Perry wasn't always afraid of new taxes Thursday, May 27, 2004 The news is a commentary on the Texas Legislature's spending habits. "Texas Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley, in Midland Tuesday, called for the state to up its share of school funding by 20 percent, restoring it to a level not seen in half a century," said a story in the May 20 Midland Reporter-Telegram. From the same day's Austin American-Statesman: "Caseworkers in the state's elderly care program need more training, better tools to determine mental capacity and more immediate feedback from supervisors, according to preliminary results of a review released...