5 Things to Know About How the Texas Senate Wants to Spend Your Money

AUSTIN -- The Texas Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a two-year state budget that would boost spending on public schools and slightly reduce school property taxes.In the two-year cycle that begins Sept. 1, the Senate budget would spend $247.7 billion, including federal funds. That includes $6.3 billion more for schools and $2.7 billion to reduce taxes.The measure now goes to the House, which is expected to reject Senate changes. That would set up a session-ending negotiation among five lawmakers from each of the two chambers.In public, at least, the Senate is not big on drama.Here are five things you need to know about why a Senate budget debate resembles a longwinded Academy Award acceptance speech more than it does anything you envisioned from watching "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington:"1) Long before it hit the Senate floor, this cake was baked.Unlike the House, which has a grueling floor debate of scores of floor amendments, lasting at least a day and always stretching into the night, the Senate disposes of its budget by teatime.On Tuesday, as usual, no one offered a floor amendment.  Continue reading...