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AWBD News of Interest
03-06-2009 Thursday's highlights from the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas Transportation commissioners approved $1.2 billion in highway work Thursday to be paid for with federal economic stimulus money, adding more projects requested by local officials and benefiting economically distressed areas. Texas Department of Transportation officials proposed that more projects be... - Houston Chronicle
03-06-2009 Transportation commission OKs stimulus road projects
AUSTIN, Texas Transportation commissioners approved $1.2 billion in highway work Thursday to be paid for with federal economic stimulus money after adding more projects requested by local officials and benefiting economically distressed areas. Texas Department of Transportation officials proposed that some projects be... - Houston Chronicle
03-06-2009 Bill sends $500 million to Galveston institutions
AUSTIN Galveston County institutions would get almost $500 million from the states so-called rainy day fund to help cover damage, disruption and lost revenue from Hurricane Ike under a bill filed Thursday by state Rep. Craig Eiland. Eiland, D-Galveston, who chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on... - Galveston County Daily News
03-06-2009 Sen. Hutchison tops list of Texas' earmarkers
WASHINGTON Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison fought against earmarks this week, urging her colleagues to trim wasteful spending from a $410 billion bill and even voting to strip all 8,500 earmarks from the measure. Yet Hutchison also was the state's biggest sponsor of earmarks more... - Dallas Morning News
03-06-2009 Texas jobless rate soars to 6.4%
Texas lost 75,800 payroll jobs in January, the highest level yet in the current recession, as the dramatic weakening of the global economy slammed the state. The jobless rate rose to 6.4 percent from a revised 5.6 percent in December and 4.4 percent in January 2008, the Texas Workforce Commission said... - Dallas Morning News
03-06-2009 Capitol Digest
A group of Texas legislators from the Gulf Coast region proposed Thursday requiring insurance companies to pay into a state catastrophe fund that the companies could tap if they sustain major losses from a hurricane or other natural disaster. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association the state-sanctioned last-... - Austin American-Statesman
03-05-2009 Luke Metzger: Everything's bigger in Texas, including solar
(Report)
03-05-2009 Judge keeps UTMB layoffs lawsuit in Galveston
GALVESTON A lawsuit challenging the layoffs of nearly 3,000 employees at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston will be fought on home turf, a state district judge ruled Wednesday. The courtroom audience applauded as Galveston County District Judge Wayne... - Houston Chronicle
03-05-2009 Bill would let county set up stronger ethics panel
EL PASO -- State Rep. Marisa Marquez has filed a bill that would allow El Paso County to create an ethics commission that could mete out fines and criminal penalties. House Bill 2301 proposes to allow the county to establish, either by appointment or through election, a commission made up of nine members who... - El Paso Times
03-05-2009 Wind farm proposed for Texas City
TEXAS CITY An energy company is considering adding as many as 30 windmills to the Texas City skyline. City commissioners on Wednesday approved a resolution supporting a study by Duke Energy of the feasibility of building a windmill farm at the site of the county water reservoir at state Highway 146 near Attwater Road in north... - Galveston County Daily News
03-05-2009 Texas regions battle for new public universities
AUSTIN The tug of war for new Texas universities has begun. In back-to-back hearings this week, North Texas lawmakers lobbied for new public law and pharmacy schools in Dallas, affordable educations largely absent in the region. They face stiff competition from South Texas lawmakers vying for a medical... - Dallas Morning News
03-05-2009 Dunnam pushes bill critical of transportation agency
A resolution co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Dunnam critical of the way state transportation officials are deciding how to spend $1.2 billion in federal stimulus funds was withdrawn Wednesday amid criticism that its wording was too harsh. The action on the floor of the state House came on the eve of an expected... - Waco Tribune-Herald News
03-05-2009 Transportation commission holds fate of highway funds
Four men and a woman appointed by Gov. Rick Perry hold the fate of Wacos dream to widen Interstate 35 in their hands. They make up the Texas Transportation Commission, and they will decide whether the Texas Department of Transportation got it right when it chose... - Waco Tribune-Herald News
03-04-2009 House pushes back at TxDOT
(Press Release)
03-04-2009 TFR: Tax Relief, Not Stimulus Money, Needed in Texas
(Report)
03-04-2009 Houston clinics getting share of stimulus funds
It may not be obvious to patients, but the care provided by many community health clinics comes from doctors and other professionals who volunteer to treat the uninsured and underserved. Under the economic stimulus package, three small Houston-area nonprofit... - Houston Chronicle
03-04-2009 Galveston mayor says FEMA should be revamped
WASHINGTON The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster assistance protocols should be revamped so areas suffering as a result of Hurricane Ike can get the aid they need faster, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas told a House Homeland Security subcommittee.... - Houston Chronicle
03-04-2009 Activists to state: 'Slow down' on stimulus road plans
AUSTIN A coalition of citizens groups demanded on Tuesday that Texas transportation officials slow down in selecting projects for economic stimulus money and that the federal cash not go toward toll roads or environmentally questionable highways. They said at a Capitol rally that the Texas Department of Transportation... - Houston Chronicle
03-04-2009 Dallas Fed estimates Texas unemployment may reach 8%
Texas could lose nearly 300,000 jobs this year and see its unemployment rate reach about 8 percent, according to an updated estimate by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. "Unfortunately, it looks like it's going to be pretty sharp based on the leading indicators," said Keith Phillips, a Dallas Fed economist who is... - Dallas Morning News
03-04-2009 Dallas balks at bill for water supply backup power
AUSTIN A Dallas hurricane is as unlikely as snow in July. But under a Houston senator's plan, Dallas taxpayers would have to foot the bill for a major storm precaution: backup power generators for the city's water supply . City officials say the generators which could cost Dallas up to $150... - Dallas Morning News
03-04-2009 Tuesday's highlights from the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas Democratic lawmakers asked Republican Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday to accept unemployment money in the federal stimulus package, even though it would mean expanding the program, which he opposes. Texas stands to receive $555 million in federal stimulus money for... - Austin American-Statesman
03-03-2009 Rep. Coleman statement on Stimulus
(Press Release)
03-03-2009 TPPF: Statement on this morning's press conference on the Federal Stimulus pckge
(Report)
03-03-2009 Houston leaders considering increase in water bills
Water bills in Houston are poised to go up about $2.26 a month for an average homeowner under a plan City Council is expected to begin weighing today. Under procedures put in place after 2004 when water bills went up as high as 10 percent for many residents rates only have increased from... - Houston Chronicle
03-03-2009 Schieffer mulls joining race for Texas governor
AUSTIN A longtime friend and political ally of former President George W. Bush on Monday said he plans to see if Texas Democrats would support him in a 2010 run for governor. Fort Worth lawyer Tom Schieffer formed a gubernatorial campaign committee so he can raise money, but he told a Capitol news conference that a... - Houston Chronicle
03-03-2009 Texas doles out more than $500 million from stimulus
FORT WORTH The Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated more than $500 million to Texas cities and counties on Monday, part of a wave of stimulus money expected to flow into the state. Federal officials released $14.4 million more to support 12 Texas health... - Houston Chronicle
03-03-2009 Monday's highlights from the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas House Democratic leader Jim Dunnam said Monday the state transportation department may have violated federal law by not giving priority to economically distressed areas in the adoption of maintenance projects that will get economic stimulus money.... - Houston Chronicle
03-03-2009 Lawmaker questions compliance with stimulus law
AUSTIN, Texas House Democratic leader Jim Dunnam said Monday the Texas Department of Transportation may have violated federal law by not giving priority to economically distressed areas in the adoption of maintenance projects that will get federal stimulus money.... - Houston Chronicle
03-03-2009 Texas homeowners still pay highest insurance rates
AUSTIN Texas homeowners still have the dubious distinction of paying the highest insurance rates in the nation despite measures designed to lower rates and much worse weather losses in other states. A new study from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners... - Dallas Morning News
03-03-2009 Bill proposes committee draw congressional districts
AUSTIN A bipartisan committee would be entrusted with the divisive job of drawing congressional districts every decade under a proposal heard in Senate committee today. Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, introduced the bill in the Senates State Affairs Committee, which has passed a similar measure twice in the... - Dallas Morning News
03-03-2009 Under the Dome
A bipartisan committee would be entrusted with the divisive job of drawing congressional districts every decade under a proposal that a Senate committee considered Monday. Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, introduced the bill in the Senate's State Affairs Committee, which has passed a similar measure twice in the... - Dallas Morning News
03-02-2009 Texas ready to use stimulus money on roads
AUSTIN, Texas Federal stimulus money is rolling toward Texas highways: State transportation commissioners are set to approve major road projects this week to be paid for with $1.2 billion from the funds. Once legislators complained that the commission was moving too quickly and... - Houston Chronicle
03-02-2009 Republicans criticize bill, but help inflate it
WASHINGTON Republican congressmen derided the massive $410 billion spending bill approved by the House of Representatives last week, but some like Houston- area Rep. Ron Paul contributed to its size. Paul, of Lake Jackson, managed to insert 22 earmarks worth $96.1 million... - Houston Chronicle
03-02-2009 Pair of taxation bills referred to House
GALVESTON Speaker Pro Tem Craig Eiland, a Galveston Democrat, had two taxation bills referred to committee this week. House Bill 1283 would allow all property owners to make installment payments of their property taxes after a disaster. Under current law, only... - Galveston County Daily News
03-02-2009 Galveston receives funding from stimulus bill
GALVESTON The federal stimulus packaged signed into law by President Barack Obama last week includes at least $51.6 million for the island. Most of the money about $45 million will come to the city as a loan to help ease its cash flow crisis. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison put... - Galveston County Daily News
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