TCEQ hikes fines for aquifer construction
Central Texas developers that bypass rules face $1,000-a-day penalty

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) said it is significantly stepping up its efforts to protect an 8,000-square-mile stretch of Central Texas. TCEQ announced Wednesday that it is raising fines for those found guilty of starting construction over sensitive areas of the Edwards Aquifer without filing the required water pollution abatement plan. The increase, a response to a rise in violations, could be as much as $1,000 per day.

A landscaping and nursery company in Williamson County north of Austin was the first penalized under the new fines. It was fined $6,000 for beginning construction last year without a pollution abatement plan. Under the old method, the fine would have been $750, state regulators said. There are six more cases from 2005 pending. All are being assessed under the new fines. Executive Director Glenn Shankle (pictured) supported an increase in the penalties after noticing a disturbing increase in violations. There were four in 2004 and only one in 2003. With all the growth along the I-35 corridor in Central Texas, the violations are expected to rise significantly in coming years. A water pollution abatement plan is a strategy for ensuring that sewage, pesticides or other pollutants from new development don't seep into the aquifer, which is essentially an underground lake in Central Texas that provides well water to millions of residents. The abatement plan is required for nearly anyone building over the massive aquifer, its recharge zone or its contributing zone. Click here to view a detailed map of the aquifer.

Special Session Roundup: People to watch

All eyes will be on lawmakers when the Texas Legislature convenes for a special session on April 17, but an untold number of hours will be put in by insiders between now and the session's end to ensure that Texas adopts the best possible tax reform plan. This week, the Texas Government Insider is highlighting six people and organizations that will undoubtedly emerge as key players behind the scenes at the Capitol:

Will Newton, National Federation of Independent Business

Will Newton brought more than 20 years of government and business association experience to the Texas chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business when he came aboard a couple of years ago as president. He recently served as the legislative liaison for the Texas Comptroller's Office, where he represented that office on matters involving government efficiency, fiscal management and tax policy. He served previously for four years as the director of Governmental and Member Relations for the Texas Restaurant Association, where he was responsible for the group's public affairs activities, policy formulation, issue advocacy, fundraising and membership development. He has also worked in the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate and as a clerk for various committees.

Bill Allaway, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association

Bill Allaway is president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, an advocacy group that represents both small and large businesses. Allaway is a member and former chairman of the comptroller's Industry/Practitioner Liaison Group and E-Commerce and Technology Advisory Group. He has served three governors as a member of the state job training and workforce development councils, Texas Strategic Economic Policy Commission and on advisory councils for the State Treasury and Texas Employment Commission. Before joining the TTRA, Allaway served as Director of Revenue Estimating for the Comptroller so he is no stranger to the tax system.

Dr. Robert Gunby, Texas Medical Association

Texas Medical Association President Dr. Robert T. Gunby Jr. was one of the first to voice his opinion on the proposed tax plan and he and his association, which is 40,000 members strong, will undoubtedly continue a full-court press to amend it. Gunby said TMA "does not support the Texas Tax Reform Commission proposal as it pertains to taxation of health care services. Health care decisions are not business decisions. Physicians' life-or-death and healing medical decisions should not be taxed like business services or retail sales. He added that a health care services tax "would penalize physicians and health care professionals who save the state and federal government billions of tax dollars by providing reduced-cost and free services to our seniors, to children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program, to war veterans and their dependents, to the poor, to Texans with disabilities, to injured workers, and to the uninsured."

Scott Norman, Texas Association of Builders

As the vice president of governmental affairs and general counsel for the Texas Association of Builders, Scott Norman will serve as the front man for the group's Capitol activities. The association represents 31 local home builders associations across Texas. With a membership of more than 10,700 representing 550,000 jobs and $37 billion of the Texas economy, the Texas Association of Builders plays a crucial role in providing housing for Texans and will undoubtedly be a force during the upcoming special session. The association's government relations staff work year-round to advocate legislative reforms that benefit the industry but they're working overtime this month.

Catherine Clark, Texas Association of School Boards

Catherine Clark and the Texas Association of School Boards will be waiting in the wings as the special session begins. Clark, the association's executive director for governance services for four years and now serving as the interim governmental relations director, said TASB won't be front and center during tax reform talks - but if lawmakers discuss education reform as many expect they will. TASB would like to see the state provide additional dollars for public education to pay for enrollment growth, inflation, better salaries for school district employees, and the additional costs associated with higher performance standards for students.

WCIT speaker roster packed with industry leaders

With less than one month before the start, the World Conference on Information Technology (WCIT) 2006 speaker roster is filling fast with the most respected names in technology, academia, business and government. So far about 70 big-name speakers have been confirmed, including local tech magnate Michael Dell (pictured, left) and Microsoft CEO Steven Ballmer (pictured, right). Other confirmed speakers include:

• Hector Ruiz, chairman and CEO of AMD;
• General Colin L. Powell (Ret.), former U.S. Secretary of State;
• Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel Corp.;
• Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, prime minister of Malaysia;
• Sergio Alejandro García de Alba Zepeda, Mexico's minister of economy;
• Anne Mulcahy, chairman and CEO of Xerox; and
• Dave Farber, distinguished career professor at Carnegie Mellon University

As a catalyst for social and economic development through the exchange of policies, ideas, and technology, WCIT 2006 stands alone as the world's premiere Information Technology (IT) forum. The biennial World Congress is expected to draw 2,000 business, government, and academic leaders from 80 countries to create actionable policy recommendations focusing on three issues of Global Impact: privacy and security, health care, and global digital access. The who's-who in global IT policy formulation will convene in Austin, May 1-5, and promises to shape the future of IT. Click here to register. Click here to read the latest WCIT 2006 Program Agenda.

$3M CHIP outreach campaign begins in May

Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins this week announced that a new $3 million outreach campaign for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will begin in May with a series of statewide radio ads in English and Spanish. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) also is surveying CHIP families to learn more about the reasons for a recent decline in enrollment. CHIP enrollment for April is 292,681, down from 302,020 in March. About 5,000 children were disenrolled from the program because their families failed to pay a new enrollment fee. "CHIP remains an excellent value for low-income Texans, and we want to make sure families understand how to apply for CHIP and how to renew their coverage," Hawkins said. "We also will continue our efforts to determine why fewer families are completing the re-enrollment process."

E. Texas county wants former Army bases tax-exempt

To make the land attractive to commercial and industrial developers, Bowie County Commissioners this week issued a statement asking the Texas Legislature to pass laws allowing the former Red River Army Depot and the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant property to be listed as tax-exempt, or at least to allow property taxes to be deferred. The court's request stems from the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission's decision last year to transfer a portion of the Red River Army Depot's function to another state and to shutter the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant. County officials pointed to federal and state laws providing for economic redevelopment and job creation projects on land formerly used by military bases as a reason to exempt or defer taxes for businesses or industries seeking to locate there.

Houston ponders legal action against online travel firms

Online travel companies such as Expedia.com and Travelocity.com have been avoiding municipal hotel occupancy taxes for years and now it's time to pay up, according to some Houston city officials. The Houston City Council is on the verge of hiring a private law firm to pursue legal action. Typically, online travel agents pay taxes on the price they pay, but not on the mark-up paid by customers. If taxed on that difference, the companies would be obligated to pay millions of dollars in back-taxes to the city, officials claim. Houston isn't the only city pursuing such litigation. Los Angeles and Philadelphia are among others pursuing similar legal tactics.

Report: Ceverha can serve on ERS board

An outside review found no reason to prohibit Bill Ceverha of Dallas from continuing to serve as a board member of the Employee Retirement System of Texas. The retirement system hired a former presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to review Ceverha's standing after his critics questioned whether Ceverha should resign. Some argued that state law barred a lobbyist from serving on the retirement system board and that Ceverha's personal bankruptcy disqualified him as well. The independent review disagreed with both of those points.

Dallas official to become Irving's city manager

An assistant Dallas city manager will be Irving's next chief executive. Tommy Gonzalez will start as city manager by May 1. Irving City Council members applauded Mr. Gonzalez's experience and leadership and said they are eager for him to get to work. Gonzalez, who is bilingual, has served as Lubbock's interim city manager and Harlingen's city manager. He's been at Dallas City Hall since the fall. He's served in the military since 1988, and Irving leaders acknowledge that he might have to take a leave of absence to serve in the Army reserve. In Irving, Mr. Gonzalez will oversee a general fund budget of about $145 million and a staff of about 2,000 employees.

TABC suspends bar raids

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said Wednesday that it has suspended a crackdown on public intoxication after an outcry over the program that sends undercover officers into drinking establishments. Spokeswoman Carolyn Beck said the agency first announced its decision Tuesday in a letter to state Rep. Kino Flores, chairman of the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee. The Palmview lawmaker had asked the head of the commission, Alan Steen, last month to consider a moratorium on the program until a hearing scheduled for Monday.

Austin ISD big on green power

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that the Austin Independent School District is the largest purchaser of green power among all U.S. public school districts - and the 18th largest overall in the nation. Green power is electricity from environmentally-preferable renewable resources such as solar, wind, or geothermal power. It currently accounts for about 2 percent of America's electricity supply, but voluntary purchasing of renewable energy is accelerating renewable energy development, EPA officials said. About 30 percent of AISD's power is green.

Georgetown lures multimillion dollar museum

The growing city of Georgetown north of Austin has attracted a new multimillion-dollar aviation and automotive museum. The Texas Aviation and Automotive Museum, a project that could cost more than $20 million, will eventually land at Georgetown's small municipal airport. The 100,000-square-foot museum, to be built by a nonprofit, will house the collections of Central Texas aviation pioneer Emma Browning and a collection of vintage automobiles from the Central Texas Museum of Automotive History in nearby Bastrop County.

Maler to head A&M Real Estate Center

Gary Maler has been named director of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, the nation's largest publicly funded real estate research entity. Maler has been with the center since 1978, serving as coordinator of development programs, senior operations officer, assistant director and, most recently, as associate director. Prior to joining the Center, Maler conducted market research and managed residential and commercial development projects with Exxon's Friendswood Development Co. in Houston. Maler replaces R. Malcolm Richards who retired from Texas A&M to take a position as dean of the School of Business and Management at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Greater Houston Partnership leader to retire

Charles Savino will end 20 years of service to the Greater Houston Partnership when he retires May 1 as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Before the partnership was formed, Savino was executive vice president of the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce and served as director of research for two years prior. He played a key role in the creation of the partnership in 1989 when the Chamber of Commerce merged with the Houston Economic Development Council and the Houston World Trade Association.

Homeland security radio show debuts in Brazos Valley

"Homeland Security: Inside and Out" is a public show radio now being aired and featuring interviews with key leaders at the federal, state and local levels of government plus senior leaders in the private sector, academic community and national press. The program also includes perspectives and analysis by its co-hosts, Randy Larsen, Director of The Institute for Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., and Dr. Dave McIntyre, Director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M University. The show debuted March 23 and is broadcast each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. on KAMU-FM 90.9 and simulcast online.

Hutchison: NASA will continue to receive federal help

Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space, offered optimistic comments to NASA on Wednesday at a Space Center Houston ceremony commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the first shuttle launch.

"This hallmark anniversary comes at a pivotal time in NASA's history. As we look ahead to the Shuttle completing its mission with final assembly of the space station, we will enter a new era of human spaceflight with the Crew Exploration Vehicle," Hutchison said. "The president's budget request demonstrates significant support for NASA and my authorization legislation received the full support of Congress. Our nation stands united behind the Vision for Space Exploration."

Cleburne offered $100K anonymous donation

The Cleburne City Council, just south of Fort Worth, is expecting to receive an anonymous $100,000 donation to be evenly distributed between the Smith History Center project and developing a parking lot at the former Esquire Theater. City Manager Chester Nolen said he did not know the donor's name, and it would not be made public at the next council meeting.

AG: Be wary of government-grant scams

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said his office has seen a continuation of scams disguised as small business grants offered by the federal government. Several Texans report being contacted by strangers who claim they can help secure government grants from $5,000 to $50,000. The scammer will then ask for a processing or "consulting" fee of several hundreds or even thousands of dollars up front. The grant applicant might even be told that the fee is refundable if they do not qualify, making the offer even more tempting. After the money is paid, however, the scammer disappears and the grant never materializes, Abbott said. He urges those that may be interested in applying for legitimate government grants to deal directly with the agency or program offering the money.

Slew of tech projects on May bond ballots

By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

One month from today, school districts, cities and counties across Texas will ask voters to approve funding for billions of dollars worth of local projects. The bond proposals set for the May 13 ballot are very telling. They illustrate clearly that Texas' economy and population are growing strong - yet public infrastructure must grow with it.

Among the bond proposals around the state are plans to build new schools and government facilities. For the most part, these requests to fund more bricks and mortar are approved. But SPI, which has monitored bond proposals in the state for years to ferret out business opportunities for the private sector, has noticed an alarming trend recently.

While most voters tend to accept that schools and local governments need bond money to fund facilities, they haven't been so willing to authorize bond money to be spent on technology. It's an unfortunate fact - especially in a day and age where technology is just as crucial as the buildings in which it is installed. Next month, many local governments and schools across the state will present to voters their largest request for technology funding. It will be interesting to see how voters respond to their needs.

Clinton to speak at UT

Former President Bill Clinton will speak at the University of Texas next month as part of the school's graduation events. Clinton is the keynote speaker at the convocation for the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs on May 20. The school, which educates about 300 students, offers masters and Ph.D. degrees in public policy with specializations including social and economic policy, urban affairs, and nonprofit studies.

Rose Bowl hooked high schoolers on UT

The Longhorn's Rose Bowl win definitely revamped UT's national reputation, and for that reason it is significantly tougher for freshmen to be admitted to the University of Texas at Austin. UT-Austin saw freshman undergraduate applications jump 14 percent to a record 27,326 this spring; 13,139 have been admitted.

Dallas Fed issues report on incentives

When capital, labor and business know-how are free to move across borders, governments have a greater incentive to pursue policies that attract and retain those valuable resources, according to a new essay included in the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' annual report. The essay is called "Racing to the Top: How Global Competition Disciplines Public Policy."

New economic stats

The Texas economy continued to expand at a solid pace in February 2006, according to the most recent indicators update from The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The Dallas Fed's Texas Coincident Index, a business-cycle index of current economic indicators, rose at an annualized rate of 3 percent during the month and was up 3.2 percent from a year earlier.

Praise poured on San Antonio water system

San Antonio has been ranked as having the best tasting drinking water in Texas for 2006. San Antonio Water System (SAWS) received the honor by the Texas section of the American Water Works Association, during its recent annual Texas Water Conference in Austin. SAWS, the water and wastewater utility serving San Antonio and parts of Bexar County, earned the title after a panel of judges took a blind taste test of tap water from across the state. Water from each utility also was judged separately on odor, color and clarity.

Perry makes several appointments

Gov. Rick Perry made the following appointments this week:

• Conrith Davis of Cranford, Board of Pardons and Paroles;
• Dr. Thomas Hamlin of Richardson, SBIRT Grant Steering Committee;
• Marianne Marcus of Houston, SBIRT Grant Steering Committee;
• Dr. F. David Schneider of San Antonio, SBIRT Grant Steering Committee;
• Mary M. Velasquez of Houston, SBIRT Grant Steering Committee;
• Melvin Joyner Jr. of Wichita Falls, Crime Stoppers Advisory Council.

Ask the experts

Q: Which department within the State of Texas receives and distributes funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security? A: There is no single state agency that receives homeland security funds. In fact, homeland security dollars are distributed to a wide variety of entities on the state and local levels. According to a report compiled by SPI's Information Services Division, 18 noteworthy grant programs produce funding streams to Texas. The majority of these grant programs are managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). However, the Departments of Transportation (DOT), Agriculture (DoA), and Health & Human Services (HHS) also receive funds and manage grant programs related to homeland security. -Reagan Weil, Business Development Manager at Strategic Partnerships, Inc. Have a question for one of SPI's government affairs experts? Drop us a line!

Procurement articles online

Click here to view recent articles on government procurement authored by Mary Scott Nabers, president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., and published in the Austin Business Journal and Houston Business Journal.

[Editor's note: Mary Scott Nabers' procurement columns run regularly in the Austin Business Journal, Houston Business Journal, San Antonio Business Journal and the Dallas Business Journal]

SPI seeks a researcher

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. is seeking a researcher for a short-term engagement involving research in other states. The candidate should have experience in state or federal government and have an understanding of procurement processes and concepts. An ideal candidate would have a working knowledge of professional services (architecture, engineering) and construction industries. Applicants may send a cover letter and resume to jcarl@spartnerships.com.

Event Links

HUB Forums in April

Fiesta Informacion 2006 - 4/24/06-4/27/06

World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2006 - 5/1/06-5/5/06

2006 Lone Star Conference - 5/2/06-5/5/06

TCEQ's Environmental Trade Fair and Conference - 5/9/06-5/11/06

TAGITM Annual Conference - 5/16/06-5/19/06

Texas Hurricane Conference - 5/23/06-5/25/06

ICMA conference in San Antonio - 9/10/06-9/13/06

Upcoming Executive Women in Texas Government events

Texas Government Insider Archives

Volume 1, 2, 3 and 4 Archives - 11/7/03 - 3/31/06

Resources

LBB Budget and Performance Assessments

Senate Interim Charges

House Interim Charges

Texas Fact Book '06-'07

LBB's Fiscal Size-up '06-'07

SAO report on full-time state employees for fiscal 2005

Texas Human Resources Management Statutes Inventory

TBPC Vendor Guide

State Budget Resources

HUB Forms Library

State Contract Management Guide

State Procurement Manual

Who Represents Me? Texas Districts By Address

Diagram of Texas' Biennial Budget Cycle

Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a research and consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services.

Founded in Texas in 1994 by former government executives and public sector experts, SPI has developed a national reputation as the premier marketing partner dedicated to helping companies secure contracts in the $1.5 trillion state and local government marketplace.

To learn more about SPI services click here or contact our sales department at 512-531-3900.

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Texas Transportation Forum

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Interstate System at the Texas Transportation Forum June 8 and 9 in Austin. Find out more at www.texastransportationforum.com

Texas Citizen Corps Conference

The Texas Citizen Corps Conference, hosted by the Texas Association of Regional Councils, will be held June 7-8 in downtown Fort Worth. The conference is open to anyone interested in the Citizen Corps program, including regional councils of governments, local, state, and federal agencies, volunteers, emergency management professionals, first responders, and other interested parties. Local elected officials and management level decision-makers will also be in attendance. Sessions will include training, strategic policy discussions, briefings from leaders in the Citizen Corps programs from across the nation, networking and best practices events, and an exhibit hall. Click here for details.

2006 Texas GIS Forum

The Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) is gearing up for the 2006 Texas GIS Forum, an annual statewide event designed to showcase advances in the fast paced technologies of geographic information systems. The event takes place May 1-5 in Austin. The theme this year, Crossing Boundaries, is designed to highlight the expansion of GIS into new arenas and to reflect on the events of the past year that brought new synergies among people using the technology. Click here for more information.