By Jim Pumarlo, consultant

How will the Legislature deal with a record budget surplus, and what will it mean for taxpayer pocketbooks? Are there implications for public safety with the proposal to legalize marijuana? Which communities are the winners and losers in the proposed state bonding bill?

Minnesota lawmakers are addressing these and myriad other issues as they pass the halfway mark of this year’s session. The list is representative of the topics debated and public policy crafted in legislative hallways everywhere.

House OKs $4.5 billion for teacher pay raises

The Texas House last Thursday passed two education-related bills, one that allocates $4.5 billion for teacher pay raises and another to increase the annual per-student base funding from $6,160 to $6,300 – a 2.3% increase.

Senate, House begin budget reconciliation process

The Texas Senate unanimously approved a $308 billion two-year budget last week, the Austin American-Statesman reported. The next step is to reconcile that budget with one passed earlier by the Texas House.

Dueling tax proposals in the Lege

House OKs $302 billion budget 

Texas leads nation in jobs added

The Lone Star State continues to lead the nation in jobs added with 58,200 new positions in February, bringing the state to nearly 14 million total nonfarm jobs, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. February also marked two full years of uninterrupted job growth in the state.

Recently I visited with a newspaper friend in Florida who has the audacity to turn the industry on its ear.

“I want to build a bigger business,” he says.

He pauses.

“Why not?”

And much like a scene from Star Wars, you find yourself nodding in total agreement to the words of the Jedi Warrior.

By Leonard Woolsey, TPA President 2022-23

Senate passes tax cut package

The Texas Senate last week unanimously approved a $16.5 billion package to lower property taxes and inject billions of dollars into public schools.

Bill would require fentanyl education

The death of a Leander High School graduate from a fentanyl overdose has prompted state Rep. Terry Wilson, R-Georgetown, to file a bill that would require 10 hours of education annually concerning the dangers of the drug to students in sixth grade and up, the Austin American-Statesman reported. 

Editors often raise red flags – or at least hesitate – at requests for business news, and often for good reason.

By Jim Pumarlo, consultant