By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-825944.mp3
Arlington, TX – Governor Perry's rejection of stimulus money for the unemployed lead to an overflow crowd of 500 at UT- Arlington on Saturday. KERA's Shelley Kofler reports it was part of the legislature's process for deciding how stimulus money is spent.
As citizens jammed the university conference hall workers removed room partitions to double the seating. Still a hundred more stood in the hallway unable to squeeze in.
Dunnam: For invited testimony we'll start with Loretta Roberts
The House committee chaired by Democrat Jim Dunnam of Waco is considering how Texas should spend $16 billion in stimulus dollars already accepted by Governor Perry.
Dunnam: The purpose of this committee is to assure there is transparency and accountability in spending this money because the money is coming because the governor accepted it.
Nursing Home administrator Loretta Roberts told lawmakers some of the money is needed to eliminate fire hazards in aging nursing homes.
Roberts: There are 50 nursing homes in the state of Texas that are not fully sprinklered I am not certain what the cost would be to sprinkle those facilities but it needs to be done .
Vicki Zamarripa is a mother who wants stimulus money spent on broken down school buildings. She described conditions at Fort Worth's William James Middle School where her son attends.
Zamarripa: Our son does not use the bathrooms at all for the eight hours he's there. There are no doors on the stalls. The tiles are cracked and the commodes do not work.
But most of the crowd was here to weigh in on the Governor's promise to block $555-million unemployment dollars. While Perry has officially accepted Washington's stimulus package Texas will only qualify for the unemployment chunk if state legislators change state law. Texas would have to expand benefits to include part-time workers or two other groups currently not covered.
Martin: My name is Stan Martin and I'm here to support Governor Perry and his decision not to take money from the federal government with strings attached.
Vaughn: I'm Jack Vaughn Arlington. I think we ought to take this stimulus package and use it, because a lot of people are going to be able to feed their kids with this money.
Drawing on a white board, Rep. Dunnam explained the state' unemployment insurance fund will soon be short $800 million. The $555 million would help plug that gap. Dunnam says if Texas rejects that money the deficit in the insurance fund will trigger an increase in the unemployment tax rate paid by businesses.
Dunnam: If you don't take the money you are going to double the tax on employers so if you want to reduce the tax on employers you take the money and the money is sufficient to fund the program fully for a decade.
Murray: My wife and I are both small business owners and I don't believe that.
Dwayne Murray is from Mansfield.
Murray: I believe once you begin funding something the businesses of Texas you're going to have to continue to pay to fund that.
Another businessman James Hart, employed 200 at his steel manufacturing business in Arlington. He believes employers and communities do better if Texas takes the money.
Hart: It is an absolute crime if we turn down this $550 million. Every dime of that will go to create jobs in the state of Texas. Every dime of that will go to groceries, to rent and if we turn it down it goes somewhere else
A majority of members on this bipartisan committee have recommended the legislature challenge the Governor and pass a law accepting the unemployment money. Some Republicans are lining up behind Perry. But Dunnam believes there's enough support from both parties to override the Governor.
While those battle lines are drawn at the capitol, this committee will travel the state to hear from more Texans about the many needs stimulus dollars could pay for.
Nursing Home Administrator Sandy Lutz: Enrollment in CHIP and children's Medicaid is dropping. That's because the system is not processing applications
TO VIEW STATE STIMULUS DOCUMENTS GO TO txstimulusfunds.com