State Sen. César Blanco of El Paso talks priorities as leaders unveil budget plans
AUSTIN, Texas The Texas Tribune held interviews Friday with three new members of the Texas Senate: César Blanco, D-El Paso; Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio; and Drew Springer, R-Muenster. Tribune politics reporter Alex Samuels moderated the discussion.
The new state senators all former members of the Texas House discussed their priorities as they head to the Texas state Capitol for a challenging legislative session.
(You can watch the entire discussion in the video player above.)
It comes as leaders in the state House and Senate have each proposed budgets that spend $119.7 billion in general revenue for the next two fiscal years, signifying notable agreement on the top lines as lawmakers try to draft a state spending plan while they confront the coronavirus pandemic.
Everything was there and then it wasn t : Developers allowed to skirt tree ordinance
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Trees were bulldozed to make way for new housing next to Government Canyon State Natural Area, in the background.Billy Calzada /Billy Calzada
In 2019, a city environmental plans examiner emailed then-state Rep. Roland Gutierrez to inform him he had violated San Antonio’s tree preservation ordinance by chopping down a large heritage oak without a permit on a lot he was developing.
“There will be a work without permit penalty of $2,000 assessed to your project,” Robin Loyd wrote to Gutierrez, D-San Antonio.
The fine didn’t stick.
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick awards committee chair to Texas senator who previously faced sexual harassment allegation Posted By Alex Samuels, The Texas Tribune on Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 12:44 PM Facebook / Dr. Charles Schwertner Texas Sen. Charles Schwertner
Two years ago, Texas Sen. Charles Schwertnervoluntarily relinquished a prominent post chairing the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee after an allegation of sexual harassment. Now, he’s been named chair of another Senate panel. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced Friday that he selected Schwertner, a Georgetown Republican, to helm the Senate Committee on Administration for the 2021 legislative session, replacing state Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola.