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Miller Reappointed Chair of State Board of EducationGov. Rick Perry has reappointed Geraldine "Tincy" Miller as chair of the State Board of Education for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2007. The board and the education commissioner oversee the state's public school system. Her appointment is subject to senate confirmation. Miller is a licensed real estate broker and vice chairman of Henry S. Miller Co. She is the State Board of Education District 12 representative, a board on which she has served since 1984. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, she received a master's degree from East Texas State University, now Texas A&M University at Commerce. 
Finalist For Superintendent of Fort Worth ISD NamedDr. Melody Johnson, currently superintendent of Providence Schools in Rhode Island, has been named finalist for Superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) by the Board of Education. Pending official hiring after the 21-day waiting period, Johnson plans to start in the FWISD in May. Johnson is experienced with education in Texas having served in various positions across the state. She was Area Superintendent and then Associate Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support in the San Antonio Independent School District. Her Texas experience also includes her role as the first Senior Director for Middle School Education at the Texas Education Agency in Austin. House Could Have Opportunity to Increase State Employee PayRep. Carl Isett, chair of an Appropriations Committee panel charged with looking at government efficiency and operations, has said that he is determined to give House members the opportunity to increase the salaries of state employees. While Isett's main task is to find $3 billion for public education, he said he will try to find more than that - around $500 million - which could be used to increase the pay of state employees. Midland College to Hold $41.8 Million Bond ElectionMidland College's board of trustees has approved a $41.8 million bond election. The election will be held in May. If passed, the money would be used for expansion and renovation to the 30-year-old campus. Planned projects include:
Montgomery County First To Use New Funding Tool for Road Improvement ProjectsMontgomery County is the first local government in Texas to use a new financing tool for road improvement projects under a program approved this week by the state's Transportation Commission. Under the new financing, the county can immediately begin work on five road projects estimated to cost about $219 million together that are listed in the state's 10-year highway improvement plan but have been delayed by limited funding. The county will pay for the construction costs and the state will reimburse it in annual payments based on the number of vehicles that use the roads. The state will reimburse the county about $174 million - $10.5 million to $17.4 million each year over a 10- to 17-year period. Montgomery County officials will next set an amount and date for a bond election. It is likely they will seek a $150 million bond issue to help pay for the projects. They also will use about $25 million remaining from a 2001 bond issue and $32 million from TxDOT to get started. Texas A&M Lab at Brooks Wins $1.7 Million Army ContractThe Texas A&M University System's Aircraft Sustainability Laboratory at Brooks City-Base has won a $1.7 million U.S. Army contract to support lean manufacturing initiatives at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. The Depot overhauls and repairs helicopters, engines and components and trains active duty Army, National Guard, Reserve and foreign military personnel. The money will be used to develop and implement strategies to streamline the depot's maintenance processes in order to improve productivity in the repair shop. Contractors Have 90 Days to Submit ProposalsThe Texas Transportation Commission has decided that a proposal to rebuild and operate long stretches of State Highway 121 in Denton and Collin counties as a toll road merits further study. Within the last month, the Swedish company Skanska BOT submitted an unsolicited bid to develop part of Highway 121. The firm, which calls itself the largest construction company in the world, has a history of building toll roads in other countries. Other companies will have 90 days to submit competing concept plans for what planners have called one of the most lucrative markets for a toll road. According to a recent survey, the highway ranked highest on a state survey of roads with the ability to retain traffic if tolls were added. The state Transportation Department will review all preliminary concept plans and approve a short list of finalists by summer. Companies then will have about four to six months to submit detailed proposals. In all, reviewing all private proposals and choosing a finalist is expected to take 12 to 18 months. The state also could choose to reject all the bids and stick to its current plans for rebuilding the highway. Fort Bend Asking Feds For $750,000 to Help Pay For Transportation ProjectsFort Bend County is seeking $750,000 in federal transit funds to purchase vehicles and improve operations and mobility services for its residents. The money would be used to purchase two vans to accommodate commuters traveling to or from areas within the county without public transportation. $125,000 would be used for transit planning and some money would also be used to expand a $375,000 vehicle maintenance facility. TxDOT Now Accepting Applications for Trans-Texas Corridor Citizen's Advisory CommitteeThe Texas Department of Transportation is now accepting applications from Texans interested in being on a citizen's advisory committee for the Trans-Texas Corridor. When appointed, the committee will begin advising the department on issues dealing with the planning and development of the corridor, a multi-modal network of toll roads, commuter and freight rail and utilities to be developed over the next 50 years. The Texas Transportation Commission, which voted at its January meeting to create a corridor advisory group, is expected to name the committee members and adopt the advisory group's operating rules at its March 31 meeting. To apply, click here. Applications are due by March 14. Tarrant County Commissioners Consider Bond ProposalsAt their meeting this week, Tarrant County Commissioners discussed bond packages they hope to put before voters this fall. While most of the commissioners were in favor of asking voters to approve a $130 to $140 million bond package to pay for the construction of a new civil courts building, additional jail space and expanded juvenile and medical examiner facilities, they were split on whether or not to include a $200 million bond proposal for transportation projects. Nat'l Conference on State Legislatures Urges Changes to No Child Left Behind ActGranting states flexibility to meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act will result in stronger democracy and strengthen the nation's economic future, according to a bipartisan review of the law. A special task force of the National Conference of State Legislatures has released the results of a 10-month study that identified specific areas of the act that need to be changed if states are to guarantee that young people will learn at their full potential. The report lists 43 specific recommendations on ways the law can be revised to improve the quality of education for all students and close the gaps in achievement that exist in schools today. Key recommendations of the report include:
For more information, click here. Terms of Three Parks and Wildlife Commissioners Have ExpiredThe terms of three Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners - Mark Watson, Al Henry and Peter Holt - officially expired February 1. Dewhurst Hasn't Committed to Technology FundLt. Gov. David Dewhurst was noncommittal Thursday on whether the Senate would allocate the money for Gov. Rick Perry's proposed $300 million emerging technology fund when it drafts its budget proposal. Perry has said the technology fund will boost Texas' reputation as a global leader in the technology economy. Perry is also asking the Legislature to dedicate $300 million to the Texas Enterprise Fund, which was created two years ago to spark job creation in the state by giving grants to companies. The Fund has allocated $212.4 million to 18 projects so far. The remaining $82.6 million should be allocated before the budget year ends in September. Roadmap to Results - School Finance BillGov. Rick Perry and House Education Committee Chairman Kent Grusendorf have been busy this week touting "Roadmap to Results," (the nickname for House Bill 2) which aims at overhauling the state's education finance system. On Tuesday and Wednesday, House members discussed the fact that the bill would provide $3 billion in new funding over the next two years and provide protection for taxpayers from increased property tax rates. Critics of the bill say it increases the spending gap between the state's richest and poorest students because it calls for greatly limiting the current system that requires property-rich school districts to turn over some of their property-tax revenue to the state to help poor districts. Critics Speak Out Against Proposed Broadening of Sales TaxOpponents of plans to broaden the sales tax to help resolve the school finance crisis voiced their opposition to attaching the sales tax to services such as dental work at a public hearing this week. The sales tax is expected to undergo its first expansion or rate hike since 1990 if lawmakers follow through on their push to reform public education finance and lower school property taxes. The state's current sales tax is one of the 12 highest and broadest in the country. Lens on the Legislature: Monitoring Legislation on a Subject of InterestMost readers have an area or two of primary legislative interest. Because nearly 4,000 bills and resolutions have been filed in the 79th session, few people have had the time to review them all and try to ferret out those that relate to their areas of interest. Fortunately, the Legislative Council has categorized most bills according to one or more subject areas. Bills by subject can be viewed online. You may have to look through the whole list initially to find your subjects of interest since "Workers' Compensation," for example, is listed under the L's as "Labor - Workers' Compensation" and "Computers" are listed under the E's as "Electronic Information Systems." If you have already reviewed a bill in your area of interest, you can look up its bill status which will show you the subjects into which it was categorized. That may give you some insight into the categories you should monitor for similar bills. Here are some subjects (and their respective links) that are likely to be of interest to many of our readers: DHS Awards Over $400,000 to Fire DepartmentsThirteen Texas fire departments have received grants totaling more than $400,000 in the 35th round of the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grants will ultimately total approximately 8,000 awards worth nearly $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters throughout the country. Grant recipients include:
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. These funds increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, emergency medical service programs, and fire prevention and safety programs in local departments. Perry Gives El Pasoans Hope for Greater ProsperityEl Pasoans heard a hopeful message this week from Gov. Rick Perry, who views construction of a new medical school and troop expansion at Fort Bliss as major opportunities on the city's road to greater prosperity. Texas Tech is constructing a $327 million medical school in El Paso. Perry wants lawmakers to appropriate the $68 million that Texas Tech administrators say is needed to start hiring faculty and to keep the medical school on schedule to open in fall 2008. Nearly 4,000 more soldiers are scheduled to arrive at Fort Bliss in the near future. Even more soldiers could come in the future as the Pentagon reconfigures its military installations. Enron Documentary to Air at SXSW FestivalEnron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, the inside story of one of history's greatest business scandals, in which top executives of America's 7th largest company walked away with over one billion dollars while investors and employees lost everything, will make its Texas debut in a one-time showing at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin. The documentary will be screened on March 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre. For more information, click here. |
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a research and procurement consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services. Founded in 1994, SPI has offices in Texas and California. To learn more about SPI services click here or contact Crystal Kuhs at 512-531-3900. Focus on SPI Consultants
Gay Erwin joined SPI after serving five years as Executive Assistant for Administration for the Office of the Attorney General. She has been in executive level management for the last 20 years and has dealt with government at the local, state, and federal levels. During her years of service as a member of the executive staff of a United States Senator, a Texas Governor, and a Texas Attorney General, Gay worked as a liaison to the Texas Legislature on policy and legislative issues. To read Gay's full bio, click here. New ReportsThe Health and Human Services Commission released yesterday: Child Protective Services Reform Overview The Legislative Budget Board has released: Budget and Performance Assessments: State Agencies and Institutions, Fiscal Year 2004 Legislative WatchBills filed recently of interest to our readers: Under House Bill 1453, river authorities, water authorities and certain other districts would be subject to Sunset review. Under House Bill 1516, the Department of Information Resources (DIR) may allow a procurement contract it enters into be used by another state agency, a political subdivision of this state, or a governmental entity of another state. House Bill 1351 relates to the installation, copying, or use of computer software for unauthorized purposes. House Bill 1359 relates to the establishment of a program for the disposition of electronic equipment in a manner that protects the water and other natural resources of the state. Senate Bill 81 seeks to foster collaboration between Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at El Paso. Senate Bill 533 seeks to expand the use of wind and solar power and other renewable energy sources across the state. Texas House Passes Measure Banning Tickets From Red Light CamerasThe Texas House yesterday gave preliminary approval to a bill prohibiting cities from using cameras to issue citations for red-light runners. The bill must be approved a second time by the House, pass the Senate and be signed by the governor. Texas Senator Introduces Bill Calling for Openness in Federal GovernmentSen. John Cornyn has introduced legislation which seeks to reform federal government information laws, most notably the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 (FOIA). The Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2005 (OPEN Government Act) is aimed at substantially enhancing and expanding the accessibility, accountability, and openness of the federal government. When Cornyn served as Texas' attorney general, he was a strong advocate of open government. For more information on the legislation, click here. Event Links3rd Annual RFID World Conference and Exhibit - 3/1/05 - 3/3/05 Texas Classroom Teachers Association 50th Annual Convention - 3/3/05 - 3/5/05 44th Annual Emergency Management Training Conference - 3/21/05 - 3/24/05 25th Annual Association of Texas Professional Educators State Conference - 3/31/05 - 4/2/05 FOSE 2005 - Where Government Meets Technology - 4/5/05 - 4/7/05 Texas Library Association Annual Conference - 4/5/05 - 4/8/05
5th Annual Internet Security Forum for Texas State Government - 4/13/05 TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC) - 4/14/05 Texas Public Health Association's 80th Annual Education Conference - 04/24/05 - 04/26/05 TASB Summer Leadership Institute - 06/23/05 - 06/24/05
SPI Offers Clients Full Range of Service Offerings
Past ABJ articles by Mary Scott NabersGovernment construction contracts could yield millions for businesses - 2/11/2005 Government agencies often look outside for training help - 1/14/2005 Texas' open records laws can offer wealth of information for contractors - 12/17/2004 Texas Government Insider ArchivesLast Issue - 2/18/05 Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 Archives - 11/7/03 - 2/11/05
Outstanding Women in Texas Government Awards
ResourcesSunset Advisory Commission's Report to the 79th Legislature Legislative Workforce Summaries Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's Mobility 2030 Plan - Final Review Draft Rules and Precedents of the Texas House TxDOT's 2006 Project Selection Process Resources for Electronic Government Diagram of Legislative Process State Contract Management Guide Who Represents Me? Texas Districts By Address Diagram of Texas' Biennial Budget Cycle Public Hearings/MeetingsUpcoming Senate Committee Meetings Upcoming House Committee Meetings Subscribe to 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. |
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2005 Texas Business ConferenceThe Texas Workforce Commission will host a one day seminar, the 2005 Texas Business Conference, at various locations around the state during March, April and September. The first one will be held in Houston on March 4. Seminar topics include employee policy handbooks: creating a human resources roadmap, employee privacy rights and the new wage and hour regulations. For more information or to register, click here. 44th Annual Emergency Management Training ConferenceThe Governor's Division of Emergency Management will hold the 44th Annual Emergency Management Training Conference at the Waco Convention Center March 21 - 24. The conference attracts about 1,200 local, state and national officials from the emergency management community including first responders, fire and law enforcement personnel, county emergency management coordinators, and members of voluntary agencies providing disaster assistance. The training conference is intended to give professionals the tools they need to respond to, and recover from, any type of emergency in Texas. For more information, click here. TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC)The 4th Annual TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC), Contracting - Texas Style!, will be held on April 14 at the J.J. Pickle Center in Austin. This conference will feature practical tips on negotiating and contracting from respected experts including State Auditor John Keel and Cindy Reed, Executive Director - Texas Building & Procurement Commission. For online registration and additional information regarding the agenda, speakers, scholarships, and sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.tasscc.org. |
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