Today, 47 Texas House Democratic lawmakers called on Governor Rick Perry to restore $154 million cut from the state budget for public community and junior colleges.

Earlier this summer, Perry used line-item veto authority to strike higher education employees group insurance contributions for public community and junior colleges from the fiscal year 2009 funding. The veto has drawn harsh criticism from leaders all across the state. Without the funds, community and junior colleges may be forced to raise local taxes, tuition and fees, and/or cut instructional services.

In a joint-letter to Perry, Democratic House members requested that the he use his legal authority to reverse the veto’s effect and restore the funds needed by all 50 Texas public community colleges. The letter compares Perry’s veto to a “tax increase on middle-class Texans who are working hard to build better lives by obtaining a community or junior college education.”

“Texas must truly invest in public education if we want to secure a better tomorrow. Governor Perry’s unwise decision to veto these funds will harm hard-working Texas families,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Jim Dunnam said. “With so many community leaders across Texas calling on him to act responsibly, hopefully he will see the light and correct his mistake.”

The governor, in conjunction with the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), has the statutory and constitutional authority to replace the $154 million. House Speaker Tom Craddick and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, as the Joint-Chairs of the LBB, must also agree to restore the funds. There is ample time for the governor and LBB to take action since the vetoed funds were appropriated for the 2008-2009 school year. However, community and junior colleges will soon begin to set their budgets for that year and, with the governor’s veto of these critical funds, may be forced to plan for increasing taxes or cutting educational services.

Read the letter to Governor Perry.

Posted in Press Releases, Legislation