AUSTINThis morning a group of legislators Senators Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) Kirk Watson (D-Austin) Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) Mario Gallegos (D-Houston) and Representative Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) held a press conference urging Governor Perry to accept all available stimulus funds to invest in Texas.
The press conference called on state leaders to invest the stimulus funding in programs and priorities which would give an advantage to as many Texans as possible. The legislators specifically focused on plans to shore up Texas rapidly dwindling Unemployment Insurance System.
According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts the Texas economy will lose 111000 jobs in 2009 and the unemployment rate is expected to rise from 6 to 8.2 percent. The recently passed Economic Recovery Act offers $555.7 million to Texas to mend its shaky unemployment fund but the state must first pass a series of reforms to be eligible. Some say the state should reject unemployment funding because it requires changes to the program.
Make no mistake this is not a handout" stated Senator Van de Putte For every dollar in unemployment our economy is boosted by $2."
Think of the stimulus money as a bridge to help Texas families. Im asking Gov. Perry to put the needs of 24 million taxpayers ahead of 600000 primary voters."
Senator Gallegos agreed with Van de Putte. The stimulus package has everything that my district needs" exclaimed Gallegos Texas is growing in people but the budget is not."
On the flip side many conservatives believe that to take the stimulus package would cause the opposite effect on Texas citizens. Their consensus is that although the stimulus money might lead to some temporary good in the long run it would make it harder for the working poor to see their lot improve.
Conservatives view accepting more stimulus money as a social spending" relief citing the examples of California and Michigan who have tried to spend and then tax their way out of economic struggles. It has inevitably made life worse for the working poor in the states and conservatives fear the same results would happen in Texas.
As Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans aptly puts it Counting on more string-laden funny-money from Washington wont help Texas. A better use of the voters time would be for Dunnam Watson and their colleagues to get busy in making real cuts to the property tax burden that hinders economic development and slash the business tax to encourage hiring and expansion."
The debate for taking more stimulus money is officially in full swing. Lets hope for the sake of all Texans that both parties can put aside personal agendas and look objectively to other tried and failed plans for guidance.
AUSTINThis morning a group of legislators Senators Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) Kirk Watson (D-Austin) Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) Mario Gallegos (D-Houston) and Representative Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) held a press conference urging Governor Perry to accept all available stimulus funds to invest in Texas.
The press conference called on state leaders to invest the stimulus funding in programs and priorities which would give an advantage to as many Texans as possible. The legislators specifically focused on plans to shore up Texas rapidly dwindling Unemployment Insurance System.
According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts the Texas economy will lose 111000 jobs in 2009 and the unemployment rate is expected to rise from 6 to 8.2 percent. The recently passed Economic Recovery Act offers $555.7 million to Texas to mend its shaky unemployment fund but the state must first pass a series of reforms to be eligible. Some say the state should reject unemployment funding because it requires changes to the program.
Make no mistake this is not a handout" stated Senator Van de Putte For every dollar in unemployment our economy is boosted by $2."
Think of the stimulus money as a bridge to help Texas families. Im asking Gov. Perry to put the needs of 24 million taxpayers ahead of 600000 primary voters."
Senator Gallegos agreed with Van de Putte. The stimulus package has everything that my district needs" exclaimed Gallegos Texas is growing in people but the budget is not."
On the flip side many conservatives believe that to take the stimulus package would cause the opposite effect on Texas citizens. Their consensus is that although the stimulus money might lead to some temporary good in the long run it would make it harder for the working poor to see their lot improve.
Conservatives view accepting more stimulus money as a social spending" relief citing the examples of California and Michigan who have tried to spend and then tax their way out of economic struggles. It has inevitably made life worse for the working poor in the states and conservatives fear the same results would happen in Texas.
As Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans aptly puts it Counting on more string-laden funny-money from Washington wont help Texas. A better use of the voters time would be for Dunnam Watson and their colleagues to get busy in making real cuts to the property tax burden that hinders economic development and slash the business tax to encourage hiring and expansion."
The debate for taking more stimulus money is officially in full swing. Lets hope for the sake of all Texans that both parties can put aside personal agendas and look objectively to other tried and failed plans for guidance.
