added hundreds of workers and phone lines to call centers to deal … Continue reading →

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Is there a problem with the stimulus funds?

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I hope not. The debate over whether Texas lawmakers can use federal stimulus money to boost education spending, including funding a raise for teachers, is heating up. The Obama administration warned states Thursday it may withhold millions of dollars if … Continue reading →

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Unemployment insurance taxes set to rise

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, business owners! You’re going to see a tax increase soon. Most Texas employers should plan for their unemployment insurance taxes to increase significantly next year, Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken of Dallas said Tuesday. While tax rates … Continue reading →

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TxDOT lives, Lege adjourns

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The threat of a special session has been averted…we think. The House just voted to work the Legislature out of a jam by keeping open the Texas Department of Transportation and other state agencies at risk of closing. Members needed … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Budget yes, UI not yet

Posted on May 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The conference committee on the budget finished its work yesterday. While final details are still emerging, the 10 conferees worked out a last minute plan for spending $700 million of federal stimulus money for state fiscal stabilization. They hope that … Continue reading →

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Ogden stem cell rider removed from budget

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Sen. Steve Ogden just announced that his rider banning use of state funds for embryonic stem cell research will not appear in the new state budget. “We really couldn’t come to a consensus” so the bill will be silent … Continue reading →

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Whatever Ricky wants

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s too early to say how much of Rick Perry’s self-proclaimed agenda will get enacted this session, as much of it hinges on the budget reconciliation process as well as on legislation that hasn’t been taken up by one chamber … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Poker bill dies

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last night at midnight was the first major deadline in the House. Any bill that had not been passed on second reading was officially dead for the session, though some may get reincarnated as amendments to already-approved bills. About three … Continue reading →

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More unemployment funds available

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The bad news is that Texas’ rate of unemployment continues to rise. The good news is that this means more federal funds for unemployment insurance are available, and these come with no conditions on them. Texas now qualifies, thanks to … Continue reading →

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Senate approves SUPERTRAIN study

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Another step forward. Texas should create a long-term plan for developing a statewide passenger rail system, the state Senate decided today in the first such step in years. The approval of Senate Bill 1382 comes at a time when the … Continue reading →

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I hate you! I need disaster relief!

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Care to guess who is the biggest requestor of federal disaster relief funds since 2001? Why, none other than Governor Rick “Secession 4 Eva!” Perry, that’s who. According to FEMA’s website, Texas has been the site of 13 “major disaster … Continue reading →

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I hate you! Now gimme some money!

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Damn those Washington elites! Always stuffing money into my pants campaign coffers! Rick Perry has railed against Washington, but when it comes to campaign cash, the governor has raised far more than rival Kay Bailey Hutchison from the nation’s capital. … Continue reading →

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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 →

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House committee passes SB1569

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The House Business and Industry Committee wasted no time approving the Senate bill that would open the door for Texas to get $555 million in federal stimulus money to expand unemployment eligibility. SB 1569 landed in the committee yesterday … Continue reading →

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House budget conferees announced

Posted on April 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Elise Hu names names. State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, House Appropriations Chairman State Rep. Richard Raymond, D-Webb, House Appropriations Vice-Chair State Rep. Ruth Jones-McClendon, D-San Antonio State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Houston Give credit to Burka … Continue reading →

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More on the SUPERTRAIN

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Are the stars really aligning to bring a SUPERTRAIN to Texas? Maybe so! Current plans for a Texas system envision a “T-bone” track shape connecting Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston and other towns. But much remains vague: where exactly the … Continue reading →

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Perry’s ongoing war on the unemployed

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You have to say this about Governor Perry: He never goes off message, no matter how ridiculous that message may be. Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday re-stated his opposition to legislation that would allow the state to accept federal stimulus … Continue reading →

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Where the stimulus funds are going

Posted on April 24, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t get to this last week, but City Controller and Mayoral candidate Annise Parker announced the creation of a new website that would track what stimulus dollars are coming to Houston and how they’re being spent. The website is … Continue reading →

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Everyone has an opinion on Kay and Rick

Posted on April 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Former Congressman Martin Frost thinks Rick Perry has a good shot at winning his primary against Sen. Hutchison. Perry, who won with less than 40 percent in a four-way general election field in 2006, is not popular with the general … Continue reading →

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