Posted @ Saturday, May 14, 2011

Two weeks until Sine Die, and the legislature still hasn't passed a budget.

Posted @ Thursday, May 12, 2011

Austin - In a dialogue with Rep. Mike Villarreal today on the floor of the Texas House, Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts revealed that the House plans to only improve the state budget enough to fund public schools until February 2013 and Medicaid until March 2013.

Posted @ Thursday, May 12, 2011

A Conference Committee will begin their work to come up with a final state budget proposal for 2012-2013.    Please call the members of the conference committee this week and let them know that you: support the use of the Rainy Day Fund to invest in our children’s education and healthcare for vulnerable Texans.  oppose the drastic budget cuts and will be watching the impact on your community. The conferees are: SENATOR NELSON: 1-888-514-5807 REP. JIM PITTS: 1-888-823-9190 SENATOR OGDEN:  1-888-510-4580 REP.  MYRA CROWNOVER: 1-888-958-8864 SENATOR WILLIAMS: 1-888-514-8930 REP. JOHN OTTO: 1-888-644-26 ...

Posted @ Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Rep. Villarreal recognizes a client of SAM Ministries in San Antonio, an organization that provides outreach to homeless people in the area, during the House floor meeting, May 10, 2011.

Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011

"We're helping yacht owners while we are cutting our public schools by 21 percent and nursing homes by 33 percent," Villarreal said. "We're helping yacht owners … while we're eliminating all scholarships for college freshmen in 2012-13."

Posted @ Monday, May 09, 2011

Lege TV presents the Real People, Real Consequences motion for the day, May 9, 2011.

Posted @ Sunday, May 08, 2011

The debate over the state budget boils down to this: How do you define “essential” government programs?

Posted @ Friday, May 06, 2011

The defining proposal of the 2011 legislative session may turn out to be a sales tax break for yacht buyers, which moved forward in the House last week. The bill's author, Houston Republican Rep. John Davis, defended it as “economic development."

Posted @ Friday, May 06, 2011

During instructions to conferees on the budget negotiations, Rep. Villarreal points out that Republicans don't want anyone touching a single dime of the Rainy Day fund for education or any other purpose.

Posted @ Thursday, May 05, 2011

Austin - Today Representative Mike Villarreal released a list of options that the Legislature has refused to adopt as alternatives to making deep cuts in education, nursing homes, and other basic services. The alternatives outlined by Rep. Villarreal demonstrate that the Legislature could take a balanced approach that combines reasonable budget cuts with the use of the Rainy Day Fund and other options that have been filed as bills during this legislative session.

Posted @ Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Villarreal believes it cuts too deeply into public education funding, forces nursing homes to close, and fails to invest in a brighter future for our state. He wants the legislature to tap into the Texas Rainy Day fund to cover the shortfall.

Posted @ Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Austin - Today Rep. Mike Villarreal was surprised to express his agreement with a statement by right-wing organizations that using the Rainy Day Fund is a better choice for the Legislature than cutting essential services. However, Rep. Villarreal disagreed with the right-wing organizations' view that cutting public education by 21% and nursing homes by 31% does not qualify as cutting essential services, and he urged the Texas Senate to use the Rainy Day Fund for the current budget.

Posted @ Monday, May 02, 2011

This week's Mike's Mic is taken from the Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee response to the Senate budget. The House Dems urge the Senate to stay strong and not take the Senate budget to the floor.

Posted @ Monday, May 02, 2011

Austin - Today the Texas House of Representatives voted to block an amendment by Rep. Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio) to prioritize education funding over a tax break for the natural gas industry. Every Republican Member voted against the amendment.

Posted @ Saturday, April 30, 2011

Representative Mike Villarreal, Democrat of San Antonio, who in the last legislative session added the amendment to the bill by Representative Rob Eissler, Republican of The Woodlands, said the involvement of U.T. and A&M was an important piece of the plan. “That really sets the tone for the program,” Mr. Villarreal said. “It’s not about rushing students through high school. It’s really about excellence in education.”