These were collected from Quorum Report - which lists a variety of topical political stories each day. Hopefully they illustrate some aspect of the reading materials.
- From the Texas Tribune: Taylor's San Antonio Win a Wake-Up Call for Democrats. San Antonio elected a new mayor, one who as not part of the traditional Democratic / Latino coalition. Turnout - as is generally the case in Texas - was very low. San Antonio has 1.4 million residents and only 33,000 showed up in the run-off election to pick the mayor. The authors wonders what this bodes for the status of the Democratic Party organization in the state and on the county level. Voter engagement is suspect as well.
- Houston Chronicle: Budget rider pulls the reins in on racing commission funding. We will post more soon on the Texas Budget. This story points out how battles between the legislature and executive agencies are often waged in budgetary language. The Budget Committee has attempted to reign in the Texas Racing Commission in order to serve the interests of groups that are opposed to its efforts to expand gambling in the state.
- Yahoo News: Texas planners look to aquifers to prepare for next drought. File this under agenda setting. The recent rains - temporarily anyway - have ended the drought in Texas, but lots of rain water ended up in the Gulf of Mexico rather than Texas' aquifers. Water policy types are looking at ways to divert future rainfall to more productive purposes.
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Debate over state, city control set to continue. One of the more consequential battles in the legislature had to do with state vs local control of local matters like drilling and business regulations. There are still unsettled matters which will likely rage in the 85th session.
- Texas Tribune: Eltife Not Running for Re-election in 2016. Speaking of the 85th Legislature, candidates are already lining up for the 2016 state elections. While the legislature itself only meets briefly, the battles over legislative matters never ends.
