20 Republicans Vote Against Education Benefits For Dependents Of Active Duty Soldiers
By Vince Leibowitz on Apr 7, 2009 in 81st Texas Legislature ![[Post to Twitter]](/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
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A cabal of 20 Republican lawmakers on Tuesday voted against a popular measure to exempt spouses and dependents of soldiers on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan from paying out-of-state tuition rates.
[UPDATE: We're getting in statements we requested from a few of the 20 members]
The vote came on an amendment by State Rep. Mark Veasey (D-Fort Worth) to amend a Senate bill allowing post-9/11 veterans to pay in-state tuition rates regardless of the time they have lived in the state.
The Republicans voting against the measure were, according to unofficial results from the Texas House of Representatives:
Nays – Brown, B.; Chisum; Crabb; Craddick; Creighton; Elkins; Flynn; Hancock; Hartnett; Howard, C.; Legler; Riddle; Sheffield; Shelton; Smithee; Swinford; Truitt; Weber; Woolley; Zerwas [Note: Rep. Sheffield's office advises us that he changed his vote on the amendment but that the change isn't reflected online].
This will no doubt cause problems for a number of these Republicans in the next election cycle, as they have handed their Democratic opponents a made-for-TV vote to attack.
UPDATES:
Rep. Ken Legler’s office has released this statement on his vote. As expected, he cites fiscal concerns:
Representative Legler made the decision to vote against the Veasey amendment to SB 297 solely due to the uncertain fiscal ramifications. Representative Legler is supportive of access to higher education for those serving in the Armed Forces as well as their families, but he could not support the amendment without having an estimate of what the cost would be to the state.
Now, some Republicans are reportedly reconsidering their votes. From Rep. Betty Brown’s Chief of Staff, Jackie King:
Representative Brown immediately reconsidered her vote after the count.
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It is very easy for a legislature to give away its citizens’ money. A wise legislator, however, must be a good steward of state revenues. Rep. Veasey’s amendment gives an incentive to every overseas soldier from 49 other states to change their legal residence to Texas to instantly obtain free college tuition in Texas for their children. Providing benefits to Texan soldiers is laudable. Providing full college scholarships to the children of NON-TEXAN soldiers, though it may sound good to some, is political grandstanding at huge cost to hardworking Texas taxpayers who will not receive this free ride for their children..
Hartnett is 1/2 way right. Who would want to come to this lousy state for an over rated, over priced education anyway?
Rep Hartnett, that is not a very serious answer considering that if soldiers need a reason to declare Texas (other than coming to consider Texas home, that is) then no state income tax will have a more immediate impact on the wallet than prospective tuition.
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the 20 Republicans in the Texas House who voted against education benefits for veter…. [...]
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the 20 Republicans in the Texas House who voted against education benefits for veter…. [...]
[...] Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the 20 Republicans in the Texas House who voted against education benefits for veter…. [...]