Current Budget Deficit
The Texas economy has been hit hard by the double whammy of the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, driving down tax revenues. As a result, the amount of general revenue for the state's current two-year budget will be about $11.5 billion less than the $121.8 billion estimated last fall, according to Comptroller Glenn Hegar. This leaves the state looking at a $4.6 billion deficit when the current biennium ends in August 2021, instead of the $2.9 billion surplus Hegar estimated before the pandemic began. The following articles can help counties navigate this unprecedented situation.
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GR-Dedicated Accounts & the State Budget
The Legislature's long-standing practice of balancing and certifying the state budget by diverting dedicated funds intended for certain purposes has impacted many county programs and local budgets.
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Related Articles
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Texas Tribune, Jan. 11, 2021
Texas lawmakers will enter the legislative session this week with an estimated $112.5 billion available to allocate for general-purpose spending in the next two-year state budget, a number that's down slightly from the current budget but is significantly higher than what was estimated this summer when the coronavirus began to devastate the economy.
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Texas Tribune, Dec. 28, 2020
One of the largest tasks Texas lawmakers will tackle during the 2021 legislative session that begins in January is writing the state budget, which outlines state spending for the next two years. While the tome-like General Appropriations Act can seem overwhelming and often abstract, the spending and cuts detailed within it can have immediate and highly consequential effects on Texans' lives…
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Governing.com, Sept. 25, 2020
The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus is setting the stage for one of the most unusual and high-stakes sessions of the Texas Legislature — ever. The COVID-19 outbreak crippled the state’s high-flying economy, making for severe budget woes ahead...
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Valley Central, Sept. 22, 2020
Texas Chairman of the Committee of House Transportation, Terry Canales recently held a virtual townhall on Facebook, with state leaders to discuss COVID-19’s impact on transportation...
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The Statesman, Sept. 1, 2020
In the first comprehensive glimpse of how the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic will affect key state services, an August state budget document obtained by the American-Statesman lays out how agencies proposed meeting 5% cuts demanded by the state’s Republican leadership in May...
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Weatherford Democrat, Aug. 7, 2020
State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, recently predicted a $5 billion shortfall in the current state budget because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but added that it’s really hard to project...
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