Daily Archives: January 10, 2009

Gambling and Speaker Straus

I don’t think the election of Rep. Joe Straus as Speaker of the House really changes the equation for the gambling industry and its hopes for an expansion of their business in Texas, but I can understand why they’re feeling … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 2 Comments

The sales tax slowdown

I note this in anticipation of Monday’s revenue report from Comptroller Susan Combs. The state collected $1.86 billion in sales taxes last month, a 2 percent increase from December 2007. The collections represent sales that took place in November. While … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The sales tax slowdown

The wind farms are running

The wind farms of South Texas are now operational. After three years of studies, development, lawsuits and environmental problem solving, the Gulf Wind project, a $740 million wind farm on 7,851 acres of the Kenedy Ranch, is all but complete. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on The wind farms are running

Prison reform

This is what leadership looks like. This spring, [Sen. Jim] Webb (D-Va.) plans to introduce legislation on a long-standing passion of his: reforming the U.S. prison system. Jails teem with young black men who later struggle to rejoin society, he … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 4 Comments