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Border security plan takes shape
Officials in Texas are scrutinizing border security proposals in Washington this week to learn how the Lone Star State may be affected. President Bush sent Congress a $1.9 billion request Thursday to increase border security as supporters of sweeping immigration legislation reasserted control in the Senate.
About $1.17 billion of the $1.95 billion request would fund Department of Homeland Security measures such as adding 1,000 new border patrol agents ($235 million), adding two additional unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters ($95 million), improving border security infrastructure, including fencing and vehicle barriers ($250 million) and adding 4,000 detention beds ($80 million). The request also includes $756 million for up to 6,000 National Guard troops. Where exactly these resources will be placed along the border has not yet been decided, but the most controversial and visible part of the plan - a 370-mile fence - is not proposed to be built in Texas. Texas, however, will likely see a 'virtual fence', instead, which will be comprised of cameras, sensors and other technology.
In regard to the new troops proposed, National Guard leaders in Texas are poised to carry out the Bush administration's border-security plan to deploy thousands of troops to patrol the Mexican border, but Texas officials likely will fight any attempts to place the state-run units under federal control. Maintaining state control over Guard units allows governors to manage the strain on the force and determine which troops and equipment to send, and for how long, said Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke(pictured), president of the Adjutant Generals Association of the United States. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and many other state leaders have been adamant about the need for such local control.
Still, officials in Texas said the federal help is needed badly. El Paso Border Patrol Chief Robert Gilbert said that he didn't know yet how many guardsmen he needed for his area, but he knows that there is plenty of work available. He said the National Guard "will give us a level of border control we've never had in the past."
On a related note, U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco announced this week that he secured $16 million for work on the P-3 aircraft that a Waco company currently refurbishes under the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The Homeland Security bill also includes a provision supported by Edwards restoring $22 million for Texas A&M’s first responder training center, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC). The Bush Administration had proposed a $15 million cut to the A&M System, but Edwards put together a bi-partisan effort to successfully eliminate the cuts, which would have ended emergency training for more than 30,000 police, fire fighters, and EMS personnel.
Pitts to keynote October legislative conference
State Representative Jim Pitts, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, will be the afternoon keynote speaker for the 5th biennial pre-session legislative conference, the sponsors announced today.
First elected in to the House in 1992, Pitts represents Hill and Ellis Counties. He chaired several appropriations subcommittees prior to being appointed committee chairman last session. He also previously chaired budget and oversight for the House Ways and Means Committee and served on the Select Committee on Public School Finance last session. Chairman Pitts was chosen as Waxahachie's Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1999. He has served as president of the Board of Trustees for the Waxahachie Independent School District, director of Citizens National Bank in Waxahachie, director of Sims Library and as president of the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce. He is a past president of the Board of Trustees of Presbyterian Children's Services. Pitts received an MBA and JD from Southern Methodist University.
The conference, which is sponsored jointly by SPI and the LJB School of Public Affairs, will be held on October 10 at the JJ Pickle Center in Austin. It is designed to help senior agency officials prepare for the 80th session of the Texas Legislature. Watch the Texas Government Insider for further details.
TBPC names new executive director
Edward Johnson has been named Executive Director of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission. Johnson, 29, was unanimously appointed by the agency's commissioners to the role of ED at Wednesday's commission meeting. Johnson has worked for the TBPC for three years, serving primarily as the Director of Legislative Affairs and Governmental Relations, but also contributed as a senior level policy advisor to the commission and executive director.
"I envision a vibrant, innovative agency whose mission is to serve and support all functions of state government," Johnson said. "We're going to serve Texas with great pride, integrity and zeal, and I am ready to deliver the real value of what we do and how well we can do it."
Johnson was named Interim Executive Director of the agency in January. A Texas A&M University graduate, Johnson began his career in state government working through several legislative sessions for the Texas Speaker of the House.
Perry advisor takes helm of TDHCA
A former advisor to Gov. Rick Perry took the reins of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) this week. Michael Gerber is now the executive director of TDHCA. He was most recently at the Governor's Office of Budget, Planning and Policy, where he focused on housing and workforce issues. Prior to working in the governor's office, he spent two years at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs. He has 16 years of government experience under his belt.
"My predecessor, Edwina Carrington, left the department in great shape but it's always a constant struggle to address issues faced by low-income Texans," Gerber said. Carrington resigned to pursue a job in the private sector. Among Gerber's biggest priorities so far is to lead TDHCA as it administers $74.5 million of Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) to help victims of Hurricane Rita.
Billions in bond money approved
Cities, counties and school districts across Texas now have the authorization to proceed with billions of dollars worth of bond projects after the May 13 election. According to Strategic Partnerships, Inc.'s Information Service Division, which researches business opportunities in the public sector, almost all of the major bond initiatives across the state gained voter approval. Here is a rundown of some of the more notable bond issues:
- The City of Frisco, a fast-growing Dallas suburb, now has $198 million to spend on capital road projects, parks and open spaces, and public safety;
- Frisco ISD has a record-breaking amount of bond money - $798 million - to fund a massive expansion;
- The City of McKinney, also near Dallas, has the authorization to issue $91 million worth of bonds for a new library, parks, public safety facilities and airport improvements;
- The City of Shertz near San Antonio has $6 million for a new library, $7.5 million for a recreational facility, $20 million for street improvements, and $4 million for drainage projects;
- Fort Bend County in South Texas will use $130 million worth of bond money to expand the county jail and build two libraries;
- Tarrant County has the ability to build a new $350 million jail facility, and use another $200 million for road projects and other expenditures; and
- A $135 million bond proposal from the Brownsville ISD was passed, and will be used to pay for the construction of new schools and renovations.
Sullivan replaces McBee as assistant AG
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has named Judge Kent Sullivan first assistant attorney general. Sullivan will begin his new duties June 12 - the same day his predecessor, Barry McBee, starts his new job as vice chancellor for governmental relations at the University of Texas System. Sullivan has been presiding judge of the 80th Judicial District Court of Harris County for three years. Before that, he worked in private practice for 21 years and was a managing partner in several Houston law firms.
"Kent's judicial and civil litigation background will be of great value to the agency," Abbott said. "He brings strong leadership, proven management experience and distinguished legal expertise to the people of Texas." Sullivan's public service background includes temporary service on the First Appellate District Court of Appeals and membership on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee. He has been active with the State Bar of Texas since 1999, serving on the board of directors and its executive committee, and has also served on the board of directors of the Texas Center for the Judiciary.
Texas colleges eager to go on $1.8B spending spree
This week, the Texas Legislature authorized $1.8 billion to be dedicated to college construction bonds that will fund 63 projects on nearly 50 campuses across the state. The bonds come as a relief to many institutions that have long used out-of-date buildings.
In recent years, The University of Texas at Austin has had to close more than half of the laboratories in its Experimental Science Building due to rusting pipes, and three of its five floors lack air conditioning. With the bond approval, the school stands to receive $105 million. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will also receive relief for its growing student population. As of fall 2005, the campus was about 200,000 square feet short of space. With an ever-increasing enrollment - the school has grown 23 percent since 2000 alone - $45 million towards a new kinesiology, nursing, and health science building will come as a welcome shot in the arm. The University of North Texas is also a big winner - the school can now proceed with plans for a $50 million new College of Business Administration, a $25 million general academic building at its Dallas campus, and a $42 million new public health education building at its Health Science Center in Fort Worth. Other projects included in the bill are:
- $70.4 million for an engineering research building at the University of Texas at Arlington;
- $54 million for a science and technology complex and $45 million for an arts convocation and classroom facility at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin;
- $42.7 million to be used for an undergraduate academic center and $36 million for the second phase of a Round Rock campus for Texas State University-San Marcos;
- $21.7 million in infrastructure improvements related to the science building at Texas Woman's University in Denton; and
- $12 million for a vivarium and experimental space at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Tuition revenue bonds, which are loans the universities repay with tuition, will fund many projects that state institutions requested from the Higher Education Coordinating Board two years ago. Those requests failed in the Senate in 2005. To overcome competition for funds that killed the bill last year, the coordinating board rated the projects this year, and the institutions and the senator whose district includes the project ranked their priorities. Lawmakers must now appropriate $400 million during the next regular session in 2007 to pay the interest on the bonds. The Legislature delayed finding the money during the special session due to concerns that the state might exceed constitutional limits on spending.
House members voice support for TRS
A letter signed by 141 members of the Texas House of Representatives in support of fully funding the Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS) pension fund in the upcoming legislative session has been delivered by Galveston State Rep. Craig Eiland to House Speaker Tom Craddick and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts. The letter outlines Eiland's efforts to have an adequate increased state contribution to TRS included in the base-line appropriations bill that will be introduced in January 2007. The TRS pension fund now has a shortfall of approximately $13.2 billion which will require a $300 million per year increase to bring the fund back into actuarial soundness.
Tim Lee (pictured), executive director of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), said his members are encouraged by Eiland's letter. "TRTA members made a valiant effort to pressure Gov. Rick Perry to open the legislative call and deal with TRS issues" during the special session, he said. "The Legislature did their best to position at least two primary pieces of legislation that increased the state's financial commitment to the TRS pension trust fund. In the end, though, there is no new money for the pension trust fund and there is no pension increase for education retirees."
Lens on Government: State Planning & Budgeting Cycle Begins
Texas is in at least its 15th year of formally developing strategic plans on an agency-by-agency basis. In 1991 the legislature codified the process in what became Chapter 2056 of the Government Code. In recent years, these "strat plans" have served as the basis for agencies to request appropriations from the legislature.
Agencies are currently working on their strat plans (along with several ancillary documents), which are due in about six weeks. Later in the summer, they will submit Legislative Appropriations Requests that are based on these plans. All of this is in preparation for the 80th session of the Texas Legislature, which convenes in January, and deals with agency funding for the biennium that runs from September 1, 2007, to August 31, 2009. Thus, agencies are planning now for needs that could be three years away.
This is the first in a series of articles describing the planning and budgeting processes for Texas state agencies.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Houston invests $50M in wind farm
The City of Houston has a unique and ambitious plan to get into the emerging wind-energy business. The city intends to pay $50 million for 17 wind turbines on a proposed wind farm in the South Texas county of Kenedy. The investment is the first of its kind for the municipality, and less than a dozen other cities across the country actually own wind turbines, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
The wind turbines will be funded through a new type of bond program administered by the Internal Revenue Services that was set up following the enactment of the Energy Tax Incentives Act last year. The IRS has $800 million to distribute among competing governments, cooperative electric companies and Indian tribal governments nationwide that want to finance projects focused on developing renewable energy assets. Under the program, the City of Houston can issue 0 percent interest bonds called Clean Renewable Energy Bonds, or CREBS, to finance renewable-energy supporting projects. Houston Mayor Bill White's (pictured) goal is that at least 20 percent of all energy used by the city will be drawn from renewable sources by the end of this year.
In October, the State of Texas announced that it was getting into the wind-energy business. The state has leased an 11,000-acre swath of the Gulf of Mexico, seven miles off Galveston Island, to a private firm for enormous wind turbines that could eventually power 40,000 homes and generate millions of dollars for state schools, state officials said.
In the Interim...
Property tax relief should be on its way following the recent special session. But, property tax appraisals persist as a hot topic around the state. Property owners complain about increasing appraised property values being preferred as a means of increasing local revenue and avoiding raising unpopular property tax rates. The House Committee on Local Government Ways and Means, chaired by Dallas lawmaker Fred Hill, has already met four times this year to hear testimony on one aspect of this issue: review of the current system, just adopted in 2003, when property is located in more than one appraisal district.
Representatives of the Williamson Central, Tarrant, Dallas Central, Taylor Central, and Stephens County appraisal districts offered recommendations for determining if one fair and equal value for a property is preferable to the current system. Using a property's most recent sales price has been suggested over the years as a solution to the appraisal controversy, but at least one trade association, the Texas Association of Realtors, has always strongly opposed that concept.
The committee will have its hands full of appraisal issues this interim: the practicality of consolidating some appraisal districts, looking at the methods used by appraisal districts to arrive at certain appraisal values, and looking into the impact a comptroller's office audit has on the operation of the districts. The committee has already heard testimony on charges related to evaluating how different counties and school districts assign property taxes; the effective tax rate, rollback tax rate, and rollback elections; and the impact of state and local government unfunded mandates.
[Editor's Note: "In the Interim" is a series of articles that focuses on the Texas Legislature's interim charges.]
DHS to hand out interoperability report cards to cities
The U.S. Homeland Security Department plans to issue public scorecards of the effectiveness of interoperable first-responder communications in cities and regions across the country by the end of this year, Secretary Michael Chertoff said. Interoperable radio communications - which allow officials on different levels and from different agencies to talk to each other - have stalled mainly because of problems cities and regions have in agreeing on "governance" plans for the systems. DHS has issued model communications interoperability plans to states and spent more than $2.1 billion to fund relevant state and local programs.
"By the end of this year, each urban area is going to get a scorecard - a public scorecard - that will identify gaps and help us to determine the improvements we need to make in the near term," Chertoff (pictured) said. Gov. Rick Perry and many emergency officials in Texas have made radio interoperability a priority, though they admit that the state has much to do before it achieves its goals. The Texas Association of Regional Councils recently published a report that outlines the state's plan to improve communications. Click here to learn more about the interoperability issue.
Several factors converge to flood Texas' coffers
Two of Texas' biggest recent quandaries - Hurricane Katrina and the oil crisis - are turning out to be blessings, at least economically. During the past year, Texas has added 274,000 jobs, according to the Texas Workforce Commission - the biggest annual jump since 2000. The comptroller's office now estimates that the budget surplus will almost double to $8.2 billion for the two years ending in August 2007, April sales-tax collections climbed 17.2 percent from the same month a year earlier due largely to all the hurricane evacuees spending money here, and state taxes on oil and gas production are predicted to increase $2.5 billion, or 77.5 percent, in the current two-year budget cycle.
"Economic growth in the state appears to be stronger than elsewhere in the country, and most indicators signal continued expansion," said Fiona Sigalla, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Sigalla said Texas' workforce of 9.9 million is expanding at about 3.1 percent a year, double the average of the rest of the country.
Tech's Health Sciences Center names interim president
Dr. Bernhard T. Mittemeyer has been named interim president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Mittemeyer will begin his duties July 1. He will serve until a replacement for Dr. M. Roy Wilson can be found. The search process is still being developed. Wilson will leave the institution June 30 to become chancellor of the newly consolidated University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center.
"Dr. Mittemeyer has served the Health Sciences Center well for 20 years. He knows the university and he knows the people and the communities of the campuses that we serve," said L. Frederick Francis, chairman of Texas Tech's Board of Regents. "I know his dedication and commitment to Texas Tech and that he will continue the goals and vision that Dr. Wilson so ably has championed in the areas of research, education and patient care."
Mobile Go Centers to help close education gaps
Young Texans in San Antonio seeking tools to help them earn a college education are the first to have access to a mobile resource dubbed the Mobile Go Center. The mobile center in San Antonio, the first in a statewide fleet of vehicles being readied, made its first stop at Fox Tech High School on May 16.
"In a city like San Antonio that is so spread out, the Go Centers are especially valuable in expanding our outreach efforts," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo. The Mobile Go Center is funded in part by an $800,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation to the College for All Texans Foundation. The centers are part of the legislature-initiated College for Texans Campaign, which aims to close the gaps in Texas by preparing an additional 430,000 high school students to enroll in college - well beyond the 200,000 enrollment growth that is projected for 2015. The eight-year grant, originally awarded in 2005, will fund technology for the fleet of mobile education resources, equipping the vans with Internet-accessible computers and high-speed Internet connections.
"For our state to have a strong and vibrant future, we must all continue to work to ensure that every Texas child who dreams of attending an institution of higher education gets the opportunity to do so," said John Montford, AT&T senior vice president of state legislative and regulatory affairs and College for All Texans Foundation board chairman.
Texas governmental entities continue a trend to offer benefits to same-sex couples
The City of Austin last week joined a small but growing list of cities that offer health benefits to same-sex couples. The proposition passed on May 13 with relatively little fanfare in the only county that rejected last year's amendment to ban gay marriage in Texas.
The movement, spawned by Council Member Brewster McCracken (pictured), was endorsed by both the police and firefighters' unions, who argue that such benefits could be used for ill or aging family members, in addition to gay partners. Most opposition to the amendment came from more conservative groups, such as churches, who argued that extending benefits in this manner erodes family values. Nationwide, 133 cities and counties offer domestic partner health benefits, along with many corporations. Travis County already offers domestic partner coverage, with about 75 enrollees, as does the City of Dallas, where only five employees have enrolled in the program. In Travis County, each couple must sign an affidavit that says they have lived in a spouse-like relationship for six consecutive months. The added adult then pays the full premium.
Austin's previous charter described who was eligible for health care and defined "spouse" as the "husband or wife of the employee." The amendment struck these descriptions and repealed a 12-year-old policy that prohibited the city from offering health benefits to domestic partners. Austin officials estimate that about 1 percent of employees will sign up for this type of program.
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Texas employers eligible for federal training grants
By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
As you may have already read in this week's Insider, the state is in economic overdrive. Due largely to the work that resulted after Hurricane Katrina and an influx of new residents, the state added 274,000 jobs in the past year - the fastest growth rate since 2000, which was the height of the last economic boom.
The labor market is understandably tight now, which is why it is appropriate to point out a valuable program offered by the Texas Workforce Commission called the Skills Development Fund. Simply stated, the fund helps businesses find and train workers. To get a better understanding of the program and how it works, visit this page on TWC's Web site.
Last year, TWC awarded 23 grants totaling $8,562,419, which served 95 businesses, generated 3,351 new jobs and upgraded the skills of 8,896 workers in existing jobs. Looking ahead, TWC has at least $25 million currently in its Skills Development Fund to support high quality, customized job training projects across the state. The first of four application deadlines in 2006 is June 1, but applicants who file before the next deadline of September 1 will still be eligible for funding to train employees by the year's end.
Perry signs business tax bill
Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday signed into law House Bill 3, the first major restructuring of the state business tax in 15 years, as part of a plan to provide more than $6 billion in public school property tax cuts by 2007. The tax is expected to raise $3.4 billion in 2008 mostly by collecting new taxes from about 50,000 businesses that were not covered by the existing franchise tax.
According to the governor's office, HB 3:
- Rewards employers for creating jobs and investing in employee benefits. Every time a business puts a Texan to work, pays for health insurance or invests in a pension plan, its tax liability will go down.
- Exempts sole proprietors and general partnerships from the tax, as well as businesses whose gross receipts total $300,000 or less, and those whose tax bill is less than $1,000.
- Rewards employers that create jobs and contribute to the state's economy, but also mandates that businesses that hire illegal immigrants will pay the price with higher taxes.
State water board passes $360M conservation plan
The Texas Water Development Board this week adopted a plan that calls for conservation measures in the rapidly growing region of the Lower Colorado River. Though the region - from north of the Highland Lakes south to Matagorda Bay - is fed by the Colorado River and 10 aquifers, the plan recommends that the region invest $360 million for conservation and irrigation measures in the coming years. Gov. Rick Perry is expected to sign off on the plan in January.
TxDOT considers 80 mph speed limit
The Texas Transportation Commission next week will consider raising the speed limit to 80 mph on portions of Interstates 20 and 10 in West Texas. TxDOT spokesman Mark Cross said the 80 mph limit, which is being considered because of legislation passed last year, won't apply to other roads. If the commission approves the new speed limit it could take effect immediately, said Ted Houghton, an El Paso businessman who is on the commission.
DHS doles out funds to Texas
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced awards to more than 1,100 local police and fire departments totaling more than $20 million as part of the second phase of the fiscal year 2005 Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP). In Texas, 60 entities are receiving funds. Click here for the list of recipients.
Dallas won't bid for '08 conventions
Two weeks after San Antonio announced that it had no interest in hosting the 2008 national conventions for the Democrats and Republicans, Dallas has followed suit. Both cities were invited to submit bids for the conventions. Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm said Dallas would prefer to host a major convention in 2012 - after the city finishes several ambitious downtown redevelopment projects. San Antonio officials cited lack of hotel space and other major conferences in 2008 among their list of reasons to not seek the conventions.
TSABAA seeks 'Administrator of the Year'
The Texas State Agency Business Administrators' Association will be formally recognizing a business administrator within the State of Texas for sustained, outstanding leadership and notable contributions to the administration of a state agency at its Summer Conference in July. The award is intended to encourage interest, growth, development and distinctive leadership. Nominations may be submitted by any state agency in general or by individual state employees, but the form must be signed by the agency head of the nominee's state agency. If you know of a worthy administrator, nominations are being accepted until May 31. Click here for more information, along with the nomination form and a list of previous recipients.
UH, area colleges sign admissions pact
The University of Houston System and Houston-area community colleges are implementing a joint program that will facilitate the admission of students who complete an academic associate's degree directly into UHS schools. The program, which starts in the fall semester of 2006, guarantees admission to UH System universities to all Houston-area community college students who sign this joint admissions contract during their first year in community college then complete the academic associate's degree in good standing. The Houston area community colleges involved in this agreement include Alvin Community College, Brazosport College, College of the Mainland, Galveston College, Houston Community Colleges, Lee College, North Harris Montgomery Community College District, San Jacinto College District, Victoria College and Wharton County Junior College.
Tents may be used to house prisoners
Overcrowding at local jails has spurred Cameron County Sheriff Omar Lucio to propose building a "tent city" to house inmates temporarily. Lucio said the South Texas county's four jails are just shy of reaching their combined capacity of 1,390 inmates. State law requires county jails to keep 10 percent of their beds free at all times, meaning the sheriff must maintain 139 empty beds. To comply, Lucio said he will ask county commissioners and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for permission to set up four Army tents in Olmito, just north of Brownsville, to temporarily house 96 nonviolent inmates. The prisoners are serving their sentences locally for offenses such as driving while intoxicated and failure to pay child support.
EWTG scholarship available
Executive Women in Texas Government is offering scholarships for its members. New for 2006, EWTG is offering general scholarships on a quarterly basis to members so recipients can attend training sessions, seminars, or pursure a formal education. The next deadline is May 31. Applications can be requested by sending an email to ewtg@ewtg.org.
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.
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Should cities, counties and school districts offer health benefits to domestic and same-sex partners?
(Non-scientific results next week)
Last week, 65% of respondents said they believe the state and local governments are better prepared to deal with incidents that may arise during the upcoming hurricane season.
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Q: What is the best time to approach a state agency about my company's latest products and services?
A: There is no hard and fast rule about the "right time" to visit, but remember that the agency decision makers are very busy. With that in mind, there are two windows of opportunity when information is definitely appreciated. The first is when the agency has an immediate problem and you have a solution that could readily resolve that problem. The second is in the Spring of even-numbered years (such as 2006)--when agencies are required to develop legislative appropriation requests to submit to the legislature for funding for the next fiscal biennium. Agency staff have to be able to project their needs into the future, and vendor information on potential solutions with estimated pricing is appreciated.
-Tommy Huntress,
Senior Vice President at Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
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Who Represents Me? Texas Districts By Address
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