AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Lawmakers have capped key parts of the next state budget at nearly $94.3 billion, up almost $10 billion from the current 2-year spending cycle.
The Legislative Budget Board unanimously approved the limit Monday for the 2016-2017 budget cycle. The panel consists of the lieutenant governor, House speaker and eight lawmakers from both chambers.
That total isn’t the entire state budget, but is part of a cap mandated by the Texas Constitution on how much the Legislature can spend.
Board members also set Texas’ predicted growth rate at 11.68 percent, as projected by the comptroller’s office. The board heard several estimates from different financial firms, including one as high as 15.71 percent.
Tea party groups have accused Texas Republicans of spending too freely, and the panel chose the lowest growth rate.
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ Texas has approved spending another $86 million on border security as it begins replacing previously deployed National Guard units with state troopers as part of its ongoing “surge.”
The Legislative Budget Board’s 10 state Senate and House lawmakers unanimously approved the extra funding Monday.
They did so despite Democratic concerns about a “militarized” border. Some Republicans also worried that the National Guard may yet be needed because of unintended consequences of President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration.
Gov. Rick Perry ordered up to 1,000 guardsmen to the Rio Grande Valley in July, but they’ll head home by April.
The additional funding means state troopers and more surveillance cameras can take their place.
Illegal crossings into Texas have slowed dramatically since a surge of immigrants this summer prompted Perry’s order.