Weekend links
* The State Board of Education passed a resolution supporting Perry's decision not to apply for federal money.
* DMN's James Drew says that Perry seriously misrepresented the facts when he said during the debate that "voted for $20 billion to bailout the auto industry." In the next paragraph Drew acknowledges that Hutchison "voted against a provision that would have barred financial-bailout money from going to auto companies."
So...in what way was there any misrepresentation of the facts?
* Straus, Dewhurst and Perry issued a letter asking state agencies for a 5% cut in spending. It's not actually as deep as it seems, as the Austin Chronicle notes:
It's not the whole budget, just what's paid for by general and general revenue-dedicated appropriations. On top that, the request exempts a few items, including: benefits and eligibility staffing levels for Children's Health Insurance Program, Medicaid and foster care, plus total exemptions for the Foundation School Program, debt service, and contributions to Social Security, the Teacher and Employees Retirement Programs and the Higher Education Fund. So, most of the budget.In other words, of $182.3 billion in the budget, the cuts only apply to about $32 billion. Still, that would cover $1.6 billion of the hole.
The FWST adds this Bill White quote from a press release:
"For months, he should have been identifying efficiencies and productivity improvements that would allow a reduction in spending without a compromise in services delivered," said White, former mayor of Houston. "This exercise has occurred among well-run businesses in Texas and cities such as Houston. Any well-run organization can find these kind of deficiencies, but it takes attention to detail and strong management skills to implement them."Right, Bill White is just Mr. Fiscal Manager. Right. I'd love to hear a detailed list from Bill White on what areas he will cut in the budget, especially while he's in the Democratic primary.
Any chance the media actually asks him for that?
* SAEN's Gary Martin notes that KBH is up for the Porker of the Year Award given by the Citizens Against Government Waste to those who obtain the most pork. She is on the Appropriations Cmte; I don't think that's a secret by now.
Posted by Evan @ 01/17/10 09:07 PM
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Comments
** So...in what way was there any misrepresentation of the facts? **
In the way that journos with an agenda show their biases all the time in these insipid "fact-check" efforts, which frequently are nothing more than editorials.
On Bill White's financial acumen -- I sure hope someone asks him about detailed analysis of City of Houston's perilous financial condition both from Bob Lemer's group of CPAs and from Bill King. That would make for a fun "fact-check" huh? I'm not holding out for that to happen.
Posted by kevin @ 01/18/10 08:35 AM
Fact-checkers are the most biased people ever. Look at Gardener Shelby's PolitiFactTexas. He is the most biased of them all.
Posted by jacques @ 01/18/10 04:26 PM
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