Skip to main content
Topics

State agencies

The latest state agencies news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Perry's Taxpayer-Funded Security Costs Rise

    By Jay Root

    Though Gov. Rick Perry's political fortunes on the presidential campaign trail have plummeted, the bills for his omnipresent security detail continue, costing Texas taxpayers as much as $400,000 a month. Full Story 

    Republican Presidential candidate Texas Governor Rick Perry attends a campaign event in Spencer, Iowa December 17, 2011.
    Credit: Eric Thayer for The New York Times

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Aaronson on Rick Perry's Texas Enterprise Fund, Aguliar on the DOJ's Joe Arpaio problem, Galbraith on the uncertainty about Texas' electric grid, Grissom and Schwartz of The New York Times on the latest in the Michael Morton case, Hamilton on the first leg of Perry's Iowa bus tour, Murphy and McLain unveil our new campaign finance database, Ramsey et al. go live with the first round of our 2012 election brackets, Root on a GOP rival's queries about Perry's pension play, M. Smith contrasts the various school finance lawsuits and Tan, Dehn and Murphy on a shortage of mental health professionals: The best of our best content from December 19-23, 2011. Full Story 

    Article thumbnail
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Austin on $7,200 a Year

    By Ross Ramsey

    Gov. Rick Perry is taking advantage of a wrinkle in state law that allows a state officeholder to collect a pension while also collecting a paycheck. Considering the likely candidates, how could this figure into the 2014 elections? Full Story 

    Article thumbnail
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera / Bob Daemmrich

  • Perry Grants Eight Pardons

    By Brandi Grissom

    As is custom around the Christmas holidays, Gov. Rick Perry announced a list of pardons today. The list is made up primarily of Texans who committed rather petty crimes at a young age. Full Story 

    Rick Perry walks with a supporter after his speech in Council Bluffs Iowa
    Credit: Ben Philpott

  • Perry Rival Wants Probe of Retirement Pay

    By Jay Root

    An old Republican rival of Gov. Rick Perry is calling on state and federal officials to investigate whether he broke the law when he began collecting his lucrative pension without actually leaving his job. Full Story 

    Former gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina on Sept. 22, 2011, at a press conference on cronyism in Texas politics
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • Texas Greens Cheer New EPA Mercury Rules

    By Kate Galbraith

    The Environmental Protection Agency announced a new rule on Wednesday aimed at reducing the amount of mercury and other toxic emissions from power plants. It is unlikely to improve Texas officials' low opinion of the federal agency. Full Story 

    Steam rises from the stacks at the Martin Lake Coal-Fired Power Plant in Tatum, TX March 30, 2011.
    Credit: Tom Pennington

  • Critics Question Perry's Move to Collect Pension

    By Jay Root

    Gov. Rick Perry has sparked a wave of criticism, and some unanswered questions, after filing paperwork this week revealing that he is collecting both a salary and a pension from the state of Texas. Critics say there are rules designed to prevent such arrangements. Perry and his aides say its perfectly legal. Full Story 

    Gov. Rick Perry in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Dec. 14, 2011
    Credit: Ben Philpot

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Root's scoop on Rick Perry's working retirement, Aaronson maps poverty in Texas, Aguilar on a voting rights warning shot from the U.S. Attorney General, Galbraith on the disclosure of chemicals used in fracking operations, Grissom on the drop in executions, Hamilton and M. Smith on UT-Austin President Bill Powers' rough year, Murphy and Tan and Dehn on the shortage of psychiatrists and Ramshaw on the federal refusal to exclude operators like Planned Parenthood from family planning programs: The best of our best content from December 12 to 16, 2011. Full Story 

    Article thumbnail
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Combs: State Revenues Higher Than Expected

    By Ross Ramsey

    The state's finances are in better shape than previously believed, the state comptroller said Monday, with a new projection showing $1.6 billion more than lawmakers expected, even after the state covers part of the its Medicaid shortfall and restores some cuts to state agencies and universities. Full Story 

    Texas Comptroller Susan Combs at a TribLive event at the Austin Club on Oct. 20, 2011.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich