The Midday Brief: June 20, 2011
Your afternoon reading: TWIA bill stalls in committee; Simpson wants anti-groping bill on special-session agenda; Texans in Congress pushing Perry to run Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
One School District Says No to Higher Property Taxes
After public resistance from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Empower Texans, an Austin-based conservative activist group, voters in a suburban Fort Worth school district turned down a 13-cent local tax hike over the weekend. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
TribLive: Burka and Blakeslee on the Best and Worst
At last Thursday's TribLive conversation, the authors of Texas Monthly's biennial Best and Worst Legislators story, senior executive editor Paul Burka and senior editor Nate Blakeslee, defended their 2011 picks. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: June 20, 2011
In the end, Rick Perry's big decision may hinge on one simple question: Does he have enough time? Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
A Clash Over Water in Central Texas
The state's record dry spell has rice farmers, growing cities and a proposed coal plant competing for water from drought-stricken lakes. This is the first in a five-part print and radio series, "Water Fight," with KUT News. Full Story
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![Residents of Lake Travis have extended staircases and moved docks further out to accommodate lower lake levels. Some say the declining levels are bringing down property values.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Sanctuary Cities Bill: Comply or Lose Money
Like parents threatening to withhold allowance from a misbehaving child, proponents of Senate Bill 9 are warning local authorities across the state: Comply or face the fiscal consequences. Full Story
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Inside Intelligence: In 2012 and 2014...
For the latest installment of our unscientific survey of political and policy insiders, we asked about the top-of-the-ticket 2012 and 2014 statewide elections — who's likely to win, and how the dominoes will fall. Full Story
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UT Experiment Grapples With Essence of Gravity
Beset by the threat of natural disasters and potential funding difficulties, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment at the University of Texas' McDonald Observatory could turn gravity’s time-honored laws on their head. Full Story
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![Blue sky reflects in the primary mirror of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at McDonald Observatory in this aerial view. The mirror is made of 91 individual segments. A dark instrument platform, which sits at the top of the telescope, partially obscures the mirror.]()
Credit: Martin Harris/McDonald Observatory -
The Circus is Coming
Brace yourselves. There's still a possibility it won't happen, but brace yourselves nevertheless, because in some ways it’s happening already. Full Story
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Video: Sunday Pundits See Perry Gaining Momentum
For our latest weekend round-up, we've compiled clips from the Sunday news shows, whose commentators think Gov. Rick Perry's presidential prospects are gaining momentum nationwide. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Video: Perry's Speech in New Orleans
Gov. Rick Perry fired up the party faithful at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans on Saturday. Watch C-SPAN's video of his speech, which clearly shows he's nodding to a national audience. Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry speaks to the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans on June 18, 2011]()
Credit: Jay Root -
In Central Texas, Dwindling Lakes and Growing Water Demand
The current drought, drier than any other October-through-May stretch in Texas history, has heightened the stakes in an already contentious long-term planning battle over water from the Highland Lakes. Full Story
![Residents of Lake Travis have extended staircases and moved docks further out to accommodate lower lake levels. Some say the declining levels are bringing down property values.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Perry Fires Up GOP Voters in New Orleans
Gov. Rick Perry, who has acknowledged thinking about running for president in 2012, fired up Republican voters Saturday in New Orleans, where conservative activists were anxious to hear a game plan for beating Barack Obama. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: The Week in Texas Politics Recap: June 13 to June 17, 2011
Want a quick recap of some of the happenings this week in the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly video rundown of the action under the dome. Full Story
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Video: "Perry 2012" Buttons Are a Hot Item
The Rick Perry 2012 button is a hot item at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, where several major presidential contenders are fighting to win the who-is-most-conservative contest. Full Story
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Aide: Perry Still "Weeks Away" From Big Decision
Rick Perry’s top strategist said Saturday that the Texas governor is still “at least weeks” away from making a decision about whether to run for president, a daunting financial and logistical undertaking even without the time pressures of a late entry. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmerich -
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson and Murphy visualize what happened to the nearly 5,800 bills introduced in the 82nd Lege, Aaronson, Hasson and Swicegood interactively recap the budget battle, Aguliar on the surge in illegal re-entry cases prosecuted by the Obama administration, Galbraith on a coal plant that wants a water deal from the LCRA, Grissom interviews a man wrongly imprisoned and nearly executed — twice, Hamilton on a controversial UT regent who wants a do-over in the debate over higher ed reform, Ramshaw on the continuing fight over pre-abortion sonograms, Root on Rick Perry's newsmaking trip to NYC and M. Smith on whether cash-strapped school districts will raise taxes: The best of our best content from June 13 to 17, 2011. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Perry, Bachmann Buttons Big Sellers in New Orleans
It’s about as unscientific as you can get, but the Rick Perry 2012 button is a hot item at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans, where several major presidential contenders are trying to win the who-is-most-conservative contest. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
2011 Veto Watch: Perry Kills 24 Bills In One Day
The 82nd Legislature has ended its regular session, and that means it's time time to keep an eye out for the bills Gov. Rick Perry dislikes enough to veto. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Perry Issues Vetoes, Nixes Texting-and-Driving Ban
Gov. Rick Perry gave his seal of disapproval to 24 bills today, two days before the veto deadline for all legislation passed during the regular session. Measures that didn't meet Perry's approval include a ban on texting while driving and bills that would continue the operations of two state agencies. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
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