What can you say when the budget gets passed and that's nowhere near the biggest news of the day?
The Texas Legislature approved the $152.5 billion state budget after midnight, with supporters defending it as fiscally responsible and critics calling it a pork-bloated plan embroiled in speaker's race politics.Just one day before the Legislature must adjourn today, the House voted 114-35 and the Senate voted 25-5 for the two-year spending plan, which covers everything from public schools to prisons to health care for the poor. It now goes to Gov. Rick Perry for consideration.
"This is a responsible budget that will meet the needs of Texas," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, after leaders staved off potential filibusters that could have killed the measure.
In the House, Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, had a different view: "The time has come to say enough is enough. We have a duty to pass an honest, responsible budget, and, members, this budget is neither of those."
The House vote for the bill was 114-35, despite efforts by opponents of House Speaker Tom Craddick to kill it.
Failure to pass a budget would mean a special session, which would give Craddick foes another chance to try to unseat him if they don't do so by the time this session concludes.