Go to news and people section. Go to calendar of events section. Sign up for the Texas Government Insider.

ETF begins funding projects

The state's relatively new Emerging Technology Fund has allocated money to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Texas Tech University so those institutions could attract individuals, move them to Texas campuses and advance existing efforts.

Ferrari

UTHSC-Houston is using its allocation to augment a new 5-year, $12 million program that promises to take the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) to the next level. IMM is dedicated, largely, to translating advances in nanotechnology into care for patients facing enormous health threats. Dr. Mauro Ferrari (pictured), considered a nanotech pioneer, recently moved from Ohio State University to Houston to help steer the project.

With the $1.95 million grant it sought from the Emerging Technology Fund, WilkinsTexas Tech University was able to capture the talents of cotton genome "eminent world expert" Dr. Thea Wilkins (pictured), according to Dr. Dick Auld, Chair and Rockwell Professor of Tech's College of Ag Science and Natural Resources. Tech's application for funding was aimed at the acquisition of research superiority from outside Texas, said Auld. Along with enticing Wilkins to Tech from UC-Davis, the Lubbock university also brought in Dr. Craig Bednarz, a "young but talented" crop physiologist from the University of Georgia, said Auld. Tech is continuing its search for a third member of its team - a researcher who specializes in bioinformatics. The three new researchers will team with Tech's existing team of a dozen scientists to ensure that Texas remains globally competitive in raising cotton. "There will not be another working group like this in the country," said Auld, "or in the world, for that matter." The goal of the team is to research and roll out new technology to enhance the global competitiveness of Texas cotton and give the state "global eminence" in the cotton produced in the state, he said.


Lawmakers wrapping up special session

Setting the stage for lawmakers to complete work over the next few days on a massive revamp of the state's tax system that funds public education, House members are expected to accept a Senate bill today that would trim property taxes and create several education initiatives. House Speaker Tom Craddick spoke nothing but positive words about the Senate after it unanimously approved the tax cut/school reform measure. If the bill is sent to Gov. Rick Perry today, it would leave only two parts of the original five-bill tax-swap package pending in the Legislature. One is the cigarette tax and the other dedicates most of the new revenue - from tax increases on businesses, smokers and used cars - to property tax relief. In other news at the Capitol, onlookers can expect to see a flurry of new bills and issues being filed today now that Gov. Perry has opened the session up to other issues.


Pinched at the pump
Governments take action to curb gas costs

The cost of gasoline is prompting city, county and school administrators across the state to change the way they do business. From El Paso to Texarkana, the skyrocketing gas prices mean more funding will have to be allocated to fuel costs and other budgetary items will face cuts.

In Corpus Christi, City Manager Skip Noe (pictured), like many of his counterparts across the state, has asked every city department to see where cuts can be made to keep budgets balanced. It will be a tough balancing act for many.

Noe

Corpus Christi's police department expects to spend well over $1 million on gas this year. Last year, the department's gasoline bill totaled about $850,000. As major fluctuations in gas prices make it hard for budget gurus to estimate costs and potential shortfalls, local officials across the state are cutting back on some purchases, keeping a close eye on overtime and limiting the use of publicly-owned vehicles.

The Killeen City Council this week tinkered with its budget to accommodate its unexpected gas costs. Killeen officials said the city will end up spending about $500,000 more on gas this year than it anticipated so money must be moved around in the city's general fund.


In the Interim...
Senate Subcommittee on Capital Funding for Higher Education

This week, Gov. Rick Perry added to the call of the Legislative Special Session the ability for universities to issue tuition revenue bonds, a subject that falls under the authority of the recently-created Senate Subcommittee on Capital Funding for Higher Education.

The subcommittee's only legislation for review on Thursday was Senate Bill 46 by Laredo Senator Judith Zaffirini Zaffirini(pictured), who chairs the subcommittee. Her bill would provide for the issuance of tuition revenue bonds for institutions in all the major public universities and university systems. Currently, institutions of higher education do not have the revenue needed to issue bonds on their own. The bill was left pending in the subcommittee on Thursday and is scheduled to be heard again this afternoon upon adjournment of the full Senate.

Yesterday, several universities presented legislators with their tuition-revenue-bond needs. Officials from the Texas A&M University System elaborated on $1.1 billion needed for capital projects, and those from the University of Texas System spoke about $100 million worth of needs. Officials from both of those schools said the needs are great and can be found on every campus throughout the state.

In addition to bonds, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst also instructed the subcommittee to assess financing options for the Permanent University Fund and Higher Education Fund, both of which offer funding to Texas universities for capital expenditures and library acquisitions. While the subcommittee will focus on legislation during the special session, Chairman Zaffirini, along with Sens. Robert Duncan, Kyle Janek, Steve Ogden, and Royce West, have until Dec. 1 to issue a report with their recommendations for statutory and agency rulemaking changes. Many of their suggestions could surface as legislation during the next regular session. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called for the creation of the subcommittee earlier this year in preparation for the 2007 legislative session.

[Editor's Note: "In the Interim" is a series of articles that will focus on the Texas Legislature's interim charges.]

Houston faces new struggle with air quality

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) acknowledged Wednesday that the level of fine particle pollution that makes up soot in east Houston is dangerously close to exceeding federal limits. The rising levels prompted state and local officials to schedule a meeting today to discuss the latest data. Elena Marks, Mayor Bill White's director of health policy, said Houston has spent so much effort on ozone, it has overlooked fine particles, which are another known health hazard. If Houston exceeds the federal limit for this type of pollution it will have to submit a plan to the EPA detailing how to clean up the problem by a certain deadline. That deadline has not yet been set because Houston hasn't violated federal standards to this point, and the cost of any penalties assessed for doing so would depend on several factors, according to the TCEQ.


Several Texas colleges seeking leaders

A number of the state's institutions of higher education are seeking leaders. Angelo State in San Angelo is looking for a new president. Dr. E. James Hindman will return to teaching effective Aug. 31, 2007. Hindman said the effective date of his departure from the presidency may vary, depending upon the decisions of the chancellor and board. They are also looking for replacement for Mike Ryan, who retired in April as Vice President for Advancement and University Relations. The University of North Texas also is looking for a new president to replace Dr. Norval Pohl, who is retiring when his contract ends Aug. 31. And trustees of the Dallas County Community College District promoted El Centro College President Wright L. Lassiter Jr. to interim chancellor on Monday as they ponder a permanent replacement. Jesus "Jess" Carreon, the district's chancellor since 2003, abruptly resigned last week.

The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents has hired executive search firm Korn/Ferry International to assemble a pool of candidates for its next chancellor. Chancellor David R. Smith resigned in January and Donald R. Haragan is serving as interim chancellor. The search for candidates is expected to take several months. Regent Frank Miller in Dallas is leading the five-member Chancellor Search Committee, which also includes Regents Bob Black of Horseshoe Bay and Windy Sitton of Lubbock and two members of the Texas Tech Foundation Board of Directors, Jerry Turner of Austin and Robert Brown of El Paso.


Irving seeks money to redevelop Texas Stadium site

Irving city leaders want to collect approximately $15 million in new fees from fans during the Dallas Cowboy's last three seasons at Texas Stadium. The Dallas suburb is asking voters in a Saturday election to approve a 10 percent ticket tax and a $3 per car parking tax. Despite the perception, Irving Mayor Herbert Gears said his city holds no ill feeling toward the Cowboys even though they are moving to a new stadium in nearby Arlington in 2009. Gears said the new fees would simply help Irving redevelop the city-owned 90-acre site that holds the 35-year-old stadium.


San Antonio tries to recoup taxes lost online

San Antonio City Attorney Michael Bernard this week announced the filing of a federal lawsuit seeking the recovery of millions of dollars in taxes that he alleges were not properly remitted by some of the country's largest and most popular web-based hotel booking companies, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, Priceline.com, and Travelocity.com.

The suit is the first claim by a Texas city against Web-based hotel booking companies for allegedly underpaying hotel occupancy taxes in violation of state and local tax laws. Other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia and Atlanta are pursuing similar lawsuits and Dallas officials indicated that they may join San Antonio's bout. The lawsuit does not seek money from any local hotel, only the online companies that book the rooms and collect the taxes. According to the lawsuit, the defendants have underpaid San Antonio's hotel occupancy taxes by remitting taxes only on "wholesale" or "net" room rates rather than the "retail" room rates the companies charge occupants booking hotel rooms online.


Leadership Spotlight: Sheryl Sculley

San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley knows what it means to run a city - and what it means to just run. The mother of two, Sculley is an avid runner who has completed eight marathons - including the 2000 and 2001 Boston Marathons. She uses that same dedication and discipline in running a city.

San Antonio uses an annual operating and capital budget of more than $1.7 billion to serve more than 1.2 million residents and employ more than 12,000 city employees. As city manager, Sculley oversees all of this. The former Arizona Woman of the Year came to Texas in late 2005 after a marathon of city government experience - she served as the assistant city manger for Phoenix for 16 years and worked for the city of Kalamazoo for 15 years.

While in Arizona, Sculley led the movement to receive voter and legislative approval for a $600 million expansion of the Phoenix Convention Center, tripling the center's square footage. She also gained approval for a publicly-financed, 1,000-room hotel in Phoenix, developed a 15,000-square-foot Arizona State University downtown campus, and recruited the Translational Genomics Research Institute to the Phoenix Biomedical Center.

Sculley knows that to be an optimal runner, one must continue to train. She uses this same theory in educating and preparing herself to serve the citizens of San Antonio. The city manager attended the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government and in 2005 was a fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration. A natural leader, Sculley has also served on numerous boards and committees, including the International City/County Management Association Executive Board of Directors, the Banner Health Foundation LPGA Tournament Board of Directors, and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. For her dedication to public service, Sculley has been the recipient of awards such as the 2005 Visitor Industry Champion Award, the 2002 World Award by the Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine-Council, and the 2002 Outstanding Regional Contribution Award presented by the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

UT set on $21M revamp of baseball stadium

The University of Texas system regents this week approved spending an additional $3 million for renovating Disch-Falk Field. The regents originally approved a budget of $18 million for the face-lift of the Longhorns' 31-year-old baseball stadium, but that number has been upped to $21 million. The Texas athletics department will raise $7 million of the $21 million cost through private donations while the remainder will be financed with bonds. The additional $3 million will go to cover rising construction costs for the renovated stadium, which will be renamed UFCU Disch-Falk Field before the 2007 season. The new moniker is the result of a $13.1 million naming-rights agreement between the university and University Federal Credit Union. Construction is to begin in August.


Galveston looks at rail line

The Galveston City Council, with the help of a hired consultant, is pondering the feasibility of a rail line that could more easily move commuters and freight between Houston and the island. The strategy to develop such a high-speed rail line is expected to be devised by September. Proponents said a rail line could be very helpful during massive evacuations caused by hurricanes or other disasters.


San Antonio prepares for Avian flu

Health and emergency management officials in San Antonio said this week that they have intensified efforts to coordinate the city's response to a potential pandemic flu outbreak, but they cautioned that citizens must be prepared to take responsibility for their own welfare. Despite improved coordination among local, state and federal agencies, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Director Fernando Guerra said the city might be hard-pressed to cope with an outbreak that forces extensive quarantines and cripples crucial segments of the work force. The health district is collaborating with schools, universities, employers and community groups to educate them about the various types of flu and how they spread. A local hot line has been established and bilingual information is being distributed on the Web and elsewhere to explain the differences between common seasonal flu and potentially deadly avian flu.


Houston bidding for 2016 Olympics

The United States Olympic Committee met with Houston city and business leaders this week. Officials said they are looking for a bid that is privately financed and puts athletes first. They said they do not want any fee to the city or taxpayer money used. The committee will also visit Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They will look at all five cities and then make a decision on one of those cities, or none of them. The committee has until March 31, 2007, to decide if the United States will try for a bid for the 2016 Olympics.


UT chooses new law dean

Sager

The University of Texas at Austin has chosen one of its own nationally recognized constitutional law scholars to head the law school. Lawrence Sager, 64, who joined the UT law school faculty in 2002 after 25 years at New York University, becomes the law school's 13th dean. He is replacing William Powers Jr., UT-Austin's new president. One of the largest challenges facing the new dean will be retaining UT's stars on its law faculty and enticing young prospects to come aboard. That, insiders said, will require a significant fundraising effort to ensure that the school has the money to compete.


Own a hybrid? Park for free in San Antonio

San Antonians who own hybrid-vehicles will now be able to park free at city meters. The San Antonio City Council approved a measure Thursday that will allow drivers to register their vehicles with the city's parking division and receive a green park-for-free placard to place on their rear-view window. The goal of the one-year pilot program is to encourage more local drivers to buy more of these cleaner-burning vehicles.


Texas tops tort liability index

Texas ranks first in a new index on tort reform. The American Justice Partnership and Pacific Research Institute's U.S. Tort Liability Index for 2006 acknowledges the positive economic results of lawsuit reform in Texas. WayneNearly 40 factors were used to calculate the index, including monetary tort losses, monetary caps, and procedural/structural rules and reforms.

"State officials and legislators have worked hard during the last 20 years to bring balance and fairness to the Texas judicial system," says Ralph Wayne, president of the Texas Civil Justice League, an affiliate of the American Justice Partnership. "The results speak for themselves. Legal reform is fuel for growth."


Bond proposals bring opportunities to contractors

Mary Scott Nabers

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

Voters will go to the polls throughout the state on Saturday and many private sector firms will watch election night returns with serious interest. If most of the bond propositions pass there will be an unprecedented amount of work to be done - literally billions of dollars will be spent for all types of projects. Private sector vendors will do most of the work.

The bond projects that are up for approval will have thousands of diverse contracting opportunities. The immediate work will revolve around construction but there will be something for most any contractor. Contractors and vendors interested in tapping into the hundreds of bond projects on the drawing board should move quickly to understand what is happening. And, contractors should keep in mind that if a bond proposal is rejected by voters the need will not disappear, it will simply have to be financed in another way sometime in the future.

Here are some examples of the bond proposals on Saturday's ballots:

  • The Katy Independent School District is putting a $261.5 million bond package up for a vote on May 13. About $39 million would be devoted to technology upgrades;
  • The Frisco Independent School District is proposing a record-setting $798 million bond proposal that could yield hundreds of millions of dollars worth of work for construction, engineering and design firms and about $50 million worth of projects for technology firms;
  • Tarrant County hopes to secure approval for $433 million to build a new jail, court facilities, a new medical examiner's office and a crime lab; and
  • Fort Bend County commissioners tomorrow will learn the fate of their $130 million bond proposal, which includes a major expansion to the county jail and two new libraries.

UT prof to head national library association

Loriene Roy

A University of Texas professor has been elected president of the American Library Association. Loriene Roy will lead the group in its 2007-08 term. With more than 66,000 members, the association bills itself as the largest professional organization in librarianship. Roy works in UT's School of Information. She is a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the White Earth Reservation, making her the first Native American to lead the national association.


11 appointed to drug panel

Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday announced the appointment of 11 people to the Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee for terms to expire Sept. 1, 2007. The committee makes recommendations about the contents of the preferred drug lists. Click here for a detailed list of those appointed.


Texas saw healthy employment gains in 2005

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has revised up its estimate for 2005 Texas employment growth. Payroll employment for the state is estimated to have grown at a 3.9 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2005, significantly above the initial estimate of 2.4 percent and considerably above the national rate of 1.6 percent. The revisions are based on the Texas Workforce Commission's just-released fourth quarter Covered Employment and Wages data. Click here for details.


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.


ONLINE POLL

Do you believe the state and local governments are better prepared to deal with incidents that may arise during the upcoming hurricane season?

(Non-scientific results next week)

Last week, 73% of respondents said the price of gas has prompted them to alter their personal or professional life.


Ask the experts

Q: I plan to testify before a panel of lawmakers soon. Any last-minute advice on how I can best deliver my message and get my key points to be remembered?

Bassett

A: I once advised a medical society on giving testimony during hearings on protecting the elderly. The physician testifying could have recited statistics about the number of elderly abused and how the problem was growing each year. Instead, I advised that he talk about just one case.

Here's the story he told: An old man, blind, had been kept by his son and daughter-in-law in an unused chicken coop in back of their house. Without heat he nearly froze in the winter, and without AC he baked under the blazing summer sun. There were no screens on the windows, or running water, and the elderly man got by on one can of dog food a day which they fed him from the hubcap of a '53 Chevy.

As the doctor told that story, you could have heard the proverbial pin drop in the hearing room. There were not a lot of questions. There didn't need to be. Everyone had gotten the message. You may have many important arguments supporting your position, but I advise you to choose the single strongest one. Then, tell a real life story which drives home the importance of that argument. A really good story is told and retold, and often remembered for the rest of the listeners' lives.

-Ron Bassett,
Senior Consultant at Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

Have a question for one of SPI's government affairs experts?
Drop us a line!

Event Links

HUB Forums in May

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 - 5/12/06

Resources

Top 100 Federal Funding Sources in Texas State Budget

Texas Statutes Granting, Prohibiting, or Restricting the Power of Eminent Domain

Higher Education Graduation Rates

Presiding Officers of the Texas Legislature 1846-2006

LBB Budget and Performance Assessments

Senate Interim Charges

House Interim Charges

Texas Fact Book '06-'07

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

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


Forums on the state's aging issues

Texans are invited to help shape the future of state and local services for older residents through a series of community forums in 13 locations across the state. The events are put on by the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, the Texas White House Conference on Aging delegation, the Texas Area Agencies on Aging and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Click here for more information.


Texas Homeland Security Conference

The Governor's Division of Emergency Management plans to hold its annual homeland security conference between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1. The location has not been announced. For registration information contact Loraine Lafler at loraine.lafler@txdps.state.tx.us.