From Texas Monthly’s Burka Blog:

Mid-way through a day of bleak testimony in Senate finance about impending cuts in the $10 billion range to public education, Sen. Florence Shapiro lamented that “the stars” are completely un-aligned with regards to Texas schools: state general revenue has dropped, property tax values have dropped — and the number of school-aged kids is booming.

Monday was a steady diet of  bad news for budget makers: the doors of many programs serving the most vulnerable Texans —  from autistic and blind toddlers to the frail elderly  – will soon slam shut.

Where does that lead serious-minded lawmakers, who have to write a budget in an anti-tax atmosphere fomented by both Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst?  Praying for another oil boom?

Read more: here.