By BJ Austin, Bill Zeeble, KERA News & Wire Services
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-975365.mp3
Dallas, TX – The Texas House has voted against a budget bill that slashes $4 billion from public education, throwing the special session into disarray a day before its expected conclusion.
The Senate passed the bill several hours earlier before adjourning and calling it quits on the session.
House Republicans hold a 101-49 majority and several members of the conservative wing joined Democrats to vote against the bill that is deemed necessary to balance the state budget.
House Republicans have withdrawn into a private caucus meeting to decide their next step. If they don't pass the bill, Gov. Rick Perry is all but guaranteed to call lawmakers back into another 30-day special session to address the cuts.
Several Republicans from rural counties said the cuts are too deep for small school districts.
Dallas Mayor Has No Comment
On his first full day on the job, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is not talking about an FBI visit to his campaign headquarters yesterday.
Agents were conducting raids on the home and offices of Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, as well as political consultant Kathy Neely longtime ally of Price.
The Rawlings campaign paid Neely's company 270 thousand dollars for political consulting, telemarketing, and door-to-door campaigning in South Dallas.
Rawlings: I'm not going to make any comment. I've been asked not to say anything. I take directions well, so I'm just not going to comment on this. I don't know any details.
Rawlings says the FBI asked that he refrain from comment.
The raids and the Neely connection to Rawlings' election overshadowed yesterday's inauguration of the new mayor and city council.
Dallas Issues Burn Ban
Dallas has issued a county-wide ban on outdoor burning, effective immediately. The county says the ban will stay in place for at least the next 90 days, maybe longer if conditions warrant.
Like most of the state, Dallas County is under drought conditions, with dangerously dry vegetation. That creates a greater chance of wildfires. Still, conditions aren't bad enough in Dallas to trigger an automatic burn ban. But because of the state's disaster declaration, every county is requested to issue the ban.
Irving's New Mayor Sworn In Early
Irving's new Mayor, Beth Van Duyne is moving into her City Hall office. She was sworn in this afternoon, following the official "canvass" of the runoff votes at City Hall.
The City Secretary administered the oath of office. A formal swearing-in for the Mayor and two council members will be at the July 7th city council meeting.
A City Hall official says Van Duyne wanted to assume the office sooner in order to get certain city information. Spending on Irving's planned entertainment district was a major campaign issue. Van Duyne has promised an audit.
She beat incumbent mayor Herbert Gears, her political nemesis, in the June 18th runoff race.
Texas mailbox bomber gets about 7 years in prison
A man accused of dropping more than 30 explosive devices into mail collection boxes and other locations across East Texas has been sentenced to prison.
A federal judge in Tyler sentenced Larry Eugene North of Henderson to seven years and three months in federal prison on Tuesday. That's after he pleaded guilty to use of a weapon of mass destruction and other weapons charges.
Officials said at least half of the explosives were found in mailboxes, while others were in such locations as the front yard of a business and a cemetery. Although none exploded and no injuries were reported, the spate of discoveries kept people on edge for weeks in East Texas until North's arrest in April 7, 2010.