Texas Legislature

The Weekly TribCast: Episode 58

By Elise Hu Dec. 8, 2010

In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben discuss the difficult budget votes ahead, the weakened House Democratic Caucus and what redistricting means for 2012. Full Story
School's Out

By Morgan Smith Dec. 8, 2010

The budget shortfall — estimated to be as much as $28 billion — will require the Legislature to take a paring knife and possibly a machete to government agencies and programs. The largest single consumer of state dollars is public education, so it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which funding for teacher salaries, curricular materials and the like isn’t on the chopping block, especially if lawmakers want to make good on their promises of no new taxes. But where is that money going to come from? Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Tea Pot Party?

By Julián Aguilar Dec. 8, 2010

Backers of medical marijuana laws are holding fast to hopes that the specter of an ever-encroaching government will resonate with the most energized wing of the Republican Party in the upcoming legislative session. Full Story

Credit: prensa420 (Flickr)
TribBlog: The 2.5 Percent Solution [Updated]

By Ross Ramsey and Emily Ramshaw Dec. 7, 2010

As expected, state leaders are asking state agencies to cut their current budgets even more. This time, by 2.5 percent. Full Story
Sell It Like It Is

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 7, 2010

Republican leaders in the Texas Legislature are insisting that it will be a no-new-taxes session. In response, one Democratic lawmaker is pushing to expand the definition of the word "taxes" to include fees. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story

Credit: flickr.com/photos/dborman2
Sell It Like It Is

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 7, 2010

Republican leaders in the Texas Legislature are insisting that it will be a no-new-taxes session. In response, one Democratic lawmaker is pushing to expand the definition of the word "taxes" to include fees. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Who's It Gonna Be?

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 6, 2010

John Frullo, Jim Landtroop, Charles Perry and Four Price each won election to the Texas House last month, representing districts in a part of the state where the population is dwindling. At least one of them should leave the car running at the curb. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Inside Intelligence: The Railroad Commission Should Be...

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 6, 2010

For this week's installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether the Texas Railroad Commission should live or die and whether the commissioners ought to be appointed or elected. And we asked for suggestions on what government is doing now that it ought to stop doing. Full Story
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith Dec. 4, 2010

M. Smith and Butrymowicz of the Hechinger Institute on charter schools and public schools making nice in the Valley, Ramsey's interview with House Speaker candidate Ken Paxton and column on the coming budget carnage, Hu on the Legislature's disappearing white Democratic women, Grissom on the sheriff who busted Willie Nelson, Hamilton talks higher ed accountability with the chair of the Governor's Business Council, Aguilar on the arrest of a cartel kingpin, Ramshaw on the explosive growth in the number of adult Texans with diabetes, Philpott on state incentive funding under fire and Galbraith on the greening of Houston: The best of our best from November 29 to December 3, 2010. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Single White Female

By Elise Hu Dec. 3, 2010

The force of the GOP wave in November was so strong that black Republicans and Latino Republicans outnumber the Texas House's new endangered species: the white Democratic woman. And if the 16-vote victory of state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, doesn't survive a recount, the species will be extinct. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
The Efficiency Experts

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 3, 2010

"Efficiency" is the buzzword heading into the 2011 legislative session. Lawmakers say they want to make sure the dollars spent on K-12 education are being spent as efficiently as possible — and that anything deemed inefficient could end up the chopping block. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
The Efficiency Experts

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 3, 2010

"Efficiency" is the buzzword heading into the 2011 legislative session. Lawmakers say they want to make sure the dollars spent on K-12 education are being spent as efficiently as possible — and that anything deemed inefficient could end up the chopping block. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
TribBlog: The Uncandidate

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 2, 2010

Robert Grijalva isn't running for the Texas House. Full Story

Credit: http://jdlong.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/nighttime-downtown-el-paso.jpg
Chamber of Secrets

By Elise Hu Dec. 2, 2010

It's orientation week for the largest incoming class of House members since the early '70s. Before their work begins in January, they're learning how things work in the pink building — and drawing balls to see who gets the most seniority. Full Story
Ken Paxton: The TT Interview

By Ross Ramsey Dec. 2, 2010

The Republican state representative from McKinney on why he's running for speaker, why Joe Straus is "the most controversial Republican elected official ... that maybe has ever happened," the role of outside groups in what has historically been a forum for the most inside of insider politics and whether he thinks he can really win. Full Story
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 57

By Elise Hu Dec. 1, 2010

In this week's TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Reeve discuss the freshman class at the Lege, the ongoing speaker's race and potential cuts to higher education. Full Story
Emerging Trouble for Incentive Funds

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 1, 2010

Governor Rick Perry’s office has asked a member of the Emerging Technology Fund’s advisory committee to consider resigning over a recent investigation by the Texas Rangers. This is just the latest dust up over this fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund. Ben Philpott of KUT and The Texas Tribune reports on what could happen to the funds in the next Legislative session. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Bob Daemmrich/Todd Wiseman
Incentives Under Fire

By Ben Philpott, KUT News Dec. 1, 2010

Gov. Rick Perry’s office has asked a member of the Emerging Technology Fund’s advisory committee to consider resigning over a recent investigation into a stock deal — the latest dustup involving state incentive funds. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Bob Daemmrich/Todd Wiseman
TribBlog: All Politics is Local

By Ross Ramsey Nov. 30, 2010

Freshman state Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano, says he's supporting Ken Paxton's challenge to incumbent House Speaker Joe Straus. Full Story
TribBlog: Anderson Cooper vs. Leo "Birther"

By Evan Smith Nov. 30, 2010

On last night's edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, sparred with the host about whether Barack Obama has a U.S. birth certificate — and whether Texas law should be changed to require that any candidate for president who wants ballot access produce one. Full Story