WEEKLY REPORT
February 24, 2012
Rainy day fund could reach $7.3B
Thanks to a rebounding economy, the Economic Stabilization Fund grew from $5 billion to $6.1 billion since last year, according to the state’s chief revenue estimator. And if this robust growth continues, by the end of Fiscal Year 2013 the savings account should grow to $7.3 billion, a 19.7-percent increase.
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Medicaid shortfall could force budget cuts
State agencies, many of which are still feeling the effect of billions of dollars in cuts from two years ago, may have to further trim their budgets to cover Medicaid costs that lawmakers deferred during the past legislative session.
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More Texas Children Living in High-Poverty Areas
A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that the number of Texas children living in areas of high poverty has increased 43 percent over the last 10 years. That means more than 1.1 million children live in neighborhoods where at least 30 percent of the families are at or below the poverty line.
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BLOG: Comptroller’s office: Texas has recouped its Great Recession job losses
Over the past two years, Texas has regained as many non-farm jobs as it lost in the recent recession, the state’s chief revenue estimator is expected to tell House budget writers on Tuesday.
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Guns on campus bill faces another hurdle
Despite Texas’ cowboy image and its reputation as a Second Amendment-friendly state, in recent legislative sessions a high-profile pro-gun bill hasn’t made it to the finish line.
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No special session on education, Perry says
Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday firmly rebuffed calls for a special session of the Legislature to deal with education funding and kept his options open to seek another term as governor and to pursue another presidential bid in 2016.
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BLOG: Pitts sees little desire for special session to ease school cuts
Chief House budget writer Jim Pitts says his Republican colleagues in the Legislature are leery of demands for a special session to ease budget cuts that could force additional teacher layoffs at school districts this fall.
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It’s smart to step back on STAAR
Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott raised eyebrows, as well as ire, this month when he criticized the emphasis placed on standardized test scores in evaluating academic performance.
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National study shows drop in spending per student in Texas schools
Spending on public school students in Texas has dropped sharply this year, and the already large gap between the state and national averages has widened, a new report shows.
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Opinions Mixed as Managed Care Comes to Valley
Managed health care services, which had been the subject of a recent moratorium in three Rio Grande Valley counties, will soon be available for Medicaid patients in those counties and the rest of the Valley.
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Texas Medical Association not celebrating Medicare “Doc Fix”
A looming 27.4 percent cut in the payment rate was avoided when U.S. Congress agreed last week on a package that extends the Social Security payroll tax credit and unemployment insurance through the end of the year.
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In Texas and Va., Different Reactions to Sonogram Bills
The pandemonium over Virginia’s proposed abortion sonogram law — from a Saturday Night Live sketch to furious protests and intense national media coverage — bears little resemblance to the battle over Texas’ version of the law.
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Governor’s Plan to Run Could Impede Attorney General
Gov. Rick Perry might run for re-election in 2014, and he could run again for president in 2016.
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Costs soaring for delayed primary elections
Bexar County residents probably won’t be getting new voter registration cards anytime soon, but officials said Tuesday that won’t pose a problem in city and school elections slated for May 12.
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Redistricting confusion plagues campaigns, parties
Congressman Mike McCaul, R-Austin, is running in place. The campaign of would-be Congressman Roger Williams is on hold. And a handful of would-be U.S. Senate candidates are hoping that the long-drawn-out redistricting controversy and elusive primary date will redound to their benefit as they attempt to nip at the heels of front-runner David Dewhurst.
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Along with redistricting mess, Voter ID also brings uncertainty to election planning
Election administrators across Texas have had their hands full planning for a primary that keeps getting delayed.
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UT/TT Poll: Santorum Crushing GOP Hopefuls in Texas
Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has a commanding lead among Republican presidential candidates in Texas, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
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Texas becomes battleground in Keystone XL pipeline controversy
The politically volatile Keystone XL pipeline is becoming embroiled in a widening controversy in Texas as supporters tout the promise of jobs and other economic benefits while increasingly vocal opponents say the project would trample property rights and endanger water supplies in East Texas.
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Central Texas cities move to delay natural gas rate increases
Thousands of natural gas customers in Central Texas might see a bump in rates as national provider Atmos Energy pursues a $49 million system wide increase that would cause residential customers’ bills to jump almost 14 percent.
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EDITORIAL: UT ‘fracking’ study dispels one drilling worry, raises others
The natural gas industry understandably showed an “I told you so” pride last week when the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin released initial results from a continuing study of shale gas development.
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LCRA approves water management plan
The Lower Colorado River Authority’s board of directors approved its historic water management plan Wednesday, but not before some directors questioned whether the agency was going too far in limiting water to rice farmers.
(View complete article here.)
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