Perry cites growing economy in state of State address
Ed Sterling

A USTIN - Gov. Rick Perry on Feb. 6 delivered

the State of the

State address to the state Legislature, exclaiming "Texas is perched at the forefront of a new era of prosperity."

Perry said the economy is growing, tax collections are on the rise, frivolous lawsuits are down and so are the costs of insurance for homeowners and doctors. He also said teacher pay and student achievement have improved.

The pluses aside, Perry said nearly 4 million Texans are living in poverty, so during the next four years his goal will be to spread opportunity to more Texans "who are willing to take personal responsibility for their lives."

Perry indicated, nevertheless, that poverty is not necessarily tied to a lack of personal responsibility, saying the rising cost of health care is be "one of the greatest obstacles to personal prosperity."

"Of the 5 and one-half million uninsured Texans, 2 million are adults with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, " Perry said. "Most are working Texans whose jobs offer health-care benefits they can't afford, or no benefits at all."

So, Perry announced the launch of "Healthier Texas," his program to redirect unspent federal health-care dollars to a pool that would serve Texans 200 percent below the federal poverty level.

Perry touched on other subjects, such as a Human papillomavirus vaccination program for girls entering sixth grade, his proposal to sell the state Lottery, and his plans build coal-fueled power plants and a statewide matrix of toll roads.

Perry also talked about border security, literacy, prisons, and a get-tough stance with the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. State of State: response aired

Austin News Channel 8 broadcasted via cable and Internet a D e m o c r a t i c response to the governor 's State of the State address.

The response, by state Rep. Garnet Coleman of Houston, took Perry to task for not doing more to fund public education, the big increases in college tuition, and "teaching to the test" in the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.

Coleman also pointed out that under Perry 200,000 Texas children lost coverage under the Children 's Health Insurance Program, leading to $893 million in cuts in federal matching funding.

He also criticized Perry's fast-tracking of coal-fired power plants instead of moving state policy further toward clean wind and solar power options.

And, Coleman called the governor's "Trans Texas Corridor" proposed highway project "unwanted, unwarranted and fiscally irresponsible." Some don't swallow HPV program

Dozens of members of the Texas Legislature have come out in opposition to the governor 's Feb. 2 executive order requiring Human papillomavirus vaccinations for girls entering sixth grade.

Chief among the opposers was Sen. Jane Nelson, RFlower Mound, who chairs the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. Nelson, said she would seek an attorney general opinion on the executive order, to see if it is legally binding.

On the other hand, Chris Bell, the Houston Democrat who placed second to Perry in the race for governor, lauded the governor for "getting it right." Lottery sale price climbs higher

A couple of weeks ago, when Gov. Perry sent up a trial balloon on his idea to sell the Texas Lottery to a private company, he estimated the value at $14 billion. Now the amount has been estimated as high as $20 billion.

If sold, what would Texas do with the money? Perry said he would divide up the billions of dollars into educational and cancer research and health insurance endowments.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick don't seem to have warmed to the idea of selling the Lottery. Selling it would require a constitutional amendment . Bill targets crowing roosters

Rep. Ana E. Hernandez, D-Houston, filed House Bill 1225, legislation that would make it a public nuisance to allow the crowing of a rooster outdoors in a neighborhood if a reasonable person would find the noise objectionable. Hundreds protest coal plants

A crowd reportedly in the hundreds gathered at the Capitol Feb. 11 to protest the proposed construction of more than two dozen coalfired power plants around the state.

The full report is available online at window.state.tx.us. Ed Sterling is director of member services for the Texas Press Association in Austin.