Posted on 05/22/2011 11:24:06 AM PDT by ForGod'sSake
UPDATE: Reading the release a little more carefully, this is the first budget cut in Texas in 50 years. I have no idea when the last other state was to actually reduce spending. I would welcome if anyone has the answer to this question.
Via the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the Texas Legislature has reached a deal for the upcoming fiscal which actually cuts government spending. This is not a reduction in the rate of growth, it is not a cut based on a proposed budget, it is not a series of accounting gimmicks, the State of Texas will actually spend less money next fiscal year than it did last year. In so doing, it will be the first state in 50 years to actually implement a real reduction in spending. From the TPPF release:
This state budget deal is a victory for all Texans – and especially for the Texans who worked hard over the past several months to remind our legislators that they wanted a fiscally conservative state budget. The announced budget deal is a win for Texas on three specific points:
• It does not use a single penny of the rainy day fund for the next biennium.
• It does not raise taxes.
• It does represent the first all-funds reduction to a biennial state budget in the past half-century.“What happened in the Texas Legislature this session is more than just a victory for Texans. It’s a victory for America. Texas already leads the way in job creation, economic vitality, and economic liberty. Now Texas is leading the way in the most important cause facing our country: the need to live within our means.
“Today, in Austin, Texas, the men and women of our legislature showed it can be done. That’s a tremendous accomplishment for Texas – and it’s a shining beacon of hope for America.”
Indeed. Let us hope that John Boehner is paying attention - this is the kind of leadership the American people expect from Congress. Not budget gimmicks, not reductions in the rate of the Federal Government’s growth, but some evidence that the government is actually spending less from year to year. And while liberals and go-along-get-along Republicans claim that actual cuts to government spending will create economic disaster, the experience in Texas proves the exact opposite, as Texas remains the strongest state in the country in terms of economic growth.
Cut the budget. Make government smaller. Grow American businesses. Texas is proving it can be done.
Please understand one thing about this process. The Texas Constitution mandates a two-year balanced budget which is based upon revenue forecast made by the Comptroller. This isn't necessarily the results of Perry or the even the Leg. However it is nice that they are spending less the next two years than they did in the prior budget but I question if that would have occurred had the forecasted revenue been equal to or greater than the previous budget.
I understand that many conservatives are covertly very positive toward conservative Governor Rick Perry.
I expect the reverie will be short-lived and end when the local governments find out how much appropriations have been cut and RAISE PROPERTY TAXES MORE and AGAIN.
First they raise appraisals even in a falling market then rates.
They barely got it done this time...Just wait till 2013...
We thought it was a challenge to get it done this time...hehehe, wait till less revenue comes in to be divied up in 2013...
You think the cuts were deep this time...hehehe, we ain’t seen nothing yet...
Every single penny spent on every single thing is absolutely necessary to let the educators tell it.
I see it differently.
I went online and looked at the original budget and the originally proposed cuts. Can we say redundancy? There are programs on top of programs, many of which seem to be aimed at achieving the exact same goals. All of these programs and plans and wonderful new ways of doing things cannot all be absolutely vital.
I see other things that have come to be seen as normal and necessary which really aren't. I remember back in the dark ages, in a state other than Texas, seeing my local school superintendent pull up in front of my high school and get out and walk inside. We all stood around and watched, because his pickup truck was so old the door nearly fell off every time he opened it. We kept waiting for it to fall off completely (it never did). The superintendent of my local ISD here in West Texas drives a school-owned (and fueled) new Suburban, as do several other Administration members. This is a small district, BTW.
The wife of an Administration member of another local ISD recently complained to me about how "poor" their small district is (it's small enough that they play six-man football). A day or so later she mentioned in conversation that they were going out of town to visit family, using her husband's frequent flyer miles he has acquired through his travel for the school district.
A friend of mine is married to yet another administrator at another nearby district. She frequently tells me he is going to be out of town, traveling for school. Any time anyone is going for any training, he goes too, though he does not spend any time in the classroom. He goes (in his school-owned and school-fueled vehicle) to "support the students" at every ball game, track meet, tennis match, literary meet, stock show, etc he can possibly get to. That's a nice idea, but necessary?? Then there are always "meetings."
Anyway, I am convinced that most school districts, if forced, could find ways to reduce spending other than taking textbooks and teachers out of the classrooms.
Austin, Texas AKA Babylon on the Brazos
As has been already pointed out, wrong river. If anything, that would offend UT students because their rival school Texas A&M is on the Brazos River (dittos with Baylor University, but who cares about them?)
And I don't get the Babylon reference. Sodom and Gomorrah? Yeah, I can see that, because I feel as vexed as Lot much of the time.
Babylon was the home of the world's most powerful nation and leader of all history, and was characterized as the gold head in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. There may be a bunch of fruits hanging around here, but that doesn't make them the ancient wonder Hanging Gardens
You are right. It does. I was trying to come up with a quip and needed a word to rhyme with Babylon.
"Brazos" doesn't rhyme with "Babylon", alliteration maybe, but not rhyme.
How about "Sodom of the Southwest"
Yessiree. All districts have their pork projects, our is a stadium. I can’t wait to ask my fellow voters how they feel about having a stadium and no teachers in the classroom.
I absolutely agree with your commentary.
I am a school nurse in a very small private school in Dallas where we play 6 man football.....I look at our small school and the education we offer in not a fancy school building, I think public schools could learn a lot from us.
My children graduated from a moderate size school system where I also worked as the school nurse in IN. I felt money was wasted on a top heavy administration,a school building that was not utilized but rented to private companies. I didn’t think we needed the pretty buildings with a theater for school productions and never mind the football stadium they built......
Than you, thank you very much (Elvis)
We call Waco Jerusalem on the Brazos FWIW!
Impressive.
State Capitol= Kremlin on the Colorado LOL
Priorities man, priorities... ;^)
So, what’re you saying, Texas is not perfect??? I’m shocked I tell ya, just shocked!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.