Tempers flare as lawmakers rush to beat the clock
With less than a week left in the current special session, state lawmakers had begun to address several issues during the special session as they continue to wrangle over a school finance plan. Gov. Rick Perry has opened the session up to the following issues:
- An overhaul of regulations for the telecommunications industry
- Legislation related to renewable energy
- Legislation that funds tuition revenue bonds
- Measures to protect Texas residents' property rights after a recent US Supreme Court ruling that allows governments to seize private property for economic development.
But Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (pictured) said Thursday that the Legislature should resolve how the state pays for its public schools before sending any other measures to the governor. He said the Senate would not vote on conference committee reports that deal with any other issues until a final school finance plan is passed. The special session ends on Wednesday.
TxDOT earmarks $11.3B for highway preservation
The Texas Department of Transportation' Texas Transportation Commission has adopted a four-year, $11.3 billion plan to keep the state's transportation system intact.
The plan allocates $8.5 billion to maintain highways and right of way, $1.6 billion for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, $402 million for improvements where railroads cross highways, $766 million for safety projects and $1.4 million for water and rail projects. Overall, the plan represents a 25 percent increase over its predecessor, according to Michael Behrens (pictured), TxDOT's executive director.
The transportation commission's most recent meeting began with an announcement by Robert L. Nichols of Jacksonville, who said he is resigning as commissioner to run for public office in 2006. Nichols was appointed by then-Gov. George W. Bush in 1997.
Shepard named chairman of higher ed coordinating board
Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Robert W. Shepard chairman of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Shepard, a Harlingen resident, replaces Jerry Farrington, who served as board chairman for two years. Farrington plans to stay at the post until August 2007, but he had asked the governor to name his successor so that he could spend more time on other business and personal matters.
"I had the honor of serving as vice-chairman of the board for two years under the wonderful leadership of Jerry Farrington," Shepard said. "I certainly like the direction we're heading as a board, and I look forward to working with the higher education community and my fellow board members in this new role."
Lottery Commission seeks new director
The three-member Texas Lottery Commission has ordered a national search to find a new executive director. Deputy Director Gary Grief (pictured) will run the agency in the meantime. Former executive director Reagan Greer resigned recently amid a controversy over falsely inflated jackpot advertising.
Richmond installed as state HUB program manger
Stephanie Richmond now serves as the Texas Building and Procurement Commission's (TBPC) Statewide Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program Manager. Richmond is charged with administering the HUB Program, which consists of certification, compliance, outreach and policy making. She will be working closely with state agencies and institutions of higher education on a statewide basis to ensure the application of HUB rules and statutes in state procurement.
Before taking on her current position, Richmond was the assistant HUB coordinator for the agency. Prior to TBPC, she worked for the Texas A&M University HUB Program.
State awards $161,299 in grants to local law enforcement
The governor's office has awarded $161,299 in grants for local law enforcement programs. These grants are awarded under the federal Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program (LLEBG) and are distributed by the Governor's Criminal Justice Division (CJD). Each year, CJD provides more that $130 million in grants to help Texans at the forefront of the fight against crime. CJD funds a variety of programs for juvenile justice, crime prevention and victim service grants - all aimed at making Texas a safer place.
The most recent awards include:
- $20,000 to the City of Allen for a new digital voice recording system to gather evidence for criminal trials.
- $42,000 to the City of Palmview to buy eight in-car mobile video cameras.
- $53,298 to the City of Wilmer for a new communications system.
Texas Racing Commission names new leader
The Texas Racing Commission has named Charla Ann King to head the agency as chief operating officer. She replaces Paula Flowerday, who is relocating to the North Texas area due to family commitments.
King most recently served as the senior policy advisor for Ron Lehman, a commissioner on the Texas Workforce Commission. Previous experience includes serving as the director of the public services division of the State Bar of Texas and policy director at the Texas Sunset Commission. King is no stranger to the Racing Commission. She directed the agency's Sunset review in the mid-1990s.
El Paso eyes $25M for utilities improvement
El Paso County would get $25 million in water and wastewater infrastructure improvements under a bill passed Thursday by the US House of Representatives. According to US Rep. Silvestre Reyes from Texas, the bill will finance US Army Corp of Engineers projects in the El Paso region. In some areas of the region 10 percent of the population is without water service.
Dallas, Fort Worth team up for tourism
City and tourism officials from Dallas and Fort Worth have unveiled a cooperative tourism initiative aimed at increasing the area's national and international appeal to travelers.
The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, as well as the suburban cities of Grapevine and Irving, also has signed onto the program, which will be operated by the Dallas and Fort Worth convention and visitors bureaus. Those involved have a budget of $500,000 through the end of the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, said Phillip Jones, president and CEO of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Jones (pictured) said the "Visit Dallas Fort Worth" program budget will increase to $1 million in the next fiscal year with a goal of raising $5 million over the next five years.
TxDOT hires director of public transportation
Eric Gleason has been appointed director of the Texas Department of Transportation's Public Transportation Division. Gleason, who starts August 1, is currently the director of service development for the King County Department of Transportation and Metro Transit in Washington state.
Fort Worth halts hiring
The City of Fort Worth this month began a 13-week hiring freeze in hopes of closing an impending budget gap before October. Officials said the hiring freeze can save the city about $245,000, plus it will give them time to curtail layoffs by offering current employees who would otherwise face job cuts a chance to transition to vacant spots. The hiring freeze will be lifted on October 1.
Texas big on tourism spending
Texas spends more on tourism advertising in the United States than any other state, according to a recent Travel Industry Association survey. Texas spent about $13.7 million on domestic tourism advertising in 2004-05, followed by Florida at $10.8 million and Pennsylvania at $9 million. With $30.6 million in its coffers this year, the Lone Star State has the country's fourth-highest overall tourism budget behind Hawaii, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Short line railroad in S. Texas secures $50M loan for improvements
The Tex-Mex Railroad, a short line connecting the United States to Mexico, has won approval of a $50 million loan it will use for major safety and infrastructure projects in the wake of growing cross border
trade. The loan from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will increase efficiency by allowing Tex-Mex to operate at higher track speeds, and increase capacity to accommodate growing freight rail traffic along its busy NAFTA corridor. It will also improve track safety along the railroad's line between Laredo and Corpus Christi, TX. The loan will help upgrade 146 miles of track - between Laredo and Corpus Christi - rehabilitate 26 bridges, construct two new sidings and lengthen one, and replace 75,000 crossties. Two rail yards, at Laredo and Corpus Christi, also will be upgraded.
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