|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editors Note: Often we hear from people who signed up, but aren't receiving the Texas Government Insider™. In nearly all cases, the problem turns out to be spam filtering on the receiving end. We strongly support the elimination of undesired email and applaud the use of technology to filter it. Occasionally, however, such filters prevent email that the recipient wants to receive. If you have been unable to receive the Texas Government Insider™ or suddenly stop receiving it, we urge you to contact your information technology department to see if this was the cause. Perry Will Ask Legislature to Replenish Enterprise FundAs part of his plan to improve the state's economy and create jobs through investments in advanced technology programs, Gov. Rick Perry will ask the Legislature for a second round of financial backing for the Texas Enterprise Fund. State officials haven't revealed how much money they'll ask for or where they think the money can be found. The Governor's staff, with input from Austin's Sematech research consortium and others, is working on a plan that integrates a series of state investments in technology as a way to bolster business development and create jobs during the next two decades. Jeff Moseley, executive director of the Governor's economic development office, said the plan will focus on growing business sectors, or clusters, including automotive, aerospace, technology, defense, health sciences, biotech and pharmaceuticals, insurance and banking, energy and agriculture. The state's plan is set to be unveiled at an Oct. 20 economic development conference. The Enterprise Fund was set-up by the Legislature in 2003 to lure companies to Texas by offering them major incentives. Money from the state's rainy day fund was diverted to create the Enterprise Fund. So far, $171.8 million of the $295 million fund has been allocated to secure 12 major projects. The two biggest projects the fund has supported so far are a $3 billion chip factory that Texas Instruments plans to build in Richardson and a $598 million aviation plant that Vought Aircraft plans to build in Dallas. More than two dozen other prospects are in the pipeline and under review, according to officials. The balance of the fund is expected to be allocated before it expires in August 2005. Texas Congressional Leaders Introduce Secure Borders ActTexas Congressional leaders have introduced the Secure Borders Act to enhance security and promote economic prosperity on the U.S.-Mexico border. The Secure Borders Act will:
TWDB Approves $45 Million for Water-Related ProjectsThe Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved financial assistance totaling $45,113,000 for communities around Texas. Funded projects include:
The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, preparing the State Water Plan for the development of the state's water resources, and administering cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agricultural water conservation projects. For a complete list of funded projects, click here. Stephens Appointed to UH System BoardGov. Rick Perry has appointed Calvin Stephens, president and chairman of SSP Consulting, L.C. in Dallas, to the University of Houston Board of Regents. Stephens will replace Theresa Chang, whose term officially expired August 31, 2003. Stephens is a board member of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, the YMCA of Dallas and a former chairman of the Southern Dallas Development Corporation. He serves on the advisory board of the University of North Texas College of Business Administration and the associate board of Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business. Stephens is also chairman of the African American Leadership Council, and a member of both the Leadership Dallas Alumni Association and the Chief Executives Round Table. He is chairman of the trustee board of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church where he also serves as an ordained deacon. Stephens received his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston and his master's degree from Southern Methodist University (SMU). His term will expire August 31, 2009. NASA's Budget Could Top $16 Billion Next YearUnder a bill approved this week by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) would get $16.4 billion in federal funding for 2005. If passed, the bill would give NASA $1 billion above what it got last year and $200 million over what President Bush has proposed. With U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison serving as a co-sponsor, the committee tacked on $800 million to NASA's proposed budget. NASA's shuttle fleet has been grounded since February 2003 when one of its space shuttles, Columbia, broke up over East Texas. All seven astronauts on board died. NASA hopes to resume shuttle flights in 2005. $3.2 Million Earmarked for Ellington Troop CenterThe U.S. Senate has earmarked $3.2 million for planning and design of a joint military reserve center at Ellington Field near Houston. The proposed center would accommodate 2,300 Army, Nay and Marine Corps Reserve troops who are currently stationed at other nearby facilities. At the new Ellington center, reservists would have better facilities, enhanced training areas and improved joint operations opportunities, according to U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction. The funds are included in the Senate's $10 billion Military Construction Appropriations Act of 2005 approved earlier this week. A similar bill was previously passed by the U.S. House. The full Congress will vote on a single version of the bill once the differences between the House and Senate drafts are worked out in a joint conference. UT System Appoints Collins Interim Vice Chancellor and General CounselUniversity of Texas System Chancellor Mark G. Yudof has appointed Steven R. Collins, associate vice chancellor for governmental relations for the UT System, interim vice chancellor and general counsel. The appointment is effective Oct. 1. Collins succeeds former vice chancellor and general counsel Cullen M. (Mike) Godfrey. Godfrey will be joining the Austin office of Jackson Walker L.L.P. after his resignation becomes effective Sept. 30. As interim vice chancellor and general counsel, Collins will head up a team of some two dozen attorneys who work on a variety of legal topics such as intellectual property, medical liability and oil and gas law. Collins will also serve as the UT System's chief ethics adviser and coordinate and assist in litigation provided by the state attorney general and outside counsel. Collins joined the UT System in February after retiring as chief legislative counsel and executive director for the Texas Legislative Council, where he worked for more than 28 years. He holds a bachelor's degree in government and a doctorate of law degree from UT Austin. A search for a permanent vice chancellor and general counsel for the UT System, which has 15 campuses and an annual operating budget of $8.5 billion (FY2005), is underway, according to Yudof. Texas' Economy Continues to ReboundWith state revenues up $1.8 billion through August, the Texas economy continues to show signs of improvement, according to Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn. General revenues for 2003-2004 grew 6.4 percent over those of 2002-03, the highest growth rate since 2000-01. While the economic recovery is in full-swing, job growth has been modest. The number and pay scale of jobs being created are below where they would be in a period of full economic prosperity. Strayhorn cautioned that although most economic indicators continue an upward climb, that doesn't necessarily translate into more money for the Legislature to spend next year. In January, the Comptroller will release her official revenue estimate, which the Legislature will then use to write the state budget. Four to be Inducted Into Texas Women's Hall of FameSusan Combs, Trinidad Mendenhall, Mary Meyers Rosenfield and Sheryl Swoopes and have been chosen as the 2004 inductees into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. This biennial awards ceremony was established by the Governor's Commission for Women in 1985 to recognize the achievements of women in areas of business, health, athletics and public service. Texas residents submit nominations and then a bi-partisan, independent panel of judges selects the recipients. The induction ceremony will be held at 2:00pm on Monday, October 18, 2004 in the Senate Chamber of the Texas State Capitol Building. The event is free to attend and open to the public. For more information, contact the Governor's Commission for Women at 512-475-2615. The 2004 inductees are: 
The Honorable Susan Combs: A fourth-generation rancher and Texan, Combs was sworn into office in 1999 as the state's 10th commissioner of agriculture and the first woman to hold this position in the state's history. She was re-elected to the position in 2002. She is a former assistant district attorney in Dallas. Combs served in the Texas Legislature from 1993-1996 where she was a member of the House Committees on Natural Resources and Criminal Jurisprudence. In 1996, she joined the staff of United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and worked as the senator's state director. Combs currently serves on the boards of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Wildlife Association, Texas Natural Resources Foundation and on the national advisory board for Texas Wild. She served on the board of directors of the Texas Beef Council and the Texas Production Credit Association. She is also a member of the Texas Farm Bureau and the Independent Cattlemen's Association of Texas. Commissioner Combs still maintains a cow-calf operation in Brewster County on the ranch established by her great-grandfather over a century ago. She holds a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. 
Trinidad Mendenhall: Co-founder of Fiesta Mart, Incorporated, a 50-store retail grocery chain, she currently serves as Vice-Chair of Fiesta Mart's Board of Directors. She is the President of Fulton Shopping Center, a real estate investment company in Houston and Vice President of First Quality Fruit & Produce Company. In 1997, Mendenhall created the Trini and O.C. Mendenhall Foundation, which empowers women, minorities and children. In September 2002, she established the Mendenhall Asthma Research Laboratory at Baylor's Biology of Inflammation Center in memory of her husband. Mendenhall serves on the Advisory Board of Economic Development Stakeholders, the Board of Trustees for the Baylor College of Medicine and is Vice-Chair of the Capital Campaign Committee at Baylor. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston Development Board, The University of St. Thomas, and the Houston Ballet. In addition, she serves as a member of the University of Houston's Center for Mexican American Studies Excellence Endowment Campaign Committee and the United Way's Alexis de Tocqueville Society and Women's Initiative. She served as Board Chair of the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston and currently serves on the organization's Nominating, Executive, and Finance Committees. 
Mary Meyers Rosenfield: Devoting her life to the care and education of Texas children and adults with mental retardation, she was named Citizen of the Year by the El Campo Chamber of Commerce in January. Rosenfield immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1911 and soon settled in El Campo. Her first volunteer service was at the age of six when she knitted blankets for the troops fighting during World War I. Her volunteerism continued into her teens when she aided in the establishment of the first library in El Campo. As a young girl, she joined Hadassah, a volunteer women's charitable organization whose members are motivated to strengthen their partnership with Israel and ensure Jewish continuity. In 1949, she organized the first home school for children with mental retardation. In El Campo she sponsored doctors from Methodist Hospital of Houston, offering free diagnosis for children with mental retardation. She was the founding President of the Association of Retarded Citizens in El Campo and served on the State Board. She lobbied the local public school system to hire the first special education teacher. In 1952, Mrs. Rosenfield established the Opportunity Center, a workshop for retarded adults, offering a means for both employment and independence. She also started a summer program for retarded children that included swimming, arts and crafts. She helped establish the Richmond State School, which opened in 1968. 
Sheryl Swoopes: The first player to sign with the Women's National Basketball Association, she is the star forward on the Houston Comets. She has been named to the All-Women's National Basketball Association First Team four times. A three time Olympian, Swoopes earned gold medals at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Swoopes has been inducted into the Texas Tech University Hall of Fame, voted the Women's National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year, received an ESPY for Female Professional Basketball Player of the Year, named one of Houston's Living Legends, and was the first female athlete to have a Nike shoe named for her, the "Air Swoopes." She educates and empowers children through the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth. She also serves on the Board of Judges for the Talbots Charitable Foundation's Women's Scholarship Fund, which awards $100,000 in college scholarships to women seeking an undergraduate degree later in life. In addition, she co-authored a book entitled Bounce Back, in which she shares her personal story of triumph and encourages others to bounce back from adversity. Neeley Urges Business Leaders, Educators To Voice Their Ideas on School FinanceTexas Commissioner of Education Shirley J. Neeley is urging business leaders and educators to share their ideas on school finance with legislators. Speaking at a Port Arthur Public School Foundation luncheon, she said: "Someone in this room might have the perfect solution. And they (legislators) need to hear from you." During her speech on school finance and community support for public schools, Neeley also said it is time to get the partisanship out of the school finance discussion. Repeal of HUB Graduation RulesThe Government Code says the Texas Building and Procurement Commission (TBPC) may establish size standards that a business may not exceed if it is to be considered a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB). In 1995, TBPC's predecessor agency established graduation size standards. At its June board meeting, TBPC staff proposed repealing those provisions saying it would reduce administrative burdens. The board approved publishing the proposal for public comment and in their August meeting approved the repeal. The effective date of the repeal is Sept. 19. The repeal is as follows: Texas Building and Procurement Commission adopted the repeal of 1 TAC, Chapter 111, Subchapter B, §111.23 concerning graduation procedures for the Historically Underutilized Business Program (HUB) ). TBPC says the repeal is necessary to increase HUB participation, reduce administrative costs for the program, and to encourage high impact HUB development. The repeal will delete the requirement to determine if a HUB has exceeded the U.S. Small Business Administration's size standards for four consecutive years. In addition, HUBs who have previously exceeded the size standard may reapply and, if all other HUB requirements are met, become HUB certified. |
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a Texas-based, nine year old research and knowledge based consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services. To learn more about SPI services click here or contact Crystal Kuhs at 512-531-3900.
2005 Legislative Communications Conference
SPI Job Opening: California Research Analyst
Recent Sunset Decisions AvailableLast week we reported on decisions of the Sunset Commission at its meeting September 15. Those decisions are now available online:
Trans-Texas Corridor Public MeetingsThe Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will hold meetings across the state in the coming months to provide the public with information on the proposed Oklahoma-Mexico element (TTC-35) of the Trans-Texas Corridor, a proposed multi-use statewide transportation system that will address future population growth. Click here to view the meeting schedule. For more information on the Trans-Texas Corridor, visit www.transtx.com. Event LinksLegislative Communications Conference - 10/7/2004 Texas Municipal League Annual Conference - 10/27/04 - 10/29/04 Fall 2004 Biometrics Summit - 10/26/04 - 10/28/2004 Mobile & Wireless Technology Forum for Texas Government - 10/28/04 Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Fall Institute - 11/7/04 - 11/9/04 2004 UST Management & Compliance Assistance Seminar 12/09/04 WIN TEXAS GOVERNMENT BUSINESSFor a FREE TRIAL of SPI's Future Opportunity Analysis and Bid Monitoring services click here. 
SPI has a dedicated Information Services (IS) Division that researches governmental entities and analyzes data for future and current business opportunities. Our team studies and reviews strategic plans, legislative appropriations requests, appropriations bills, and budgets to identify potential business projects. IS provides these key services and products:
Please contact SPI's Crystal Kuhs at ckuhs@spartnerships.com for more details. Past ABJ articles by Mary Scott NabersBiometrics growth identified as future windfall - 9/10/2004 Contractors can capitalize on military growth - 8/27/2004 Texas Government Insider ArchivesVolume 2 Issue 38 - 09/17/04 Volume 1 and Volume 2 Archives - 11/7/03 - 9/02/04 News from Strategic Partnerships, Inc.ResourcesWho Represents Me? Texas Districts By Address Financial Review of Two Cost Recovery Programs at the Department of Information Resources NASBO Fiscal Survey of the States Diagram of Legislative Process in Texas Diagram of Texas' Biennial Budget Cycle Public Hearings/MeetingsSenate Subcommittee on State Contracting Practices--9:00am, September 27 and 28, Capitol Extension, E1.036 Senate Finance Committee--1:00pm, September 27, Capitol Extension, E1.036 Senate Subcommittee on Base Realignment and Closure--1:30pm, September 27, Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center, 402 Harbor Dr., Corpus Christi House Committee on Human Services--10:00am, September 28, Capitol Extension, E2.014 Oversight of Electric Utility Restructuring: The Electric Utility Restructuring Legislative Oversight Committee will meet jointly with the Senate Business and Commerce Committee and the House Committee on Regulated Industries--10:00am, September 29, Capitol Extension, E1.036 House Committee on Government Reform--10:00am, September 30, Capitol Extension, E1.010
Signing Up for the Texas Government Insider™We welcome you to add your friends and co-workers to the Texas Government Insider™ distribution. Simply click the Sign up for our mailing list icon near the top of this issue. Occasionally, we learn about people who signed up, but didn’t get the Texas Government Insider™. In nearly all cases, the problem turned out to be spam filtering on the receiving end. We strongly support the elimination of undesired email and applaud the use of technology to filter it. Occasionally, however, such filters prevent email that the recipient wanted to receive. If you have been unable to receive the Texas Government Insider™ or suddenly stop receiving it, we urge you to contact your information technology department to see if this was the cause. |
 |
|
3rd Annual San Antonio Transportation Leadership ForumThe San Antonio Mobility Coalition, Inc. (SAMCo) will host the 3rd annual San Antonio Regional Area Transportation Leadership Forum on September 29 at the City of San Antonio Convention Center. Topics for this year's Forum include: "Today and Beyond: Economic Impact in Relationship to Transportation in San Antonio" and "Linking San Antonio to the Region - Looking to the Future." Featured speakers include Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson and Texas Transportation Commissioner Hope Andrade. The deadline for registration is Friday, September 24. For more details, visit www.samobilitycoalition.org. Governor's Volunteer Leadership ConferenceThe Governor's Volunteer Leadership Conference is one of the largest gatherings of volunteer managers and community leaders in Texas. The conference provides excellent training and technical assistance for volunteer managers, program directors and administrators. Representatives from state, national and corporate volunteer programs as well as community, faith-based, education, and volunteer centers participate. The conference will be held Oct. 6-7 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. For more information or to register, click here. EWTG 18th Annual Professional Development ConferenceThe 18th Annual Executive Women in Texas Government (EWTG) Professional Development Conference will be held on November 22 at the Renaissance Austin Hotel. EWTG is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that develops and encourages leadership among women in Texas government and higher education. The theme of this year's conference is: Leadership for a Changing Texas. Texas Commissioner of Education Dr. Shirley J. Neeley will be the morning keynote speaker and Mary Scott Nabers, president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc. will give the afternoon keynote address. For more information on the conference, click here. |
|
 |
|