By Shelley Kofler, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-924550.mp3
Dallas, TX – Democrat Bill White says Governor Rick Perry is hiding the size of the state budget deficit. In an interview with KERA Perry said he believes the shortfall is about half as big as some state lawmakers are projecting. KERA's Shelley Kofler has more.
Earlier this month House Speaker Joe Straus told county administrators the state budget deficit would be at least $18 billion.
Tuesday legislative budget staff said the shortfall has grown to $21 billion.
But on the same day, when Governor Rick Perry sat down with KERA, Perry said the gap to fund the next two-years of state government will be only half that bad, no more than $11 billion.
Perry: I will use Senator Ogden who I happen to think is one of the brightest most capable, knowledgeable people and he says somewhere around $10-to-$11 billion is what the workable shortfall is.
Reporter: So you think the gap is about half of what some of the other numbers floating around tend to be?
Perry: Look. That- I'm using what Senator Ogden has.
Republican Steve Ogden of Bryan is chairman of the senate finance committee.
Perry's opponent for governor, Bill White wasted no time in saying Perry doesn't seem to have a handle on the crisis.
White: Anyone who doesn't have an estimate that is public that can be scrutinized isn't managing state government. It appears he doesn't know and he doesn't care.
White's campaign says Perry is trying to conceal the depth of the state's fiscal crisis until after the election.
Perry says he doesn't think debating numbers this far in advance of the January legislative session is productive. Nonetheless, Perry cited the smaller deficit estimate.