The Texas Senate has unveiled its first draft of the state budget, promising $4 billion in tax cuts but offering few details on them.
Unveiled Tuesday, the nearly $101.5 billion 2016-2017 budget is about $2.7 billion larger that the draft budget released previously by the House. Republicans control both chambers and have pledged strict fiscal conservativism.
But the Senate version pledges to lower property taxes by $3 billion and cut business taxes by $1 billion -- promises not in the House version.
The Senate budget doesn't increase public school funding beyond covering enrollment projected to rise by nearly 170,000 students.
It also doesn't restore funding vetoed by then-Gov. Rick Perry two years ago for public corruption prosecutors, sparking felony indictments against him.
The House proposed $6 billion for the unit.
