Gov. Perry: ‘The State of our State is Strong’
In his State of the State speech, Governor Rick Perry was optimistic and praised the comparative strength of Texas’ economy. He had a message for those who’ve been painting a doom and gloom picture for Texas because of the state’s multi-billion dollar budget hole, “The core elements of our economy are strong and Texas is still the envy of the nation.”
This is the sixth State of the State speech Texas’ longest-serving governor has given. Perry reiterated that he doesn’t think the state should tap its more than $9 billion Rainy Day Fund.
“Emptying the savings account to pay for recurring expenses is a bad idea whether it happens at home, the workforce, or with our state budget. That approach would not only postpone tough necessary decisions but also leave us ill equipped to handle bigger emergencies in the future,” said Perry.
Some of the proposals the Governor laid out during his speech:
– He said the state should cut bureaucracy and reducing spending. One example he cited was merging the Department of Rural Affairs into the state’s Agriculture Department.
– The state should suspend funding for “non critical entities” such as the Historical Commission and the Commission on the Arts until the economy improves.
-That Texas must establish criminal penalties for employers who knowingly hire workers who are here in violation of immigration law
-“We should also continue our investment in border security”
-He challenged institutions of higher ed to develop bachelor’s degrees that cost no more than $10,000, including textbooks
You can read the entire text of the State of the State speech here
