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Texas Mayors Want State Help with Homeless

By BJ Austin

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-819586.mp3

Dallas, TX – Texas big city Mayors are sending a letter to state lawmakers asking for 25 million dollars to help with homelessness in their cities.

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert says the emphasis is on mental health services.

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Leppert: We are not asking them to step in when we haven't. Each of the cities up here have put enormous dollars into this. We have also gone to local businesses, to philanthropy in our community. All of them have stepped up, too. The state needs to be part of the equation.

The mayors of the state's largest cities met in Dallas today. In addition to 25 million for homeless services, the Mayors are calling on lawmakers to give local governments the right to raise taxes and fees to fund "regional" rail.