Saying that “Texas businesses and families are tightening their belts,” Texas Governor Rick Perry this week asked state agencies to look for ways to cut back their budgets for the remainder of the fiscal year and asked that they reconsider their appropriations request for the coming biennium.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Perry sent a letter to agency heads and asked them to look for ways to curb spending, and suggested travel cut-backs as one way to do so.

The agencies must let Perry know within 10 days how they’ll reduce their budgets for the rest of the fiscal year.

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund–two of Texas Governor Rick Perry’s corporate welfare slush funds–made millions of dollars worth of grants to leaders in the field of predatory mortgage lending, according to a new report from Texans for Public Justice.

In the last five years, the two funds have handed out almost $500 million in taxpayer funds in the form of corporate welfare to private businesses that agree to open or expand operations in Texas. Recipients include Countrywide Financial and WaMu–both of which have failed in recent months.

From TPJ:

Trumpeting what he called the “crowning jewel” of the Texas Enterprise Fund at a 2004 press conference, Governor Perry awarded $20 million in taxpayer money to Countrywide Financial to create 7,500 Texas jobs over six years.5 The governor’s prepared remarks that day address Countrywide’s CEO, saying, “Angelo Mozilo, thank you for your commitment to creating jobs and greater opportunity for the people of Texas.” Recently, however, the attorneys general of seven states, including Texas, announced an $8 billion deal to settle charges that Countrywide (now owned by Bank of America) misled borrowers and made loans that customers could not afford.6 As the nation’s No. 1 mortgage lender, Countrywide aggressively laid the groundwork for the current job-killing crisis. In this way, Governor Perry’s “crowning jewel” effectively drop kicked the country in the family jewels.
washington mutual

Governor Perry convened another press conference in 2005 to give $15 million in taxpayer funds to the nation’s largest savings and loan. “Less than a week after the Spurs beat the Pistons to win the NBA Championship, San Antonio has brought home another national title,” Perry announced, “the largest job creation announcement in the United States for the first six months of 2005.” 7 Drowning in bad mortgage debt, Washington Mutual (WaMu) claimed another title last month when federal regulators seized it in the largest U.S. bank failure in history.8 After its $15 million Enterprise Fund award, WaMu’s PAC generously contributed $7,500 to Governor Perry’s campaign. As the ship foundered in April, Perry’s campaign cashed a final, $2,500 WaMu check. WaMu also wrote a $25,000 corporate check to Perry’s Republican Governors Association in January.

As with WaMu, the beneficiaries of Enterprise Fund and ETF money were generous contributors to the Governor’s campaign and his favorite causes:

Since Governor Perry persuaded the 2003 legislature to create the Texas Enterprise Fund, the governor’s campaign has collected $267,125 from key players in the current credit crisis. And after Perry took the helm of the Texas Governors Association this year, that group has raked in $400,000 in corporate checks from key credit-crisis companies. This can leave the impression that Governor Perry is criticizing the excesses of those who attended a wild party in which he himself enthusiastically participated.

Contributions By Credit-Crisis Players
To PACs Headed by Governor Rick Perry

Republican Governors Association (RGA) data courtesy of CQ.com’s MoneyLine.
* The Republican Governor’s Association received another $25,000 in April from John Whitehead, an ex-chair of both Goldman Sachs and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
^? Member of the powerful Financial Services Forum trade group.
^† Recently propped up with a heavy infusion of foreign capital.

Interesting stuff.

With the final pricetag for Hurricane Ike still uncertain, Texas Governor Rick Perry had decided to divert his attention from the disaster-stricken Gulf Coast region and concentrate on one of his pet projects: more money for “border security.”

From the Star-Telegram:

Perry said he would ask the state Legislature, which in 2007 approved $110 million to fight border crime, to provide another $24 million to hire more police, upgrade law enforcement technology and enhance multi-agency intelligence sharing.

“The most important threat to our state’s security is the rise of these ruthless and powerful transnational gangs,” Perry said. “They’re spreading like a virus, they’re recruiting members in our middle schools and highs schools, in our prisons. They are ultra-violent gangs.”

Perry, a Republican who is seeking re-election in 2010, spoke after accepting a report from the Texas Border Security Council. The panel was created to oversee state border security dollars and make recommendations to the governor.

It is pretty funny how Perry can shift gears so quickly to decide that the most important threat our state faces isn’t the fact that half of Galveston is in tatters or that areas of Harris County are still without power, but some hoodlums on the Texas-Mexico border that are actually the responsibility not of the state government but of the federal government.

From Houston’s ABC 13 via Burnt Orange Report:

“I absolutely understand they want to get back to their homes … I’d like to get back to the mansion,” said Perry.

It’s hardly the same. While Perry is on forced exile from the Governor’s Mansion (originally because of

remodeling, now because of the fire and remodeling), he’s not staying in a Red Cross disaster shelter or eating MRE’s and drinking bottled water.

In fact, the state is paying nearly $10,000 per month to a contributor to Governor Perry’s re-election campaign to rent a nearly 5,000 square foot home in one of Austin’s toniest neighborhoods so Perry will have a place to stay while the mansion is being remodeled and repaired from a recent fire.

So, saying he can relate to hurricane evacuees is a little disingenuous.

Yeah, right.

Technorati Tags Rick Perry, Texas, The Washington Times, Washington Times

Via the Dallas Morning News:

Mr. Perry declared himself “greatly disappointed” with the federal government’s decision, which was consistent with previous statements about the limited negative consequences of its ethanol policy.

“For the EPA to assert that this federal mandate is not affecting food prices not only goes against common sense, but every American’s grocery bill,” Mr. Perry said.

Of course, Perry’s waiver had nothing to do with Texans’ grocery bills. It had to do with a wealthy contributor who wanted to pay less to feed his chickens.

According to the report, Texas has experienced a net job loss of 202,900 due to growing trade deficits with China since 2001–with more 34,100 of those jobs lost last year alone.

In terms of net job loss by state, Texas ranks second out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia only to California, and is actually far ahead of many “Rust Belt” states in terms of job loss directly attributable to the China trade deficit.

The report notes that 90,414 of Texas’ job loss to China was in the computer and electronic products industry.

The high job loss to China isn’t always reflected in unemployment numbers sent out by the Texas Workforce Commission, either, because, as the report notes, most of the workers who have lost jobs have been forced to take lower paying jobs in other industries. A prime example of a situation like this would be the shutdown of the Goodyear plant in Tyler in East Texas, where most of the 900 workers have been either forced to retire or find other employment.

It’s important for Texas progressives to take heed of these high numbers for several reasons.

First and foremost, a loss of 200,00 jobs in Texas–particularly nearly 100,000 jobs lost in the computer and tech industry–flies in the the face of the constant claim by Governor Rick Perry’s administration that Texas is actually fostering economic development, creating more jobs and protecting our job climate:

Governor Perry has focused his administration on creating a Texas of unlimited opportunity and prosperity through initiatives to improve education and the Texas job climate, keep taxes low and ensure state spending is disciplined.

While Perry clearly has no control over trade agreements, as Governor, he does have some control or at least influence to keep jobs in Texas. An improved Texas job climate is clearly not a reality in light of the numbers from the new report.

Perry also makes this claim about his administration:

Gov. Perry has made job creation a key focus of his administration, and employment in Texas has soared to all-time highs. Our business climate is ranked the best in America, we are the number one exporting state in the country and in 2004 Texas landed more job expansion and relocations than any other state. Our economy is growing at a tremendous pace because Gov. Perry has worked to create a climate that welcomes the entrepreneurial spirit and every employer who seeks to create new jobs for our people.

While Perry may have made job creation a cornerstone of his administration, the reality is that this claim isn’t completely true. And, even if it was, Perry clearly hasn’t made job retention a priority in his administration.

An interesting case in point, again, is the Tyler Goodyear plant. Here is what Perry’s administration says:

“The decision by Goodyear to close its Tyler facility is disappointing,” Perry said. “Local Tyler officials and my office worked hard to develop a very competitive retention incentive package valued at almost $22 million in hopes that Goodyear would retain its presence in Texas. In light of Goodyear’s decisions, I have asked the Workforce Commission to ensure that there is no delay in unemployment benefits and other assistance to the displaced workers.”

[Note: Although Perry claims the incentives were $22 million, other sources have noted the incentives were a mere $12 million.]

That pales in comparison to a $40 million package that North Carolina worked up to offer Goodyear in 2007, and $30 million put together to keep Goodyear in Gadsden, Alabama. Given that Texas is in a much better position to give incentives to manufacturers to keep their jobs in Texas (including the governor’s personal political slush fund, the Texas Enterprise Fund), one must wonder why the Perry administration allowed Texas to be bested by two other states.

The more than 200,000 jobs lost to China from Texas is, of course, due to the trade deficit. However, Texas officials could do more to make sure that less jobs leave Texas for China. And that, they aren’t doing.

Of course, we’re also probably the only Progressive blog in the state that thinks the idea of publicly funded political campaigns won’t work, so take that for what it is worth.

That’s right: if you want elections in Texas done right, hand the process over to the same people who brought you the Trans-Texas Corridor.

The administration of Texas Governor Rick Perry is once again caught up in its own pay-to-play culture. This time, it appears as though Governor Perry’s recent request for a waiver of federal corn-based ethanol production mandates was a “thank you” to right-wing poultry king Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim.

Pilgrim met with Perry on March 25 and asked him to seek a waiver from the federal mandates. Six days later on March 31, Pilgrim donated $100,000 to the Republican Governor’s Association–a group which Perry chairs.

Then, on April 17 (no doubt with Perry’s assistance), Pilgrim had a closed-door audience with nine Republican governors during an energy conference in Grapevine.

On April 24, lobbyists for Pilgrim’s Pride and public relations folks from the Austin firm Public Strategies met with Perry’s staff to formalize the final details of the waiver request which was issued the next day.

Of course, Team Perry has an every-ready response for the situation:

Perry aide Allison Castle said political donors get nothing but “good government” from Perry. She said he asked for the waiver because of ethanol’s potential negative impact on livestock and poultry producers. Castle said Perry is scheduled to meet with EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson this month.

That’s a bit hard to buy. Why? Because Perry’s waiver request has national implications, as the Chronicle notes:

Perry’s April 25 waiver request has national implications because an EPA waiver of renewable fuel standards would affect all ethanol production in the United States, not just in Texas. On Monday, more than four dozen House Republicans made a similar plea to the EPA, asking for a reduction in ethanol production mandates.

Perry pressed for the waiver despite an April 10 Texas A&M study that showed a waiver of federal mandates on ethanol production would have little or no effect in driving down the price of feed corn for poultry and livestock. The A&M study blamed rising corn prices on the cost of oil, global demands for corn and commodities speculation.

At Perry’s request, A&M did a second study that was released in June. It found that if corn crops were short because of Midwestern flooding, a waiver would significantly lower corn prices.

Once again, an unsurprising bit of “pay to play” from the Governor’s office. This isn’t the first time Perry has been under the microscope for donations to the Republican Governors Association seemingly connected to his actions right here in Texas. It happened with Merck and the controversial HPV vaccine mandate last year.

 The National Turkey Federation commends Texas Governor Rick Perry for petitioning EPA to cut the Renewable Fuels Standard in half, citing the standard’s impact on food prices and the cost of poultry and livestock production.

The Turkey Federation commends a great, big, 39-percent turkey.

Bob Perry, of course, has given a quarter million bucks. Not surprisingly, Trans-Texas Corridor interests have also given big bucks:

Others giving large sums include $50,000 from Williams Brothers Construction and $25,000 from Dannenbaum Engineering, both highway contractors with contracts to help build the $145 billion toll-road system pushed by Mr. Perry.

And, Perry appointees are coughing up major dough as well:

Houston auto dealer Thomas Friedkin, a Perry appointee to the Parks and Wildlife Commission, contributed $150,000 through Friedkin Business Services.

Some of the Texas donors in the latest report are new while others are past contributors who have boosted their giving since Mr. Perry became the chairman of the GOP group.

And, surprise, surprise! Companies that have benefited from the Governor’s economic development slush funds are giving, too:

The Developtech Resources Corp. gave $50,000. David Nance is a principal of Developtech and president of Introgen Therapeutics, an Austin-based pharmaceutical developer whose technology was developed at state taxpayer expense.

How nice! Texas taxpayers foot the bill for their corporate welfare, and they use the profits to give money to the Republican Governor’s Association!

Texas AFL-CIO president Becky Moeller blasted the appointment, saying that Mr. Pauken is too much of a conservative “ideologue” to help workers needing fair treatment to get top-notch training or recover from layoffs.

“Tom Pauken has a long record of advocacy for right-wing views and even battled George W. Bush and John Cornyn because he thought they were too liberal. This does not bode well for working people who need a Workforce Commission that will seriously consider all sides of workplace issues,” Ms. Moeller said.

While there is a position for a Commissioner representing labor, I really can’t think of a more controversial appointment Perry could have made, simply because of Pauken’s role as head of the Republican Party of Texas. Here is what Pauken says about it:

Mr. Pauken said such concerns are “ludicrous” because he has a long history of working well with labor concerns, dating back to his White House days.

Sadly, it is hard to call Pauken’s claim that the concerns are “ludicrous” when he’s on the record making statements like this:

“I’ve been willing to take on the Democrats day after day, toe to toe, issue by issue,” he said. “It’s trench warfare. ” Pauken’s game plan for national politics includes taking on labor leaders who use union dues to advance the Democrats’ agenda. At the top of his list is AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who directed an all-out effort against House Republicans.

Pauken said he wants to drive a wedge between labor leaders and rank-and-file workers.

“The average union member is philosophically pretty conservative,” he said. “We have to show how the national leaders don’t represent the mind-set of average union workers. “

The above is from the December 14, 1996 Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

However, this story about a new appointee to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is just too interesting to pass up. Check this out:

Steven Weinberg said he was surprised when a member of Gov. Rick Perry’s staff called to say the governor was offering him a spot on the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

“I told them that I, personally, don’t drink,” said Weinberg, 65, a semiretired surgeon and attorney who lives in Colleyville. “They said that was good, because I’d come to the issues with an open mind.”

What? This is almost unbelievable. It’s not a problem that Dr. Weinberg doesn’t drink, really. But, it is a problem that he seemed surprised the Governor was offering him a spot on the TABC. On the governor’s appointment application, there are spots to list what positions a person would be interested in. We would presume that, had Dr. Weinberg indicated an interest in the position, he wouldn’t have been surprised by his appointment to the post.

And, if the governor’s staff actually told him that his lack of a drinking habit gave him an “open mind” to handle the issues, that is even more unbelievable. Whether or not Weinberg has an “open mind” would no doubt be determined by the reason he doesn’t drink. If he doesn’t like the taste of booze, that’s one thing. If he believes that alcohol is God’s personal damnation upon the world, that’s quite another.

And, there is more:

Weinberg said he thinks his experience both in operating rooms and courtrooms can be of use.

“As a trauma surgeon, a lot of the people I saw had injuries related to underage drinking or drinking and driving,” Weinberg said. “Those are the two biggest issues the commission confronts and, obviously, are two big concerns of mine.”

To be one hundred percent accurate, underage drinking and drinking and driving are not necessarily the “biggest issues” that the commission confronts. While TABC may mandate training for servers and distributors relating to sales to minors and serving too many drinks to a person, or serving to someone who is intoxicated, both of those issues are actually issues that the Legislature and local law enforcement have more of an active role in than the TABC. It is the Legislature’s responsibility to make the laws regulating driving while intoxicated and underage drinking and law enforcement’s job to enforce those on the highways and in public places. Typically, TABC does “spot enforcement” on these things, and local law enforcement has day-to-day responsibilities for making sure that drunks aren’t driving up and down the highway. The TABC’s website “About” page doesn’t even mention drinking and driving when discussing its enforcement division.

In an interview with Deborah Solomon in Sunday’s The New York Times Magazine, Texas Governor Rick Perry continued his preoccupation with sex, asserting that allowing gays in the Boy Scouts of America would subject boys to “a crash course in sexual orientation”. When asked why he supports efforts to keep gays out of the Scouts, Perry said, “I am pretty clear about this one. Scouting ought to be about building character, not about sex. Period. Precious few parents enroll their boys in the Scouts to get a crash course in sexual orientation.” When asked whether he believed that gay youth might also be interested in the character-building aspects of scouting, Perry replied, “The argument that gets made is that homosexuality is about sex.”

Statement of Paul Scott, Executive Director of Equality Texas:

“The Boy Scouts of America are, indeed, about building character. Governor Perry seems to be the one confused that being gay is just about sex. He fails to realize that the characteristics of being a Scout – trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent are all characteristics that can define a gay Scout member or a gay Scout leader. No one is advocating for Scout leaders to teach a course in sexual orientation, but that they be allowed to serve in order to help build character and integrity.

Discrimination against someone because of their sexual orientation is clearly not character building, and implying that being gay is a defect in character is inaccurate and offensive. Governor Perry’s perpetuation of stereotypes and falsehoods is the complete antithesis of good character.

This obsession and preoccupation with sex by Governor Perry is blinding him to the reality that gay Scout members and potential scout leaders possess the qualities necessary to make a good Scout Leader. This fear and ignorance is harmful and prevents the Boy Scouts of America from truly fulfilling its mission.”

Statement of Jodie Eldridge, Executive Director of Atticus Circle

“Across this state there are thousands of gay men and lesbian women who are leaders and mentors in their workplaces, in their faith communities, and in their schools. In our country, there are millions of gay folks who are excellent parents, teachers and caregivers for our kids. I am sure they would also make excellent Scoutmasters, if only given the chance.”

Equality Texas and Atticus Circle invite gay Boy Scouts, and gay former Boy Scouts to attend Governor Perry’s book-readings across the state to demonstrate to the governor that the principles of scouting are beneficial to heterosexual and homosexual Texans.