Posted on 09/07/2011 12:45:44 PM PDT by smoothsailing
By Katrina Trinko
September 07, 2011
Talking to MNSBC host Larry O’Donnell last night, former Perry opponent Jim Hightower accused Rick Perry of making draconian cuts to the volunteer fire fighter budget — no small accusation, considering the wildfires in Texas.
“Perry with his Republican supermajority in the legislature managed to slash the budget of the volunteer fire departments in our state by 75 percent in the last legislative session. We don’t have firefighters enough to come to fight these fires. People’s homes are burning down because of his failure,” Hightower said.
A news story from Texas ABC Texas KVUE backs up Hightower’s charge, reporting in March that “state funding for volunteer fire departments is taking a big hit. It is going from $30 million to $7 million.”
The Perry campaign did not challenge the numbers, but spokesman Mark Miner e-mailed this response:
The Volunteer Firefighter Assistance Account appropriation for the 2012-13 biennium is comparable to amounts included in previous budgets signed by Gov. Perry. A one-time increase in funding for the 2010-11 biennium included funding for recommended capital costs like new equipment. Included below are the appropriations amounts for the Texas Forest Service for each budget signed by Gov. Perry. The Volunteer Firefighter Service Account is included in the total Texas Forest Service appropriation.
The Texas legislature traditionally makes supplemental appropriations to provide additional funding to cover unexpected costs related to disasters, including wildfires. This year, the legislature approved $121 million in supplemental spending of this sort. The threat of unpredictable natural disasters including as wildfires is precisely why Gov. Perry insisted that Texas’ 2012-13 budget not include any spending from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, which currently has an estimated balance of $6.5 billion.
Texas Forest Service appropriations
Biennium Total (in millions)
2002 – 2003 $43.5
2004 – 2005 $70.6
2006 – 2007 $72.4
2008 – 2009 $75.2
2010 – 2011 $109.2
2012 – 2013 $75.4
Where was Hightower when these fires started, does he have an alibi?
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He tries to be a male Molly Ivins. His talk show was a big flop, as are all the liberal talk shows. Another indication that America is conservative is that there are hundreds of successful conservative talk shows and no successful liberal talk shows, that I know of. Therefore, why should conservatives care what the mythical "moderates" think? They are just a figment of the liberal media's imagination.
Another smear corrected.
If you can judge a man by his enemies, I’d say Perry is just what we need.
Perry of all people would know what he did for algore... and according to this ‘story’ that is NOT written...
I am alllll for correct records, but since I read this, I cannot take anyone having credibility to claim this piece corrects anything.
Yep, but they just move on to the next one. What lowlifes.
I don't know why the mods put up with these Perry smear merchants on Free Republic.
The fiscal year just began this week. The budget cuts haven’t gone into effect yet. They were given additional funding for equipment upgrades last fiscal year and there is a large rainy day fund to tap into if there is a need. This is simply politicking at its’ worst.
The takeover in Bastrop and turning away trained certified Volunteer Firemen is not half the FedGov story, Drudge has a link about how nobama has cancelled the contract for firefighter water bomb aircraft and has idled almost half the fleet in the US. The contract was cancelled even though the planes in question are fully operational and FAA approved.
I don't know why the mods put up with these Perry smear merchants on Free Republic.
That's okay, it appears their tactics are starting to backfire. Maybe not here yet but definitely on the other blogs, news sites and other places.
Can you read? The story clarifies that last year’s budget was inflated because of special equipment authorizations signed by Perry, 2012 is not a budget reduction.
Texas Forest Service appropriations
Biennium Total (in millions)
2002 – 2003 $43.5
2004 – 2005 $70.6
2006 – 2007 $72.4
2008 – 2009 $75.2
2010 – 2011 $109.2
2012 – 2013 $75.4
Got news for you...most Texans do like Rick Perry. You’ve only seen a very small number of Texans that don’t like him which would be expected in a state as large as Texas. Don’t buy into the bs ‘cause it just ain’t true.
We’ve got a huge rainy day fund that is set aside for emergencies just like this.
0bama is a damn psychopath and pure evil. Four people have died from these fires.
Don’t beleive all the huff n puff the rabid overzealous ronpaul like Perry Derangement coyotes who run to every Perry thread with half truth distorted smears, MOST Texas conservatives like Perry, and that is precisely why he has been re-elected twice and is both our longest serving Governor and our most conservative.
IF you think my intent had anything to do with politicking, it is NOT even worth my time to say otherwise.
Some are NOT happy the Feds finally showed up.... honestly, I have NO clue what help, other than rain looks like. I will say to you the words Federal Government means all of US, because without taxing US they the 'Federal Government' would NOT exist.
Maybe so. But volunteer firefighters are still showing up to help fight the wildfires in Texas, and the federal government is turning them away.
No doubt in one of those Austin “massage” parlors TexDims and ronpaulnutz claim against Perry. (notice how ronpaul’s “Sex with Perry” newspaper ad has not drawn flyes??!!)
Nobama will wish he had not Messed With Texas.
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