Cleburne City Manager Rick Holden couldn’t ignore it any longer. Accrued sick pay consumes too much of the city’s general fund of $30.5 million for 2011-2012. The current amount of $9 million could climb to $12.3 million in five years, he said.
It’s one thing to watch the unfunded liabilities grow for the two largest state pension funds. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas has an unfunded obligation of $24.1 billion. For the Employees Retirement System of Texas this number is more than $5 billion, and climbs to $5.2 billion with the pensions for law enforcement personnel and a pension for judges.
The Texas Water Development Board approved a funding package Thursday morning that will help the City of Robert Lee fix its depleting water supply. The city of 1,049 people north of San Angelo will run out of water early next year.
Word of the new Medicaid waiver at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission received a positive response from Seton Healthcare Family in Austin. “We really want to change the way we deliver healthcare,” said Greg Hartman, president and chief executive officer for communications, marketing and government relations at Seton’s Central Group
Tom Suehs should be breathing a little easier. After all, the Texas Legislature left a $4.8 billion hole in the funding for Medicaid in the 2012-13 biennium. Medicaid, the federal and state healthcare program for the poor, also has been the fastest growing area of the budget
Tom Suehs should be breathing a little easier. After all, the Texas Legislature left a $4.8 billion hole in the funding for Medicaid in the 2012-13 biennium. Medicaid, the federal and state healthcare program for the poor, also has been the fastest growing area of the budget.
There’s much room for improvement, but it’s doing a lot better than most public pensions in the nation. TRS Board Chairman R. David Kelley equated the third quarter numbers to receiving all Ds on a school report card.
Holiday shopping vaulted out of the gate in Texas as the Texas Retailers Association reports that spending over Black Friday “exceeded our expectations significantly.” “We were concerned that with the mixed signals in the economy that consumers would be reluctant to come out and shop,” said Ronnie Volkening, Texas Retailers Association president and chief executive officer.
The Texas Office of Attorney General processes thousands of requests each year by local governments or other public entities to keep records private. There were 9,926 alone between January and June. These requests are tied to an area of the open records law where elected or appointed officials want the OAG Open Records Division to clarify what must be public and what remains private.
Fresh off of voters approving a $158.5 million bond issue in Lake Travis ISD, district trustees unanimously approved the contract for new superintendent Brad Lancaster on Thursday.
It would be easy to be fooled by this one. After all, the bond rating agencies consider Texas to be one of most financially strong states.
The good news is Royse City near Dallas tripled in size between 2000 and 2010.
