The apparent selection of Southern Methodist University as site of the proposed George W. Bush Presidential Library will lend international prestige to the university, experts agree.

The site selection committee for the presidential library, led by former Commerce Secretary Don Evans (pictured), announced just before Christmas that it would focus its negotiations solely with SMU. While not finally excluding other options - including Baylor University and the University of Dallas - the committee acknowledged it would limit its negotiations to SMU for the next few months with the intention of finalizing an agreement.

Negotiations could center on precise site selection and how much money the university would contribute to the estimated $200 million project.

Despite legal wrangling over ownership, Southern Methodist University is proceeding with the demolition of a condominium complex on land it recently acquired that could become the library's site. In 2005, SMU Board of Trustee member Ray Hunt donated $35 million to the university to buy another parcel of land, now occupied by a shopping center, which could also be used for the library.

Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, director of the LBJ Library at the University of Texas, noted that host universities and cities reap prestige from presidential libraries. "People will come to the campus, not just for football games, or to see a child, but to come to see a part of their history," said Flowers. "It integrates the university into the larger life of the community."

Presidential libraries provide instant prestige as a venue for "influential people, statesman" to speak or teach. "Exciting things happen on campus" as a result of a presidential library, she noted.

Students also benefit from the opportunity to use original documents in research, she added.On Feb. 15, the LBJ Library will roll out a presidential timeline created in collaboration with the 12 other presidential libraries in the country. Funded with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Flowers said the timeline will feature original documents from all of the libraries, placed in context through era and theme. The project will "put a spotlight on UT because all the libraries will have a link to the timeline," she noted.

Lone Star

John Keel· State Auditor

Career highlights and education: My appointment as Director of the Legislative Budget Board in 1994, B.B.A Degree from the University of Texas at Austin 1972, obtaining C.P.A. license in 1980! Working at the Comptroller's office and Lt. Governor's office for that legendary Texan Bob Bullock.

What I like best about my job is: The staff of the State Auditor's office, the judgement challenges, the independence.

Best advice I've ever received for my current job: I didn't get any.

Advice would you give a new hire in your office: Use this experience as a building block in your career, not a stepping stone. Absorb and learn everything you can about your job and the organization, both large and minute. Maximize all the professional development and training that is available, including adding some speciality or certification to your list of skills, volunteer for the less desirable task or tougher assignment, be personally punctual and deliver your work product on time.

People would be surprised to know that I: I played on the 1967 Austin Reagan High School football team that won the class 4A State Championship by beating Abilene Cooper 20-19. I was once a licensed Scuba Diving Instructor.

If I snuck out early, I could probably be found: Maybe playing golf or swimming at Barton Springs Pool.(But)It is a 24 hour a day effort, you must be thinking about issues and solutions all the time.

Book, magazine or newspaper article I've read recently that really influenced my thinking: Just finished reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's, "A Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Lincoln." We all could learn something by studying the thought process and decision making of Abraham Lincoln.

Each week, the Texas Government Insider profiles a key government executive or decision-maker in state government. If you would like to suggest a “Lone Star,” please email us at editor@spartnerships.com. We’re also interested in hearing about promotions, reorganizations, awards or other news related to work inside Texas state agencies. Drop us a line!

PUC report favors smaller power companies

The Texas Public Utility Commission has recommended that the Legislature take steps to reduce the size of the state's largest power companies to encourage competition.

Specifically, the report suggests that consumers who haven't actively chosen an electricity plan be encouraged to do so or randomly assigned a provider. Only a third of Texas households in deregulated areas buy electricity from new competitors. PUC chairman Paul Hudson noted that customers could be urged to switch providers with repeated mailings.

"We see the opportunity to make the market a little more vigorous," Hudson said. "There are certain market participants that, by virtue of the way the market was set up, were in a structurally advantaged position."

The PUC also asks the Legislature for a role in the process of granting permits for power plants, now being considered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The PUC "could perform a useful role to ensure that the TCEQ considers the state's need for new generation facilities in deciding whether to grant an air permit."

Lawmakers favor rehab over prison construction

Two key lawmakers this week said they favored ramping up rehabilitation programs for Texas felons rather than embarking on another round of prison construction.

Rep Jerry Madden and Sen. John Whitmire said they favor denying the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's request for funding three new prisons, and instead hope to fund four times more therapeutic and community-based beds to provide inmates with drug and alcohol treatment.

The plan would cost the state $150 million, but both lawmakers say their plan will save the state money in the long run. Their proposal would provide 4,300 beds in privately operated intermediate sanction facilities, parole-based treatment centers and halfway houses.

Corrections officials have asked for funding for three prisons that would house 5,000 inmates, since a 11,000-bed shortage is forecast by 2011.

Appraisal task force wants some sales data

The 15-member task force appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to study Texas' property tax appraisal system has recommended that buyers submit a justified valuation of a property purchase to the appropriate appraisal district or be required to disclose the precise sales price to the district.

Chaired by Dallas attorney Tom Pauken, the task force also recommended capping the annual increase in a home's taxable value to five percent in jurisdictions where local officials or voters have adopted a half-percent county sales tax dedicated to property tax relief. Currently, annual home value increases are capped at 10 percent.

The task force recommended that local jurisdictions would have to seek local approval for tax rate increases above 5 percent, rather than the current trigger of 8 percent.

The recommendations will be considered by the Legislature when it convenes Tuesday. Some proponents are hoping the Legislature will require full disclosure of sales data.

TEA task force recommends more test security

The Texas Education Agency's Task Force on Test Integrity has recommended creation of a data analysis system of the state's public school accountability testing that will spot one-time occurrences as well as trends to promote quicker resolution of irregularities in public school testing.

The task force was appointed by Commissioner of Education Shirley J. Neeley after the TEA identified some 700 campuses identified as having possible testing anomalies. Since then four campuses have been closed, and of the remaining campuses, all but 104 have been cleared. Cases are still underway on those 104 campuses.

Among other recommendations, the task force urged that the TEA recommended specific test-related practices that will be routinely monitored, as well as criteria for triggering on-site investigations of school districts. It also recommended enhancing security for confidential reporting of security breaches.

Fires point up need for expanded force

Last year's record-setting wildfire season demonstrated a need to triple the size of the state firefighting force, according to Texas forestry officials.

The Texas Forest Service force of 152 firefighters was stretched too thin last year, forcing the state to spend $85 million on out-of-state firefighters accessed through mutual aid agreements. Last March, a set of fires in the Panhandle burned nearly 1 million acres and overwhelmed the resources of 125 local departments.

The Texas Forest Service will ask the Legislature to spend an additional $20 million a year to expand its force to 415 employees to respond to the increasing threat of wildfires in Texas, which officials say has occurred because of several trends, including a growth in acreage of uncultivated farmland.

Governor adds Community Affairs, Legislative staff

Gov. Rick Perry recently filled key staff positions in his new administration. Alfredo Rodriguez will serve as Director of Community Affairs, Kris Heckmann will serve as liaison to the Texas Senate and Chris Cronn will serve in the same position with the Texas House. Perry also announced that Cassie Brown will serve as legislative assistant.

"Alfredo, Kris, Chris and Cassie are advisors I place a great deal of trust in, and they will continue to serve my administration and the state of Texas well in their new roles," Perry said. "Each of them brings to my office expertise in policy, strong working relationships with lawmakers and tremendous experience in building coalitions around good public policy initiatives."

Rodriguez served as political director for Perry's re-election campaign. Prior to that, he was a field representative for the National Republican congressional Committee. He also has worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla.

Heckman, Cronn and Brown have worked in the Perry administration advising the governor on a wide range of issues.

UT appoints new provost

Steven W. Leslie, dean of the College of Pharmacy at The University of Texas at Austin since 1998, has been named provost of the university.

He succeeds Sheldon Ekland-Olson, who resigned as provost last May to return to the faculty in the Department of Sociology.

M. Lynn Crismon, associate dean for clinical affairs and professor of pharmacy, has been named interim dean of the College of Pharmacy.

"I am extremely pleased to name Steve Leslie as the university's new chief academic officer," said William Powers Jr., president of the university. "His background and experience as an educator, researcher and administrator have prepared him well for this important post.

Leslie, the Bauerle Centennial Professor in the College of Pharmacy and holder of the James T. Doluisio Chair, is an internationally noted researcher in alcoholism and alcohol abuse.

Texas State gets grant to increase Latino ranks

Texas State University will have $224,000 to spend on a program to increase the number of Latino students who apply to and enroll in college, thanks to a grant from the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation.

The project, called "Making Access and Participation Successful," will attempt to strengthen collaboration among universities, Austin Community College, high schools and businesses.

LBB meeting on spending limit postponed

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick issued a joint press release announcing the postponement of a meeting of the Legislative Budget Board, which had been scheduled to meet to discuss the state's spending limit.

At issue is how lawmakers can avoid violating constitutional limits on spending and still meet the obligations of property tax relief adopted in recent special sessions. The Legislature replaced property taxes with a mix of new taxes on business and smokers. About $11.4 billion in property tax cuts will be counted towards the state's constitutional limit of spending, $55.5 billion for the current two-year cycle.

"We are firmly committed to delivering the nearly $14 billion in local school property tax relief approved by the Legislature last May and promised to the people of Texas for the next biennium. It is clear, however, that we need more time to discuss the options for setting a new spending limit to allow for this tax relief with members returning to Austin next week. For this reason, we have decided to postpone tomorrow's Legislative Budget Board meeting until January 11, at which time we will adopt the lowest spending limit recommended by the LBB."

Dallas mayoral field expands

Citing a record of consensus building, Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill this week entered a large field of mayoral candidates by announcing his interest in the post this week.

Eighteen people have officially registered a campaign treasurer for the race for Dallas mayor, a legal action that allows prospective candidates to raise money.

Other prominent Dallasites who are actively campaigning are: West Dallas Chamber of Commerce President John Cappello, former airline and restaurant executive Sam Coats, American Way magazine editor Zac Crain, Dallas City Council member Gary Griffith, attorney Roger Herrera, attorney and 1995 mayoral election runner-up Darrell Jordan, former Turner Corp. chairman and chief executive Tom Leppert, Dallas City Council member Ed Oakley and former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Max Wells.

Police turning to SUVs

An increasing number of North Texas police departments have traded their traditional sedans for sport utility vehicles, despite concerns about rising gas prices.

Plano recently purchased 33 Chevrolet Tahoes for $1 million, following the cities of Frisco, Coppell and Highland Park in converting part or all of their police fleets to SUVs.

Despite their higher purchase price, officials say the SUVs provide needed room for the extra equipment officers routinely carry, such as computers, traffic cones, cameras and fiberglass prisoner transport seats. They are also especially handy for K-9 units.

In Plano, officials say an extended warranty offered by the Tahoe and higher resale value makes the investment a smart choice.

Tourism officials flock to Valley

Hoping to tap into the thousands of Winter Texans who migrate to the Texas Valley each year, tourism officials from all over the United States and Mexico participated this week in a two-day McAllen International Travel Show.

Officials said 100 different groups, representing areas ranging from Oklahoma's Arbuckle Mountain area to Mexico's Nuevo Leon, attended the event, which draws some 10,000 participants annually. According to research by the University of Texas-Pan American, Winter Texans are a big market for Northern Mexico's tourism economies, traveling to Mexico 7.5 times each year and spending about $67 a trip.

Dallas enforcing parking lot standards

The City of Dallas will soon begin enforcing an ordinance requiring downtown parking lot owners to make aesthetic and safety improvements, such as lighting, gates and landscaping.

Originally passed in 2004, the city ordinance allowed parking lot owners until the end of this month to make the improvements. DowtownDallas, a business advocacy group, has assisted with the cost of the upgrades, providing some $360,000 in grants to help owners improve the quality of their lots.

"The ultimate goal is not only improve the safety of the lots, but it also dresses up the lots and makes them more aesthetically pleasing," said Paul Lindenberger of DowntownDallas. "We want to change it so we don't have these concrete jungles."

Galveston buys cutting-edge technology

Galveston County has purchased eye-scanning equipment as part of a national program to track children by documenting the unique characteristics of their irises.

The purchase makes Galveston the first government agency in Texas to participate in a program to build a national database called Child's Identification and Location Database (CHILD).

Sheriff Gean Leanard said the program will be used to identify people through the characteristics of their irises, which, like fingerprints, are unique.

"The technology is fairly complex, but the concept is incredibly simple," Leonard said. "This spider web of information is going to provide for us an opportunity to very quickly, very simply, very easily be able to identify those who maybe missing for a variety of reasons.">

Galveston is the first sheriff's department in Texas and the 47th nationwide to join the project, which is working in conjunction with other missing persons programs.

Researcher Named to Engineering Regents' Chair

Alan F. Jankowski, a world authority in nanoscience and nanotechnology, has joined Texas Tech University's College of Engineering as the J. W. Wright Regents' Chair and professor of mechanical engineering.

Jankowski, author or co-author of more than 100 journal publications and holder of nearly 30 patents both in the United States and internationally, joins Texas Tech after 20 years in the Chemistry and Materials Science department at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Jankowski's research focuses on areas such as creating and identifying high-strength materials on the nanoscale and developing clean and renewable energy technologies. His research has, among other things, led to innovations in x-ray optics, magnetic devices, fuel cells and nuclear waste storage.

"It was quite an honor to be invited to Texas Tech as the J. W. Wright Regents Chair in Mechanical Engineering," Jankowski said. "The impression made by the Lubbock and Texas Tech communities on my family was such that we felt this would be a great place for both career and family growth. Clearly, there is great potential for supporting existing ventures and generating new opportunities in teaching, research and industry."