Tag Archives: budget

Supreme Court upholds Abbott’s power grab

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Texas Supreme Court on Monday denied a request from several Democratic House members and state employees asking the justices to overturn Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of legislative funding in the upcoming two-year state budget. Abbott vetoed the funding … Continue reading →

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Meet the new special session

Posted on August 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Same as the old special session, at least at first. It appears likely that not enough Democrats will show up for the Texas House to conduct business when a second special legislative session convenes Saturday. Some of the more than … Continue reading →

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Special session 2.0 coming right up

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that the second special legislative session will begin at noon Saturday — and with an expanded agenda. The 17-item agenda still includes well-known Abbott priorities like the election bill that caused … Continue reading →

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“I’ve lost track of what day it is” quorum-busting post: What next?

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, guess what: The current special session will be over soon, like this Saturday. What happens next? Uncertainty is running rampant among Texas Democrats and Republicans as the final days of the special legislative session dwindle away. The session officially … Continue reading →

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Appeals court overturns verdict in firefighter pay parity lawsuit

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. An appeals court on Thursday reversed a ruling that declared Houston firefighters’ pay-parity measure unconstitutional, a major win for the fire union and one that could have far-reaching effects on city finances. The fire union won approval of a … Continue reading →

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When might SCOTX rule on the line item veto thing?

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer to that question is “who knows, when and if they feel like it”. I’m just going to focus on the analysis part of this, because that is what interests me more. Legally, the case hinges on whether … Continue reading →

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More briefs in the lawsuit over the line item veto

Posted on July 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope this means a ruling is on the horizon. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has asked the Texas Supreme Court to toss a lawsuit brought by House Democrats over Gov. Greg Abbott’s move to veto funding for the … Continue reading →

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Day 2 quorum busting omnibus post

Posted on July 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna round up a few stories here. Don’t know how often I’ll be this energetic, or how often there will be this many stories that I see that are worth commenting on, but it is Day Two. We’re just getting … Continue reading →

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Quorum broken again

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And they’re off. Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives left the state Monday afternoon en route to Washington, D.C., in a bid to again deny Republicans the quorum needed to pass new voting restrictions with 26 days left in … Continue reading →

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State House takes a step toward reinstating legislative funding

Posted on July 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but it’s just a first step. Texas lawmakers are moving swiftly to reinstate funding for the Texas Legislature, vetoed last month by Gov. Greg Abbott, that affects the salaries of more than 2,100 employees across several state agencies The … Continue reading →

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Here’s your special session agenda

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They call this “red meat”, but it’s really just bullshit. Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the agenda for the special legislative session that begins Thursday, asking lawmakers to prioritize 11 issues that largely appeal to conservatives who wanted more out … Continue reading →

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The response to the lawsuit over the line item veto

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I know, scintillating headline, but there’s plenty of action here. The state is defending Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent veto of legislative funding as a bipartisan group of former state leaders — as well as more Democrats — weigh in against … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over veto of legislative budget

Posted on June 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. And necessary. A group of Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers is asking the Texas Supreme Court to override Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent veto of a portion of the state budget that funds the Legislature, staffers there and legislative … Continue reading →

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We do agree that “Greg Abbott” and “disaster” go together well

Posted on June 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one question about this. Over the past year, Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations across the state for a number of tragedies: the coronavirus pandemic that killed more than 50,000 Texans, a winter storm that left … Continue reading →

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They’re coming back

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourselves. Gov. Greg Abbott has set a special session of the Texas Legislature starting July 8, his office announced Tuesday. Abbott’s office did not specify what legislative priorities will be included on the special session agenda and said in … Continue reading →

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Abbott follows through on veto of legislative funding

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So here we go. Gov. Greg Abbott followed through Friday on a threat to veto a section of the state budget that funds the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies. The governor’s move targeting lawmaker pay comes after House … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s border wall

Posted on June 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I have many questions about this, but for this post I will limit myself to three. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that Texas will build a border wall along the state’s boundary with Mexico — but provided no details on … Continue reading →

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Can Abbott actually veto the legislative budget?

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows? We’ll see if he actually does it. Fresh off the defeat of two of his legislative priorities Sunday night when Democrats abandoned the Texas House to block a sweeping elections bill, Gov. Greg Abbott flexed his executive muscle … Continue reading →

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City’s budget passes

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

There was a little bit of drama, but nothing too big. Houston’s City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $5.1 billion budget for the next fiscal year that relies heavily on a massive infusion of federal aid to close a … Continue reading →

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More on the post-quorum break fallout

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This Trib story mostly centers on the perspective of the Black legislators during the SB7 fight, and it’s a good read for that, but I want to focus on this bit here: While the legislation in the Senate partly targeted … Continue reading →

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Here comes our boring budget

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Save the drama for the budget amendments. A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sylvester Turner painted a dire picture of the city’s finances as he laid out his plan to balance last year’s $5 billion city budget. Like … Continue reading →

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So now what?

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Well, Greg Abbott gets to have a little temper tantrum, which may or may not end up in an immediate special session. The Texas Legislature closed out its regular 140-day session Monday with sniping among the state’s top political leaders … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues over revocation of Medicaid 1115 waiver

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Someone please explain to me if this has any merit. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration Friday to reinstate an eight-year extension to a federal health care funding agreement, worth billions of dollars annually and set to … Continue reading →

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Houston gets to have a boring budget

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, President Biden and all you voters in Georgia! Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to use an influx of federal cash to give firefighters a “raise the city can afford,” expand the Houston Police Department and replace lost revenue from the … Continue reading →

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Better cut your police budget now while you still can

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s one possible takeaway from this. The Texas House on Friday passed a bill to financially penalize the state’s largest cities if they cut their police budgets. The measure was sent to the Senate after two days of heated debate … Continue reading →

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State finally releases most federal stimulus funds for schools

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

About damn time. Texas’s top state leaders announced Wednesday they are releasing $11.2 billion out of nearly $18 billion available in federal pandemic relief funding that has been dedicated for the state’s public schools. The announcement comes as education advocates … Continue reading →

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House passes its budget

Posted on April 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The rites of spring in Texas: The start of baseball season, the first 90-degree day, and in odd-numbered years, the House Budget Amendment-Palooza. The Texas House on Thursday night unanimously passed its proposed two-year, $246 billion state budget after members … Continue reading →

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Today is not the day we expand Medicaid

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow isn’t looking so good either. The Texas House on Thursday rejected an attempt to direct the governor and state health officials to use billions in federal dollars to expand health care coverage for uninsured Texans, including working poor who … Continue reading →

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Where are the stimulus funds for the schools?

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Ridiculous. For more than a year, the federal government has been pumping billions of dollars into school districts across the country to help them meet the demands of the pandemic. Most states have used that pot of stimulus funds as … Continue reading →

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Is it time to pay jurors more?

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not yet, but maybe soon. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and her colleagues on Commissioners Court declined to support a proposal to increase pay for jurors and instead referred the idea for more study. District Clerk Marilyn Burgess, a Democrat, … Continue reading →

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Republicans will never hold Ken Paxton accountable for anything

Posted on March 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t be a chump and expect them to. Texas lawmakers are preparing to arm Attorney General Ken Paxton with $43 million to fight Google in court. A key committee in the State Senate on Wednesday amended its proposed budget for … Continue reading →

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What the American Rescue Plan means to Houston

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

First and foremost, no layoffs. Houston and Harris County are expected to receive more than $1.5 billion through the stimulus bill approved by Congress Wednesday, providing a massive cash injection that city officials say will help close a budget shortfall … Continue reading →

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HISD schools closed Monday and Tuesday

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

More effects of the storm. Houston ISD plans to remain closed Monday and Tuesday, then hold online-only classes for the last three days of next week, as the district manages the fallout from water and power issues caused by freezing … Continue reading →

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So how did Paxton’s budget grilling go?

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Meh. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton violated his budget authority when he transferred $40 million of taxpayer money to cover pay raises for some members of his staff without approval of the Legislature or the governor, triggering an angry response … Continue reading →

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