Texas state budget up to $94B in senate; whooping cranes and water

The Texas Senate Finance Committee has added $5B to its original plan. That includes what is still too tittle, but an additional $1.4B in education spending.

The budget really needs to be on the high side of $95B, but the Senate Finance Committee has at least partially unknotted its panties.

Yes, sales tax returns are tapering off, but the economy in general still looks good.

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Meanwhile, endangered whooping cranes have a win in court, one that will have big fallout if drought continues.

Federal District Judge Janis Jack said the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality failed to adequately manage Guadalupe River water flows, so thast enough frewshwater reached the sea ot nourish crabs for the cranes' food.

“Inactions and refusal to act by the TCEQ defendants proximately caused an unlawful ‘take’ of at least twenty-three whooping cranes” in violation of the endangered species act, Jack held.

The biggie that she said drought was and is no excuse.

And, speaking of, per the Lower Colorado River Authority, drought concerns are predicted this year on that neighboring lake.