Behind closed doors, Texas budget writers add $100 million for border surge

[TexasTowelie]

by Edgar Walters, Texas Tribune


Texas budget writers emerged from behind-the-scenes negotiations this weekend with a proposal to move an additional $100 million from the state’s savings account to the office of Gov. Greg Abbott for “surge operations necessary to secure the border.”

Texas lawmakers are counting on President Donald Trump's administration to repay the funds, which were authorized in a “supplemental” budget that the Legislature is expected to pass Sunday to pay bills coming due. Lawmakers are also expected Sunday to finalize a two-year budget for public programs in 2020 and 2021.

The Legislature authorized a large-scale deployment of state troopers stationed in counties along the Texas-Mexico border in 2015 at a cost of about $800 million for the two-year budget cycle — then appropriated roughly the same amount in 2017 to continue it.

Critics have questioned the purpose and effectiveness of the effort, but the Legislature has continued to replenish funding for it.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2019/05/25/texas-budget-writers-add-100-million-border-surge-behind-closed-doors/

[joshdawg]

1. If Texas lawmakers

are counting on trump's "administration" to repay those funds, they will have a looooooooooong wait, 'cause it ain't gonna happen!