Tag Archives: deficit

Here comes the casino push

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Expect this to get louder and louder, though whether it’s successful or not remains to be seen. When a big political player comes waltzing into Texas spending big money from out of state, it’s usually a good sign that he … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Here’s the official budget forecast

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“Could be worse” remains the watchword. Texas lawmakers will enter the legislative session this week with an estimated $112.5 billion available to allocate for general purpose spending in the next two-year state budget, a number that’s down slightly from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Can we please not screw the schools right now?

Posted on December 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Really, we don’t have to do this. Across the Houston region and Texas, school districts that lost enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic are facing a drop in state funds starting in January if the Texas Education Agency or state lawmakers … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still bad, but could be worse. Despite “historic declines,” state lawmakers will have more money to work with in the upcoming legislative session than Comptroller Glenn Hegar expected over the summer, he said Monday. But Hegar did not outline specifics … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

The cities still need COVID relief

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, in case you’d forgotten. As Congress resumes work on a new coronavirus financial relief package, nearly 100 Texas mayors are pressing the state’s congressional delegation for more funding to address revenue losses incurred due to the economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The cities still need COVID relief

The state deficit is quantified

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Honestly, it’s not as bad as it could be. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar delivered bleak but unsurprising news Monday: Because of the economic fallout triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, the amount of general revenue available for the state’s current two-year … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The state deficit is quantified

There won’t be furloughs after all

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A slightly confusing bit of good news. Houston will not need to furlough roughly 3,000 city employees nor cancel its police cadet classes in the upcoming budget year, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin announced during a city council budget committee … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What the next CARES act could mean for Texas cities and counties

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Short answer, a lot. Cities and counties across Texas would get more than $29 billion from the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package House Democrats want to pass as soon as Friday. That includes more than $1.7 billion to Houston and … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What the next CARES act could mean for Texas cities and counties

Here come the furloughs

Posted on May 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We said this was gonna be bad, right? Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, facing an economy hammered by the coronavirus pandemic and collapsing oil prices, on Tuesday proposed to close an upcoming budget gap by furloughing about 3,000 municipal workers, deferring … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Still trying to avoid total budget disaster

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That federal money sure would help. As the prospect of mass furloughs and severe spending cuts looms over the city’s next budget, Houston officials are sitting on a pile of coronavirus stimulus money that amounts to more than double the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The rough fiscal road for school districts

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s gonna be bad. How bad remains the question. Coronavirus already has wreaked havoc on school districts — closing campuses for the remainder of the school year, shifting learning online, and exposing a wide digital divide between students who have … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The rough fiscal road for school districts

Turner to ask feds for some relief

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask. Mayor Sylvester Turner is asking the federal government to let Houston use an estimated $400 million in aid to help close its ballooning budget gap and reduce the number of expected furloughs in the fiscal year … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Did we mention that the next city budget is gonna suck?

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Because it is, in case we hadn’t mentioned it before. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Monday that the coronavirus crisis will impact “every facet of city governance” and require furloughs of city workers, though he declined to say how many … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Cities and counties are going to need their own bailout

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the rough financial future that the city of Houston faces as we go through the coronavirus shutdown, but it’s not just Houston that is in this position. As Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration continues efforts to slow … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Coronavirus and the state budget

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t gonna be great. How bad, we don’t yet know. Comptroller Glenn Hegar briefed Texas House members on the state’s economy and budget Sunday night, saying that while it was too soon for specific forecasts, both are expected to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Do you believe in magical thinking?

Posted on September 24, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I did not read this long profile of Tony Buzbee, because life is short and we all have better things to do. I did briefly scan the print version a bit, and in doing so I noticed the following paragraph, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Here’s the Mayor’s budget

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of people won’t like it, but this is what happens when you heap a big expense on top of an already tight fiscal situation. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday proposed to close Houston’s $179 million budget gap for … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Firefighter layoffs

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Hoo boy. Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to lay off up to 400 firefighters as he prepares to award pay raises required by Proposition B, the voter-approved charter amendment that grants firefighters the same pay as police of corresponding rank, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

HISD Board will need a budget do-over

Posted on June 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s never boring over there. Houston ISD trustees narrowly rejected the district’s proposed $2 billion budget, did not move forward with making Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan the district’s permanent leader and voted to end the employment of acclaimed Furr High … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on HISD Board will need a budget do-over

House considers a bigger ask from the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Needs must, as they say. The proposal from state Rep. John Zerwas, a Richmond Republican and the House’s chief budget writer, would withdraw about $2.4 billion from the Rainy Day Fund as part of a supplemental budget to pay bills … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bill to restore some budget flexibility filed

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Call it the Law of Unintended Consequences Act of 2017. The Texas House’s chief budget writer filed legislation Friday that would allow lawmakers to claw back billions of dollars that voters approved for state highways, freeing them up for other … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bill to restore some budget flexibility filed

Zerwas proposes using Rainy Day Fund

Posted on March 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if this goes anywhere. The chief budget writer in the Texas House on Friday proposed using $1.4 billion from the state’s savings account to pay bills coming due for a wide array of the state’s health and human … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Turns out a little budget flexibility is a good thing

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. More than a year after Texas voters approved routing billions in state sales taxes to roads and bridges, some lawmakers are questioning whether the first payment of $5 billion should move … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Here’s your 2018-19 revenue estimate

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty mediocre. Facing sluggish economic forecasts amid low oil prices along with billions in tax revenue already dedicated to the state highway fund, Comptroller Glenn Hegarannounced Monday that lawmakers will have $104.87 billion in state funds at their disposal … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Here’s your 2018-19 revenue estimate

No bonds this year

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe next year. Mayor Sylvester Turner likely will not ask voters to approve bonds this November to replace the nearly depleted debt residents approved in 2012, a move that may delay several projects. […] Having addressed a $160 million shortfall … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council unanimously passes Turner’s first budget

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good job. Mayor Sylvester Turner achieved his goal of securing unanimous passage of his first general fund budget Wednesday morning, a month ahead of the typical schedule and after an unusually brief and uncontentious discussion of council members’ proposed changes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Trash subsidy will not be trashed

Posted on May 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: After weighing the budgetary impact and obtaining input from City Council, Mayor Sylvester Turner has decided not to pursue elimination of subsidies to homeowners associations that opt out of City trash collection services. Under the program, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

So far, so good for Mayor Turner

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the general consensus of his first four-plus months in office. Faced with a $160 million budget shortfall that would leave some wringing their hands until deadline day, Mayor Sylvester Turner presented his plan a month ahead of schedule. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mayor Turner delivers State of the City 2016

Posted on May 6, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the press release. Flooding, pensions, City finances and public safety were front and center as Mayor Sylvester Turner delivered his first State of the City before the Greater Houston Partnership. In a major move designed to produce tangible results … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Kill that trash subsidy

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Works for me. Mayor Sylvester Turner, working to close a $160 million budget deficit, has proposed scrapping payments that scores of Houston neighborhoods served by private trash haulers receive to help offset the cost of their waste contracts. The idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

First look at how HISD will balance its budget

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Seems to be fairly well-received. The Houston school district’s interim superintendent on Thursday rescinded his proposal to reduce funding for gifted students amid concerns from parents and board members. At the same time, Ken Huewitt proposed bolstering the budgets of … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Turner announces his budget

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Utilizing a shared sacrifice approach, Mayor Sylvester Turner today unveiled a proposed Fiscal Year 2017 General Fund budget that eliminates a projected $160 million shortfall that was the result of cost increases, voter imposed revenue limitations, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Have I mentioned lately that the revenue cap is stupid public policy?

Posted on April 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Because it is. Sales taxes are Houston’s second-largest source of revenue for the general fund, which pays for most core services. Just as concerning for city officials, however, was more news about the city’s largest general fund revenue source: property … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mayor Turner releases transition team report

Posted on April 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, a glimpse of what to expect in the near to medium future from Mayor Turner. Mayor Sylvester Turner has released a 17-page report that details the work of his transition team chaired by businessman and long-time civic … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor Turner releases transition team report