Statement on the State Budget for 2012-13
Author:
Scott McCown /(512) 320-0222 x 109
May 26, 2011
Read Full Article >>
Executive Director F. Scott McCown released the following statement today in response to the budget committee conferees agreeing on the state budget for 2012-13.
“If the Legislature adopts this budget, the Legislature will have failed to meet the needs of Texas.
“The far right’s demand that our state’s revenue crisis be addressed by cuts alone instead of through a balanced approach that uses the Rainy Day Fund and adds new revenue has forced damaging cuts to essential state services. For the present biennium, 2010-11, the state’s general revenue budget totals $90 billion (roughly $82 billion in state general revenue and $8 billion in federal recovery dollars). To provide the same public services in 2012-13, because of more people and higher costs, the Legislature would have to spend at least $99 billion in general revenue. The conferees’ budget deal (with HB 4) would appropriate just under $80.7 billion, leaving the state short more than $18 billion—about $5 billion of which would have gone to public education.
“A balanced approach was the better choice."