#TXLEGE: Davis Completes Final Humiliation of Abbott

"The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
Ecclesiastes 7:8

Classic:

With the filing deadline for candidates now officially in the rearview mirror, Gov. Greg Abbott has made a shocking announcement, endorsing openly pro-abortion State Rep. Sarah Davis (R–West University Place) for re-election.

In a press release on Tuesday morning, Abbott praised Davis for her “dedication to the people of Texas,” adding that he was “proud” to endorse her for re-election to the Texas House.

“State Representative Sarah Davis advocates for the needs and priorities of her constituents,” said Abbott. “And while we haven’t always seen eye to eye, we share the same commitment to bring people together to solve problems and improve the lives of all Texans.”

“The lives of all Texans” that Abbott mentions, however, clearly doesn’t refer to the lives of unborn children. Davis is unabashedly pro-abortion, even caucusing with Democrat lawmakers in secret meetings during debates over pro-life legislation and going on MSNBC to advocate for more lax abortion laws. Her record and advocacy for the practice have earned her accolades from groups like Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights Action League.

Just two years ago, Abbott earned praise from conservatives across the state for his endorsement against Sarah Davis after he compared her to Wendy Davis, a national pro-abortion figure and his former Democrat opponent.

“She’s not really a Republican, but she has a ‘Republican’ by her name,” Abbott said at a fundraiser in January 2018. “It won’t surprise you to know The Huffington Post came out and glowingly compared her to Wendy Davis. We have beat Wendy Davis before. We cannot allow another Wendy Davis look-alike in the Texas House.”

Davis is not only a liberal on the issue of life; she has often sided with Democrats against conservatives in the Texas Legislature. During the last legislative session alone, Davis worked to grow government spending, increase the ability of local governments to raise taxes, and even teamed up with Democrats to kill a proposed ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying.

Obviously, this website doesn't support Sarah Davis' politics.  But this development is still kinda hilarious.  Poetic justice, reaping what you sow, etc.

It's not just that Abbott endorsed against her last cycle.  At least, not really.  It's that he did it in such a buffoonish way.  Davis, of course, beat the Governor like a rented drum.

Now he comes crawling back.

As we wrote last year:

While Tuesday's results were a mixed bag for lege watchers from across the ideological spectrum, there was one GIGANTIC loser: Greg Abbott, specifically his SPECTACULAR FAILURE against Sarah Davis.

It's been obvious for months that Sarah Davis was going to win that primary. Abbott's ridiculous, over-the-top (and easily disprovable), attack against Davis related to Hurricane Harvey was bound to backfire.

Less than two years later...how the mighty have fallen.

It's a little funny.

Bottom Line: That this was all completely predictable doesn't make it any less entertaining.

Abbott/Turner slapfight is why government shouldn't provide "disaster relief"

"I will set Egyptians against Egyptians;
Everyone will fight against his brother,
And everyone against his neighbor,
City against city, kingdom against kingdom."
Isaiah 19:2

Oh good grief:

Texas is likely another nine months from getting $4.3 billion in federal post-Hurricane Harvey recovery money aimed at better protecting the state from future flooding and disasters. But when it finally arrives, Gov. Greg Abbott made clear Friday the state will be handling the money directly and not turning it over to cities and counties to manage.

While some local officials expressed frustration over the decision, Abbott said he’s turning to Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush to lead the program aimed at large-scale, regional projects. Bush has already been tasked with dealing with housing recovery issues since Harvey hit Texas in August 2017.

....

Similarly Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the city will continue to work closely with Bush’s agency, but made clear who will be to blame for delays in getting work completed.

“If there will be any delay in the distribution and use of flood mitigation aid, it will come from the federal and state government,” Turner said.

Texas has been waiting for the money since February 2018, when Congress first approved the disaster mitigation program. But it took until August for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to publish rules on how the money can be used.

Now, Bush and the Texas General Land Office are required to develop a “state action plan” that must later get yet another approval from HUD. According to a joint statement put out by Abbott and Bush on Friday, that could take another “nine months or more to complete.” That would mean July 2020 — just short of three years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall.

Blah, blah, blah.

This is a scumbag on scumbag fight.  Greg Abbott and Sylvester Turner both want to supply graft and patronage.  Just different beneficiaries.  No matter who "wins," the public loses.

Don't get us started on that three year "rulemaking" process.

The Texas Observer, meanwhile, has more here.

Bottom Line: This is why you never ask the Feds for money.

Abbott just established an INSANELY DANGEROUS precedent

"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed."
James 1:14

Bad...REALLY bad:

WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on August 23, 2017, as subsequently amended on August 26, August 27, August 28, and September 14, 2017, certifying that Hurricane Harvey posed a threat of imminent disaster for certain counties in the State of Texas; and

WHEREAS, on September 20, 2017, and in each subsequent month effective through today, I issued proclamations renewing the disaster declaration; and

WHEREAS, recovery from the catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Harvey continues for millions of Texans living in no fewer than sixty counties across the state; and

WHEREAS, the magnitude of what still must be rebuilt is reflected in the more than $10 billion of federal funds that are newly or nearly available to Texas for areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey, including through the disaster aid bill signed by President Donald J. Trump on June 6, 2019; and

WHEREAS, a qualified workforce of licensed plumbers throughout the state, including from areas not directly affected by Hurricane Harvey, will be essential as those funds are being invested in crucial infrastructure, medical facilities, living facilities, and other construction projects; and

WHEREAS, Texas must also be ready for future disasters, by building sound infrastructure that can withstand major weather or other events and by ensuring that qualified workers stand ready to rebuild, and June 1, 2019, marked the beginning of the 2019 hurricane season; and

WHEREAS, the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, whose mission is “to protect Texas citizens against the health and safety hazards that can result from improperly installed plumbing, gas, and medical gas systems,” will continue to play an essential role in all these efforts by ensuring that the plumbers who rebuild Texas and prepare for future disasters do so in a manner that will safeguard public health, safety, and property; and

WHEREAS, Section 1301.003 of the Texas Occupations Code provides that the Board is to be abolished on September 1, 2019, along with expiration of the Plumbing License Law, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1301, because they were not continued in existence by the 86th Legislature pursuant to the Texas Sunset Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 325; and

WHEREAS, abolition of the Board would threaten recovery efforts, diminish hurricane preparedness, and heighten the dangers I am responsible for meeting under the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, Texas Government Code, Chapter 418; and

WHEREAS, in Section 418.016(a) of the Texas Government Code, the legislature has empowered the governor to “suspend the provisions of any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business . . . if strict compliance with the provisions . . . would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with a disaster”; and

WHEREAS, the 86th Legislature further expanded the governor’s authority in Senate Bill 285 by enacting Section 418.128(b) of the Texas Government Code, effective September 1, 2019, pursuant to which, “[n]otwithstanding any other law, the governor may, by executive order, take any action necessary to ensure each state agency . . . is able to respond to a hurricane”; and

WHEREAS, to fulfill the demands for rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey and keeping Texas prepared and able to recover from future disasters, it is necessary to continue the Board to perform its indispensable role in protecting Texans;

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by the Texas Constitution and the Texas Disaster Act of 1975, I do hereby suspend Section 1301.003 of the Texas Occupations Code to prevent the imminent abolition of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and expiration of the Plumbing License Law on September 1, 2019, and to delay that abolition and expiration until disaster needs subside or the 87th legislature addresses the matter. To facilitate the legislature’s consideration of the issue, this suspension shall have the force and effect of law until May 31, 2021.

This executive order supersedes all previous orders on this matter that are in conflict or inconsistent with its terms, and this order shall remain in effect and in full force until modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by me or by a succeeding governor.

Given under my hand this the 13th day of June, 2019.



GREG ABBOTT Governor

This is madness.

He's using Hurricane Harvey as an excuse to extend an unrelated state agency.  Two years after the storm.  We've seen some shoehorns in our life, but none that big.

Lunacy.

That being said, it'll be interesting to see how the legislature reacts.  Extending the plumbers board is a function of the legislature, NOT the executive branch.  If the legislature has any self respect (*), they ought to both raise hell AND make the Governor pay.

Bottom Line: It does not take a genius to see how this goes horribly, horribly wrong....

-------

* -- Yeah, we know.

Roy's move toward sanity will beget Hysteria

"There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it."
Proverbs 21:20

In news that shouldn't be a big story, but is:

Rep. Chip Roy became the man who delayed $19.1 billion in disaster aid to communities throughout the country on Friday.

House leaders tried to pass a multibillion-dollar disaster assistance measure, by unanimous consent, but the Texas Republican objected on the floor.

Since House and Senate lawmakers have already left town for their Memorial Day recess, the objection likely causes a 10-day holdup in delivering aid that has already been delayed for five months amid cross-party sparring. The Senate passed the measure Thursday, with President Donald Trump's blessing.

The House could still pass the bill by unanimous consent next week, if no lawmaker comes to the floor to object.

Here's the truth: The real world consequences of any of this will be minimal...and anyone who tells you otherwise is manipulating your emotions for political purposes.

Period.  End of story.

Purported federal 'disaster relief' is a farce.  It's a hodge-podge of unrelated spending shoehorned into an emotionally compelling narrative.  So-called federal 'disaster relief' hurts the communities it claims to help.

Claims to the contrary are political hysteria.

Bottom Line:  There's no crisis.  There's just an excuse for federal spending.  Kudos to Chip Roy derailing this sham....

#TXLEGE: Straus...selectively edits...history on his way out door

"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
Revelation 18:3

The other night, we announced our pleasure at Joe Straus' departure.  Turns out we misread the Texas Constitution.  Straus remains the sitting speaker until Tuesday.

Which gave him time to release a preposterous DMN op-ed:

Joe Straus: I'm leaving the Texas Legislature but not the debate

The op-ed is vintage Straus.  Apparently, he's planning to create some sort of "policy shop" with his leftover campaign funds.  Straus leaves a target-rich environment, but we'll focus on three claims.

-------

The Budget:

Straus:

We've balanced budgets, cut billions of dollars in taxes and kept record amounts of money in reserves.

Horse manure.

Under Joe Straus' 'leadership', the Texas house never met a spending bill it didn't like.   This is the gang that, less than two years ago, wanted to drain the rainy day fund...a month before Hurricane Harvey.  But, "record reserves!"

--------

Water:

Straus:

We provided long-needed funding for water-supply projects[.]

There's a lot that can be said about this.  "Water policy" has been an ongoing act of larceny in this state for a long time.  Straus didn't invent this racket, but he absolutely expanded it.

Read what we said about Straus' crowning achievement on "water policy" at the time.

-------

Running the house:

Straus:

But in the Texas House, we've shown that there is a better way to lead - with a pragmatic and inclusive approach....

If by "pragmatic and inclusive" you mean completely lawless, then yeah, and yeah, and yeah, and yeah....

See more here.

-------

It's beyond the scope of this blog post, but somebody really OUGHT to examine whether Straus will be personally enriched by this so-called "policy shop."

-------

Straus yammering about so-called 'economic development' dovetails with what we said yesterday about crony capitalism.

-------

Bottom Line: Good riddance.

Patrick, once again, makes poorly informed media speculation look foolish

"with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,"
Ephesians 4:2

Like it or not, this is reality:

PR 18 12 11 by on Scribd

Patrick's endorsement comes on the heels of a report in an Austin lobby publication speculating he was about to run.  Of course, for anyone reasonably plugged in, neither of these developments should come as a surprise.  It's an open secret that people are trying to recruit Patrick into this race.  It's also not a secret that Patrick has been pouring cold water on those attempts for a year.  Today's announcement makes it official.

The funniest part about this development, however, is that it's the second time in as many years that Patrick has had to shoot down baseless speculation that he was going to run for another office.  In neither case was Patrick doing any work to set up such a campaign.  NEWSFLASH: Dan Patrick likes being Lieutenant Governor.

It's also worth noting that Texas' state and federal officials have been singing kumbaya since Hurricane Harvey.

As for a Cornyn challenge: Find a credible candidate.  Not that guy you like on Facebook who's lost primaries for both the Texas and U.S. house.  A credible candidate.  (Hint: Nobody credible will run this cycle because of this guy.)

Bottom Line: Today's announcement shouldn't surprise anyone who has the slightest clue....

#TXLEGE: The Legislature needs to take a SERIOUS look at Austin Water

"He who walks in his uprightness fears the Lord,
But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him."
Proverbs 14:2

Seriously?!?

In fairness to the city, in response to the backlash they're now claiming it will only take a "handful" of days.  Of course, the beautiful thing about the word "handful" is that it's so vague it can mean anything.  As one commenter on Twitter explained:

i mean a handful of apples is two apples. a handful of skittles is 25. a handful of water boil days is ___________???????

— Claire McInerny (@ClaireMcInerny) October 23, 2018

Here's the thing: Municipal Utilities are 100% within the jurisdiction of the legislature.

We're not sure what they should do.  Several possibilities exist.  They should start with basic financial accountability.

Another issue worth considering: There were drinking water related issues during Harvey.  Obviously, Harvey was a much bigger storm, and a much better reason for drinking water issues to exist.  But, aside from accountability for Austin Water's DEBACLE, there might also be a case to act of the grounds of emergency preparedness.

But that's not to minimize the case for holding Austin Water accountable for this breakdown.

Bottom Line: Accountability for municipal utilities needs to be a big part of the conversation next session....

Abbott Endorses Cloud in CD-27 SPECIAL ELECTION

"Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life."
Proverbs 4:23

We didn't realize election day was tomorrow:



Highlights:

• Cloud was county chair in Victoria county.

• Need a representative to advocate for the district post Hurricane Harvey.

• Takes shot at Farenthold: "Restore integrity to the office."

Bottom Line: A clean win for Cloud tomorrow would allow him to get a head start on shaking up the Texas Delegation before the re-enforcements arrive next year.

Speaking about Texas' TOOTHLESS Open Records Laws....

"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy."
Proverbs 28:13

Obviously, this author just filed an official complaint with the Attorney General's office against the University of Houston over their stonewalling related to their football program.  We will confess that we used this afternoon's TPPF/Texas Tribune event "Open Government, Engaged Citizens: A Conversation on Texas' Public Information Act," as a deadline to get the complaint filed.  That's now happened.

Texas' public information laws, while they look good on the surface, have more holes than Swiss cheese.  One tactic that has recently gained in popularity is to launder governmental funds through shell "non-profits" or allegedly "private" entities.  Austin's ongoing Amazon fiasco, the recent troubles with the Alamo, and a 2015 Texas Supreme Court decision related to the "Greater Houston Partnership" are recent examples of this phenomenon.

Senator Kirk Watson discussed several bills he carried this past session to close various loopholes in the Public Information Act.  All of Watson's bills passed the Senate with overwhelming majorities.  Unfortunately, they all died in the house [Note: What else is new?!?].

Todd Hunter gave a "woe is me" speech about how he totally supports Open Government, but it just got lost in the shuffle of a busy end-of-session period in the house.  Of course, Hunter neglected the fact that he's the chair of the Calendars committee, which might give him leverage over a recalcitrant committee chairman.  Hunter made a bunch of vague promises as it relates to transparency issues next session.  That being said, Hunter did make an interesting point about many of the 'recovery' related contracts from Hurricane Harvey having major disclosure issues.

Watson and Hunter both plugged a Joint Interim committee that was created this past session to study the issue.  Unfortunately, neither chamber has appointed any members.  Isn't that revealing....

James Quintero of TPPF spoke of the need for the Attorney General to have greater enforcement powers.  He also explained the need to repeal certain provisions that have been interpreted to allow "economic development" discussions to occur in secret.  He also discussed his frustrations trying to get information out of the City of Austin related to the Amazon 'negotiations,' a frustration we share.

Bottom Line: Texas' Public Information laws are a joke.  But we know how to fix them.  Whether or not the political will to do so exists in the Texas house remains an open question....

Abbott needs less bluster, more follow through....

"The end of a thing is better than its beginning;
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
Ecclesiastes 7:8

To those who wanted to know why we asked Sarah Davis a softball question at the Trib event three weeks ago: Does it make sense now?!?

While Tuesday's results were a mixed bag for lege watchers from across the ideological spectrum, there was one GIGANTIC loser: Greg Abbott, specifically his SPECTACULAR FAILURE against Sarah Davis.

It's been obvious for months that Sarah Davis was going to win that primary.  Abbott's ridiculous, over-the-top (and easily disprovable), attack against Davis related to Hurricane Harvey was bound to backfire.

The way you go after Sarah Davis, in that district, is on property taxes.  Furthermore, (if you want to go there) there are several 'open secrets' at the Capitol related to Sarah Davis' personal conduct.  But Abbott chose to go off on some dumb tangent about Hurricane Harvey and the results speak for themselves.

But this isn't new: Greg Abbott talks a big game [Note: That's why Fox News LOVES him], but Abbott's results are consistently underwhelming.

As a pro-property rights, pro-taxpayer advocate who is active at the local level in Austin, few things drive this author crazier than Greg Abbott using our local officials as rhetorical punching bags but then failing to ensure that the bill in question reaches his desk.  Every single time that happens, this author is the one who bears the local backlash to Abbott's words.  That would be a worthwhile trade-off if the bills in question were passing, but so far that hasn't happened.

Bottom Line: Greg Abbott's ratio of cattle to hat could stand some improvement....

If Cruz is worried about unenthusiastic Republicans, he should look at his own vote on the budget

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."
Galatians 6:7

Ted Cruz over the weekend:

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is preparing Texas Republicans for a turbulent election year amid super-charged Democratic enthusiasm — including in his own re-election campaign.

....

Addressing the Fort Bend County GOP on Friday night, Cruz warned of an "incredible volatility in politics right now," calling Democrats "stark-raving nuts" in their opposition to Trump. He pointed to Trump's recent State of the Union address and Democrats' reluctance to applaud, saying the scene "underscores the political risk in November."

"Let me tell you right now: The left is going to show up," Cruz said, delivering the keynote address at the party's Lincoln Reagan Dinner. "They will crawl over broken glass in November to vote."

Maybe.

It's possible we will face a challenging general election environment.  Democrats are livid.  Republicans are, at best, inconsistent.

But what possible reason could Republican voters have to not care?!?

The massive two-year budget deal proposed by Senate leaders Wednesday raises budget caps by $300 billion in the next two years, increases the debt ceiling and offer up nearly $90 billion in disaster relief for hurricane-ravaged Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.

About $165 billion would go to the Pentagon and $131 billion to non-defense programs.

"Our members who are focused on the military are very happy where we landed with that," Ryan told Hewitt on his radio show in reference to the defense spending caps.

The debt ceiling will be raised by the appropriate amount until March 2019.

And who, pray tell, voted for the spending bill?!?

After much consideration, I will reluctantly vote for this legislation. It contains major victories; if hurricane relief & restoring vital defense spending were the only elements of this bill, I would be supporting it energetically & enthusiastically. -> https://t.co/1ma5tWzZPK

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) February 9, 2018

Bottom Line: It's still too soon to tell what the environment will look like in November, but if you're wondering why Republicans might stay home in large quantities, actions like last week's spending bill stunt would be a good place to start.

#TXLEGE: Zerwas refuses to commit to GOP Caucus speaker selection; endorses status quo....

"For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error."
2 Peter 2:18

We caught the tail end of John Zerwas' trib interview this morning.  Zerwas' answers speak for themselves.  Kudos to Evan Smith for getting all this on the record (double kudos for not allowing Zerwas to talk out of both sides of his mouth over the Privacy act):



Highlights:

[Note: Like noted above, we didn't arrive until 20 minutes in.]

• Maintains position against any form of parental educational choice.

• Refuses to commit on bathroom bill.
• "The process can kill bills better than John Zerwas."

• "A lot of my political positions line up with the speaker [ie. Straus]."

• Says Straus "maintained the integrity of the process."
• Note: So much LOL, see here, here, here, and here for the first examples that come to mind.

• "Pro-Local Control."

• Evan - "I'm not aware of any deviance" from pro-life position on Zerwas' part.
• Note: See here (you'll have to scroll down a ways to find Zerwas.

• Evan - Freedom caucus expected to grow.

• Zerwas speaks more respectfully about Freedom caucus than Straus ever did.
• Doesn't mean much, but it's still interesting.

• Refuses to commit to voting for GOP caucus choice for speaker.
• Speaker: "Must demonstrate an ability to work across the aisle."
• "No, I don't support making [caucus vote] binding."

• Obamacare - Tries to throw shade at MQS and Empower Texans by lying about what TPPF was supporting at the time; here's what TPPF actually supported at the time.
• Uses the phrase "expand medicaid" in trying to explain why he wasn't expanding Medicaid.

• Dodged this author's question on spending.
• Cliches about "efficiencies."
• Claims credit for Senate's work on most recent budget.
• Doesn't comment on local spending.
• Note: Here's what we said about the budget at the time.

• Commits to appointing Democrat committee chairs.
• That's not necessarily a bad thing.  The devil is ultimately in the details.  That being said, for a member of Straus' leadership team to make this comment is different than if someone else had made it.
• For the record: Zerwas had a more liberal record last session than either of the Democrat committee chairs Dan Patrick appointed.

• Dodges Harvey/Rainy Day Fund question by hiding behind fact that over 100 colleagues voted the same way he did...even though the relevant bill(s) came out of the committee of which he was chair.

#TXLEGE: Meanwhile, Straus' Interim Charges are a spend/regulate-athon....

"He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Proverbs 29:1

Joe Straus also released interim charges yesterday:

• Study the Texas olive and olive oil industry. Provide suggestions to improve, promote, and standardize the industry. Examine current policy related to the industry and examine factors such as research, marketing, labeling, standards, data collection, and the necessity of creating a commodity board or similar type of organization.
• Note: We wonder which lobbyist is getting paid on this one; also, which major industry player will benefit from this act of protectionism.

• Study the effects of declining migratory species, such as the monarch butterfly, as well as native and domesticated bee populations on agricultural production and its economic impact on the state. Identify possible causes of the population changes and monitor national trends. Make recommendations on how to improve and promote monarch butterfly and bee populations and habitats in the state.
• Note: Because, clearly, Texas' state government is capable of "improv[ing] and promot[ing] monarch butterfly and bee populations.

• Examine the use of federal funds by state agencies responding to the effects of Hurricane Harvey and identify opportunities to maximize the use of federal funds to reduce the impact of future natural disasters. Also, identify the need for state resources to respond to Harvey relief and recovery efforts, as well as opportunities for state investment in infrastructure projects that will reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend....all while hitting up the Feds for even more.

•  Straus' also gives the Appropriations Committee roughly a dozen charges to review the operations of state agencies.  In theory, this could be either a useful exercise or a smokescreen for another spend-a-thon.  We'll let you guess which one we think will happen.

• Evaluate whether counties have the necessary ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas of Texas. Additionally, examine whether counties have adequate resources and authority to ensure that new development in unincorporated areas is not susceptible to flooding.
• Note: Regulate, regulate, regulate. 

• Study the feasibility of establishing and mobilizing a volunteer contingency of private boat owners through the boat registration and license database administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to assist first responders in search and rescue efforts in natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey.
• Note: If this already happened during Hurricane Harvey without the state government being involved, why does the state government need to get involved at this point?!?

• Evaluate the ongoing and long-term workforce needs of the state’s businesses and industries. Determine whether state resources are adequate to address shortages and assist with closing existing or future gaps in workforce readiness and skills to ensure the continued economic security and success of the state.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend.

• Review Texas’ open meeting laws and related government decision-making policies. Determine if the formal processes prevented the efficient delivery of assistance during Hurricane Harvey. Make recommendations on maintaining the current standards of accountability without limiting government-provided aid during disaster events.
• Note: That's a loophole you could drive a truck through.

• Determine, to the extent possible, the scope of financial losses to 2- and 4-year institutions, including facilities, that resulted from Hurricane Harvey. Recommend possible state actions to mitigate any negative impact on institutions and ensure governance structures and parameters allow for effective responses. Review the educational opportunities offered to students displaced by Harvey throughout the state. Recommend any changes that could improve the process and what additional services might be needed for these displaced students.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend.

• Study aggressive driving in Texas and review the causes and current mitigation efforts. Make recommendations for legislative action.
• Note: Regulate, regulate, regulate.

• Study the use of appraisal processes under property insurance policies in Texas, including the effects of court decisions on the use of these processes and the impact of their use on insurers and policyholders.
• Note: Regulate, regulate, regulate. 

• Review local and state zoning and land use regulations. Determine if current rules provide an adequate balance of disaster preparedness and deference to private property rights.
• Note: Regulate, regulate, regulate.

• Examine Texas’ eminent domain statutes to ensure a balance between necessary infrastructure growth and fair compensation for landowners. Review available public information and data relating to the compensation provided to private property owners. Make recommendations to improve the accountability, as well as successful development, of the entities granted eminent domain authority.
• Note: Nice property rights you've got there, be a shame if anything happened to them. 

• In fairness to Straus, he gives the Licencing and Administrative procedures committee a couple of charges that might be helpful.
• Note: Stopped clock, twice a day, and whatnot....

• Examine the potential value, the necessary elements, and the implications of a broad-based information and awareness campaign regarding water issues in Texas. Consider input from water stakeholders, educators, and communications experts.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend.

• Evaluate the governance structures, including investment oversight, of the Employee Retirement System (ERS), Teacher Retirement System (TRS), Texas Municipal Retirement System, Texas County and District Retirement System, and Texas Emergency Services Retirement System. Identify best practices and make recommendations to strengthen oversight within the systems.
• Note: In theory this could either be useful or a spend-a-thon; we'll let you guess which will happen.

• Determine, to the extent possible, the scope of financial losses, including facilities, that resulted from Hurricane Harvey. Recommend possible state actions, such as changes to student counts or property valuation, to mitigate any negative impact on districts and ensure governance structures and parameters allow for effective responses.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend.

• Review current state mechanisms for identifying and rewarding educators through state-level strategies. Examine how providing additional funding to enhance compensation in districts facing a shortage of experienced, highly rated teachers would affect retention and teacher quality, in addition to whether it would encourage teachers to provide additional services through extracurricular activities, tutoring, and mentoring.
• Note: Didn't the Governor propose doing this during the special session?!?

•  Examine programs in public schools that have proven results meeting the needs of and improving student achievement for students with disabilities, with an emphasis on programs specializing in autism, dysgraphia, and dyslexia. Recommend ways to support and scale innovative programs for these students, including providing supplemental services, or incentivizing public-private partnerships or inter district and charter school collaborations. Monitor the implementation and funding for the pilot programs authorized in H.B. 21 (85R) and review the Texas Education Agency's compliance with S.B. 160 (85R), which prohibits special education student caps.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend.

• Review the charter school system in Texas. Determine if changes are needed in the granting, renewal, or revocation of charter schools, including the timeline for expansions and notification of expansions to surrounding districts. Review the educational outcomes of students in charter schools compared to those in traditional schools, and to what extent schools participate in the alternative accountability system. Monitor the implementation of facilities funding for charter schools. Consider differences in state funding for charter schools compared to their surrounding districts and the impact on the state budget. Consider admissions policies for charters, including 33 appropriate data collection to assess demand for additional charter enrollment, compliance with access by students with disabilities and the effect of exclusions of students with criminal or disciplinary histories. Consider differences in charter and district contributions to the Teacher Retirement System on behalf of their employees and make appropriate recommendations to support the retirement benefits of all public school teachers.
• Note: Straus imitates Bill DeBlasio.

• Study treatment of traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's, and dementia, and recommend opportunities for advancing treatment and cures.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend. 

• Study and make recommendations to improve services available for identifying and treating children with mental illness, including the application of trauma- and grief-informed practices. Identify strategies to assist in understanding the impact and recognizing the signs of trauma in children and providing school-based or community-based mental health services to children who need them. Analyze the role of the Texas Education Agency and of the regional Education Service Centers regarding mental health. In addition, review programs that treat early psychosis among youth and young adults.
• Note: Parental rights be damned.  

• Study the efficacy of existing transportation finance mechanisms from state, regional, and local perspectives. Identify opportunities to improve existing transportation finance mechanisms and investigate the feasibility of developing new ones.
• Note: Spend, spend, spend. 

• Monitor and evaluate the need for affordable housing in urban and rural areas across the State of Texas. Examine whether existing housing programs are adequately addressing the needs for affordable housing. Identify prospective and innovative ideas and solutions to address affordable housing needs in Texas.
• Note: Subsidize, subsidize, subsidize.

• Examine local government oversight of abandoned and substandard buildings, including buildings of historical significance. Identify ways to best address these issues in an efficient and effective manner.
• Note: Regulate, regulate, regulate.

Read the full list of Interim Charges here.

Turner attempts "Hurricane recovery" shakedown; Abbott responds with important point about Corporate Welfare

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight."
Proverbs 11:1

The other day, Houston mayor Sylvester Turner attempted to hold Hurricane Harvey recovery hostage to unrelated grow-government histrionics; Governor Abbott's response is spot on:

I will be paying every city of Houston invoice they submit to us within approximately 10 days. Now that said, I did see the mayor’s letter where he’s asking for certain payments by the state of Texas to the city which are unprecedented, this never happened before in the state of Texas, and it raises a concern that the mayor seems to be using this as hostage to raise taxes, when in reality, the city of Houston is sitting on hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that he’s not tapping into.

"Those hundreds of millions of dollars are siloed in TIRZ programs. Either the mayor could use those hundreds of millions of dollars to pay those expenses that cost a fraction of that, or the state legislature, during the next session, can and will modify the TIRZ statutes to ensure that the reserves, by TIRZ, can be used, by cities, to respond to disasters. So he has all the money that he needs, including the money that I provided to him, including the money that taxpayers have provided to him. He just needs to tap into it.”

Abbott is absolutely correct on this.  "Tax Increment Financing" and "Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones" are an abominable public policy practice that should be abolished in their entirety.  In the meantime, those funds should absolutely be tapped before asking overstretched taxpayers to pony up more.

[Note: Learn more about "Tax Increment Financing" and "Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones" here.  Learn about our thoughts about the practice at the state level here.  Learn about a specific application of this terrible policy at the municipal level in Austin here.]

[Note II: Ironically enough, we intend to testify against this very policy at tomorrow's #atxcouncil meeting.]

Bottom Line: It's not a secret that this website has its issues with Governor Abbott, but he's spot on here.

Austin unaffordable for Harvey evacuees

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26

But of course:

But Perez said she doesn’t think they can afford to live in Austin, which has the most expensive housing market in Texas.

“Austin is more expensive than we can actually afford,” said Perez. “We’re gonna start looking outside and see what we can find that we can afford.”

City of Austin demographer Ryan Robinson said Katrina evacuees looking to relocate faced a similar problem a decade ago.

“The folks from New Orleans, they were able to get jobs, but even then the housing was too expensive and we lost, we think, many of those potential households,” said Robinson. Many ended up in other Texas cities. “We think we lost them out to Houston because the housing in Houston was so much more affordable.”

This time around Harvey evacuees face even steeper housing costs.

Read the whole thing here.

Four Texas Congressmen REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE in Harvey Hostage Taking!!!

"Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;"
Proverbs 3:9

Signs of life in our congressional delegation?!?

The U.S. House approved $15 billion in aid to support those affected by Hurricane Harvey's destruction in southeast Texas on Friday, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. Later in the day, Trump signed it into law.

The funding is only meant to serve as a short-term measure, and a much more expansive bill is expected to be negotiated later in the fall. The aid was also part of a larger deal to avoid a government default and shutdown for the next three months.

....

Four Texas Republicans voted against the bill: U.S. Reps. Joe Barton of Ennis, Jeb Hensarling of Dallas, Sam Johnson of Richardson and Mac Thornberry of Clarendon.

....

"I am not against voting for relief programs to help hurricane victims, but I am against raising the public debt ceiling without a plan to reduce deficits in the short term, and eliminate them in the long term," Barton said in a statement. "The money we vote to spend today will have to be paid back by our children and grandchildren."

Thornberry, chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, cited an aversion to short-term funding measures that he said harmed the military.

Good for them.

Hensarling also put out a longer statement:

The term emergency is truly warranted w/ recent tragedy, but another emergency we continue to ignore is that of unsustainable nat'l debt. pic.twitter.com/kzRvVn84Hh

— Jeb Hensarling (@RepHensarling) September 7, 2017

Obviously, what happened this past week in D.C was disgraceful. And, unfortunately, it's probably something we're just going to have to deal with in the coming months.  But it's good to see four members of the Texas delegation (none of whom are typically known as profiles in courage) reject this act of political blackmail.

Bottom Line: Good for them.