Texas School Districts Taking Out Loans

[Nambe]

CEDAR HILL, Texas Aug. 3 — AP

Cash-strapped school districts across Texas are scrambling to meet payroll and keep the lights on after a legislative typo delayed $800 million in school funding. ---

Lawmakers agreed to push back school payments by one month in order to balance the 2004 state budget, but the final legislation mistakenly ordered the delay for August 2003, rather than 2004.

Legislation to correct the problem passed the House and the Senate. But before the governor could sign it in the Senate's presence, 11 Senate Democrats broke quorum and went to New Mexico to avoid having to vote on a Republican-friendly map of new political boundaries. ---

But Charles McGehee, superintendent of Morgan, a rural district of 160 students, said lawmakers should have found another way to balance the budget besides fiddling with school funding.

"They'll use a tactic like that to make their books look better when we all know it's nothing but a trick," McGehee said.

[AndyTiedye]

1. Off By One

August 2003, August 2004?
Didn't Anybody Read the budget before voting on it?

[mbperrin]

2. Hello! This is Texas!

Why do you think we only let the lege meet for 140 days every two years?

After all, before the first regular session, governor Goodhair said to not expect them to be able to do everything because he and the lite gov were so new!

After all, this is the state where the gov has the current school finance system set to sunset next year with no backup in place or even being discussed!

[Resistance Is Futile]

3. Pull the other one, it has bells on it

Typo. Uh-huh. Looks a lot more like planned tactic to foster hatred against the democratic party for obstructing the jerrymander plan.

"No schools? Blame the Democratic party for fleeing Texas while important government business remains to be completed."