State Capital Highlights: Pain of proposed education cuts draws crowd

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AUSTIN — An estimated 12,000 people from across Texas took part in a Saturday, March 12, rally at the state Capitol to express their feelings about proposed cuts to education.

At issue are proposals aired in daily hearings of House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees that point toward the budgetary goal of cutting as much as $10 billion from public education funding.

In addition, billions more in cuts would be needed to satisfy the state constitutional mandate for a balanced budget.

Of course, lawmakers also hear daily from constituents that the pain of cutting health and human services, law enforcement, roads and infrastructure and a long list of other state functions is too much to bear.

Deliberations continue, but still, no cuts have been voted upon that would make a serious dent in the $27 billion projected revenue deficit for budget years 2012-2013. Where else can lawmakers turn their attention to solve the puzzle?

Some say it’s raining right now

One idea gaining momentum among taxpayers, lawmakers, other state officials, and even school children too young to vote, is to use part if not all of the state’s $8 billion Economic Stabilization (“rainy day”) Fund.

Gov. Rick Perry says it’s not a rainy day and he wants lawmakers to write a balanced budget without touching it.

However, to address the revenue deficit in the current budget year, House Appropriations Chair Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, has filed House Bill 275. The bill would tap into the rainy day fund to the tune of $4.27 billion. Discussed by an Appropriations panel on March 10, HB 275 was left pending but may come up for a vote soon.

Another idea: unpaid furloughs

Texas might pick up on a tactic other states have used to regroup in the face of budget shortfalls: that is to cut the state payroll.

The way is to pass a law that — instead of ordering massive layoffs — just allows agency heads to send some workers home without pay for a few weeks when necessary.

Now it so happens that Chairman Pitts has filed HB 2720, relating to unpaid furloughs for state employees.

Under Pitts’ bill, a state employee who is on unpaid furlough continues to accrue:

(1)  state service credit for purposes of longevity pay;

(2)  vacation leave; and

(3)  sick leave.

If the unpaid furlough exceeds one month the employee may continue to accrue service credit toward state retirement.

How much money the state might save if large numbers of employees are furloughed without pay for a month just beggars another question: How well could vital services be sustained on the backs of a reduced workforce?

March 11, the 60th day of the 82nd session of the Texas Legislature, was the deadline for lawmakers to file major state legislation. The last day of the 140-day session is May 30.

Midland rep fine after emergency

Former House Speaker Tom Craddick collapsed in a committee hearing at the Capitol on March 9.

He was conscious when transported to an Austin hospital for treatment and observation. Reports are that he is in fine shape.

Craddick, R-Midland, is dean of the Texas House. He has served as a member of the House since 1968.

January jobs report arrives

On March 11, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Texas employers added 44,100 jobs in January.

Those jobs are nonfarm employment, and the addition of jobs in January totals out at 253,900 jobs gained in a year’s time. The Texas Workforce Commission calculated the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January at 8.3 percent, unchanged from December 2010, and below the U.S. unemployment rate for January of 9.0 percent.

Patrols increase for holiday

The Texas Department of Public Safety on March 9 announced the number of highway patrol troopers on the road will be increased to handle spring break, March 12 to 20.

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