Tx Capitol Report

Follow the money

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs launched a new Web site called Tracking the Stimulus that allows Texans to follow what the state receives from the $787 billion federal stimulus plan and how it is paid out.

At this point, though, there's not much to the site because no one knows exactly how much the state will get from the stimulus package. A spreadsheet provides a list of the bill's provisions, federal tax dollars spent on each provision and money that might become available to Texas.

The comptroller's office promises continual update as more information about the stimulus package becomes available.

-by Andrew Kreighbaum

Preaching to the choir

Photos from today's "Tuition Relief Now" rally at the Capitol's South Steps.

 

 

State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, (top) and state Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, speak to students before they head off to push more legislators for their support of a two-year freeze on tuition at public Texas universities. Hinojosa and Guillen have filed identical bills that would freeze tuition for two years, tie future tuition increases to the rate of inflation and put new fee increases to a student vote.

-By Andrew Kreighbaum

Who knew? Rep. Berman habla un poquito de Español

A seemingly unsuspecting intern at Austin's National Public Radio station KUT got state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, agitated enough to habla a little Español today at the Capitol.

He asked Berman, a vociferous opponent of illegal immigration, if it wouldn't just be easier to legalize all the millions of undocumented workers in the country.

Berman is the author of such bills as HB254, which would require all undocumented immigrants to move to so-called "sanctuary cities," and HB255, which would prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending Texas universities. And if the federal government would allow it, Berman has said, he would prohibit undocumented immigrants and their U.S.-born children from obtaining health care and education in Texas.

So KUT's question got him a little fired up, and when a Univision reporter pushed the question again, well that just riled him up enough to speak a little Spanish.

Listen to the conversation here:

Another minute with Moody

Here's this week's installment of the Moody minute. State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, this time talks about El Paso Days last week. He said local leaders' time in Austin was well-spent talking with lawmakers about Fort Bliss, border security, the medical school and mental health issues.

Moody also promises to talk next week about committee work at the Capitol. Freshman Moody had his very first committee meeting this week with the inaugural 81st session gathering of the Border and International Affairs Committee.

A UTEP History Lesson

The Christian Science Monitor dipped into the history of UTEP Monday, explaining the origins of the Bhutanese-inspired architecture on the campus.

It turns out that Kathleen Worrell, whose husband Stephen was the school's first dean, had never even traveled outside North America when she made the suggestion. Her knowledge of the Himalayn kingdom of Bhutan extended only to a 1914 edition of National Geographic magazine.

The article also notes the efforts of President Diana Natalicio to preserve the Himalayan theme in new construction on the campus.

-by Andrew Kreighbaum

Poll: Hutchison over Perry in a landslide

A new poll out today from Public Policy Polling shows U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison would slam Gov. Rick Perry in a Republican Primary election if it were held now.

Hutchison leads Perry 56-31, according to the poll.

Among GOP Primary voters, 76 percent favorably viewed Hutchison and 15 percent had a negative opinion of her. Perry had good feedback from 60 percent and negative impressions from 27 percent.

"Rick Perry is in grave danger of losing in the primary," said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. "It's partly because he's worn out his welcome with a certain segment of the Republican electorate, but the even bigger reason is that Kay Bailey Hutchison is just a lot more popular."

Look at the whole poll and analysis of it here.

Bloggers call for Berman punishment

A group of liberal bloggers has launched a site calling on the Texas Legislature to censure conservative state Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler.

Berman sparked their ire last week when he reportedly told a Chinese American lawyer to "go home" during a heated argument following a debate on Berman's HB254. The bill would require undocumented immigrants to live in so-called sanctuary cities. The lawyer had called Berman "evil" and "despicable."

The bloggers want Berman censured for his behavior, which they say is "unbecoming of a member of the Texas Legislature."

Border cameras report still prompting questions

State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, chairwoman of the Border and International Affairs Committee, had some pointed questions about Gov. Rick Perry's border Web camera program today.

Gonzales referred to reports, first published by the El Paso Times, that the $2 million camera program fell far short of its intended goals. Initially, the state had expected to install some 200 cameras along the border and apprehend 1,200 criminals and 4,500 undocumented immigrants as a result of tips from online viewers.

But reports from the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition, which is in charge of the camera program, showed only 15 cameras were installed, and that the cameras resulted in three arrests in the first six months and six immigrant apprehensions.

"When the public reads that there were three apprehensions as a result of $2 million, that looks like a very unwise investment of our monies, and we have to answer for that," Gonzales told Steve McCraw, Perry's director of state homeland security.

McCraw defended the program. The goal, he maintained, was not to make arrests but to deter illegal crossings and criminal activity from happening in the first place.

Putting humans in place of the cameras, McCraw said, would require 135 people and would cost more than $18 million. Ranchers whose property the cameras are on and border sheriffs, he said, appreciate the technology.

"We're very exited about it," McCraw said. "...We think it's a force multiplier."

State Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Vann, later during the committee meeting also defended the camera program. He said the tiny number of apprehensions actually show the cameras are working.

"When people know they're being watched, they're not going to try as often to come across," Flynn said to Gonzales. "The media's not always the best judge of what we do."

National Public Radio is the latest media outlet to follow the border camera story. Check out their report today here. I've also heard that The Daily Show with Jon Stewart may have a segment on their program, and have got a call into Comedy Central to get the lowdown.

Perry heading for the border

After a weekend in D.C. with fellow governors, Gov. Rick Perry is heading for the border tomorrow.

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, said Perry will be in town to talk about border security. He plans some closed-door meetings with local law enforcement and a press event on one of the international bridges.

For his part, Shapleigh said, he would use the occassion to draw attention to some of Perry's border security policies that he views as less-than-stellar.

"For too long, we have watched money wasted on virtual immigrant hunts and paid patrols trying to track immigrants," Shapleigh said. "Now is the time for real security and a clear focus on the real threat - violent international criminal gangs."

Perry's office declined to speak on the record about the impending trip.

UPDATE: Just got an on-the-record comment from Perry spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger: "Governor Perry will be in El Paso on Tuesday to meet with General Barry McCaffrey, local leaders, and legislators to discuss border security issues."

If it first you don't succeed...

State Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, filed a bill today that would put more than $6 million into a job-training fund.

HB1180 would take some money that would otherwise go into the Texas Enterprise Fund and put it into the Skill Development Program, a jobs training program run by the Texas Workforce Commission.

It's the same bill Chavez filed and passed through the House and Senate last year. Gov. Rick Perry vetoed it .

The sticky point is that the Texas Enterprise Fund is one of Perry's pet projects, and he uses the money to lure businesses to the state.

With all the focus on putting people back to work now, it will be interesting to see how Chavez's bill does on its second whirl.