tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post3910083284652576489..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: State revenue will plummet, says ComptrollerGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47822233779730229422009-01-16T10:42:00.000-06:002009-01-16T10:42:00.000-06:00If they read Grits they did.If they read Grits they did.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18326821074926442302009-01-16T10:24:00.000-06:002009-01-16T10:24:00.000-06:00"First, these layoffs had already been planned, th..."First, these layoffs had already been planned, they were just delayed from last year."<BR/><BR/>Did the employees know this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-18422743886046222742009-01-16T10:17:00.000-06:002009-01-16T10:17:00.000-06:00"Third, if you think 100 jobs will save the state ..."Third, if you think 100 jobs will save the state $9 billion, you've got another think coming."<BR/><BR/>Yes, but it sure is a good start. <BR/><BR/>And with your logic and even though there is budget shortfall, I suppose you support the legislature raising their monthly office expense yesterday by $1000 each a month.<BR/><BR/>Give me your nickels and dimes and I will build you a mountain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-19483680129890196302009-01-16T08:19:00.000-06:002009-01-16T08:19:00.000-06:00RE: famous Grits posts. Three things:First, these ...RE: famous Grits posts. Three things:<BR/><BR/>First, these layoffs had already been planned, they were just delayed from last year.<BR/><BR/>Second, TYC's inmate population was bascially cut in half in the last two years. I've said all along the way to cut staff in prisons is to reduce the incarceration rate - you can't safely reduce staffing unless that happens.<BR/><BR/>Third, if you think 100 jobs will save the state $9 billion, you've got another think coming.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-39193805002397257662009-01-16T08:10:00.000-06:002009-01-16T08:10:00.000-06:00Famous Grits posts.........If you want to make gov...Famous Grits posts.........<BR/><BR/>If you want to make government smaller, you can't pretend cutting it is easy. To make major cuts, you have to deal with the actual, real-world issues involved - e.g., how to guard incarcerated prisoners - or you're just wasting everybody's time.<BR/>1/13/2009 03:30:00 PM<BR/><BR/>It's easy to say "cut staff," but it's a lot harder to do and the devil's in the details.<BR/><BR/>1/13/2009 06:07:00 AM<BR/><BR/>Just ask TYC staffers who lost jobs yesterday. It wasn't as hard as you thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-51774336123145479592009-01-14T20:38:00.000-06:002009-01-14T20:38:00.000-06:00Good advise Don....they probably wont pay any atte...Good advise Don....they probably wont pay any attention. Besides, welfare checks come to these folks anyway, regardless of what they do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-31980777190662782712009-01-14T11:30:00.000-06:002009-01-14T11:30:00.000-06:00To Anon 5:PM. I have some suggestions for you.1. ...To Anon 5:PM. I have some suggestions for you.<BR/>1. Don't incur bills beyond your means.<BR/>2. Try to exercise more thought in spouse-picking, or perhaps just shack up and save on costly divorces.<BR/><BR/>3. Get a better job, or a second job<BR/>4. Accept some personal responsibility.<BR/>5. Learn some internet etiquette and stop SHOUT-WHINING!Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16902834245861000386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-60281126651078340512009-01-14T09:17:00.000-06:002009-01-14T09:17:00.000-06:0070% of our local recidivism during that time were ...<I>70% of our local recidivism during that time were either for parole violations or parolee's committing new offenses.</I><BR/><BR/>Now, you gotta cut us a break here. 70% is a huge number to be sure. is that 70% of all probationers? meaning 70 out of 100 were revoked? Or is that 70% out of 10 people that were revoked, out of a total population of 1000? Which would be such a small number, it is not worth reporting. <BR/><BR/>This is the problem with statistics, numbers in general, and the reporting thereof. I can say that 100% of smokers die. Ok, granted, but EVERYONE DIES. so how truthful is that statement if I do not report how many died of lung cancer? <BR/><BR/>Media and more recently the police/government have begun reporting such things as sex offenders will commit a new crime 47% of the time. The lessor known truth is that only 3 to 5 % are re-offending by creating a new victim. It is known, but not reported accurately, that sex offenders are the second lowest group of people to re-commit a crime similar to their previous conviction.<BR/><BR/>Murderers are both feared and hated. People worry about someone that committed murder and then are released from prison after doing their time. It is fact that murderers that finish their time, and released back into society are the lowest to re-commit an offense similar to their previous.<BR/><BR/>While people that drive drunk are statistically more apt to drive drunk again, unless they create a life altering situation(commit murder while driving, have an accident).<BR/><BR/>So to say that 70% blah blah blah, means nothing if you do not qualify that with the full statistic. So what was it, 70% of the whole? or 70 % of the 10 people that were revoked of the greater number of 1000 people paroled in that year?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76626478719875397102009-01-14T08:49:00.000-06:002009-01-14T08:49:00.000-06:00"That's really a bizarre claim."70% of our local r..."That's really a bizarre claim."<BR/><BR/>70% of our local recidivism during that time were either for parole violations or parolee's committing new offenses.<BR/><BR/>Yea, and don't forget Kenneth McDuff.<BR/><BR/>Get ready for a greas'n!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-76008836918223426152009-01-13T22:09:00.000-06:002009-01-13T22:09:00.000-06:00"early parole will equate to county jails filling ..."early parole will equate to county jails filling up with parole violators"<BR/><BR/>Well if POs and judges and who ever would quit revoking parolees on technical violations then that would eliminate some of the those things. <BR/><BR/>For example especially during this time in our country when people with no prison records, college degrees etc can't find a job or are getting laid off; how fair is it to expect a parolee to be able to find employment? Seems like a stupid stipulation to require parolees to secure employment or risk having their parole revoked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-6799379073021276692009-01-13T19:39:00.000-06:002009-01-13T19:39:00.000-06:00"early parole will equate to county jails filling ..."early parole will equate to county jails filling up with parole violators"<BR/><BR/>That's really a bizarre claim. In the early '90s county jails filled up because of delays in SENDING people to prison due to overcrowding, not because too many were released. In this case, utilizing parole more frequently would PREVENT backlogs in county jails, not cause them.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79469643792853014342009-01-13T19:34:00.000-06:002009-01-13T19:34:00.000-06:00I'm not racists and don't throw rocks, but no law ...I'm not racists and don't throw rocks, but no law is causing this country more damage than the one that guarantees citizenship to children born in this country regardless of the parents legal status. This anchor baby loophole guarantees at least one parent staying in our country. This has caused huge strains on hospitals, schools and other social services.<BR/><BR/>I'm certain this has some effect on the Texas state budget. What do we do to resolve it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79930953203019599362009-01-13T19:17:00.000-06:002009-01-13T19:17:00.000-06:00Another example of taxpayers dollars wasted..........Another example of taxpayers dollars wasted........<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Partisan fight breaks out in Texas Senate <BR/><BR/>05:04 PM CST on Tuesday, January 13, 2009<BR/>Associated Press <BR/><BR/>AUSTIN – Just when it seemed like a lovefest would break out on opening day of the 2009 Texas Legislature, a GOP proposal to scrap filibuster rules in the Senate has sparked a bitter partisan brawl with Democrats. <BR/><BR/>At issue is the so-called two-thirds rule, which requires a supermajority of senators – 21 of the 31 members – to move legislation to the floor. Several Republican senators, complaining that Democrats have used the filibuster measure to permanently block their pet initiatives, now want to modify it. <BR/><BR/>I wish that all politics were non-party elections, like the mayoral elections in Dallas. Then, you vote on the issues, not the party. Too many morons who can't think for themselves vote the party.<BR/><BR/>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011409dntexlegesenatefight.29d5a51.html?ocp=1#slcgm_comments_anchorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48612251657087757112009-01-13T19:10:00.000-06:002009-01-13T19:10:00.000-06:00Just like in the late 80"s & early 90'...Just like in the late 80"s & early 90's when a felon was doing one month for every year sentenced, early parole will equate to county jails filling up with parole violators.<BR/><BR/>Mostly for administrative violations as is the usual case. And TDCJ won't be in none to hurry to receive them either.<BR/><BR/>Get ready local citizens to bend over and take another root'n.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-47242315891580437042009-01-13T17:55:00.000-06:002009-01-13T17:55:00.000-06:00Somehting might already be in the wind. Has anyone...Somehting might already be in the wind. Has anyone heard about the parole board holding special hearings or pushing up parole hearing dates? Probably just rumors. Curious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-79334216817921882392009-01-13T17:23:00.000-06:002009-01-13T17:23:00.000-06:00INSTEAD OF THE BIG BAIL OUTS, GIVE EVERY TAX PAYER...INSTEAD OF THE BIG BAIL OUTS, GIVE EVERY TAX PAYER A 100,000 SO WE CAN PAY OUR BILLS AND THEN USE WHATS LEFT TO PUT BACK INTO THE ECONOMY I WORK FOR THE STATE AND I CANT EVEN AFFORD TO BY NEW CLOTHES.i GET PAID , PAY BILLS AND IM BROKE UNTIL NEXT MONTH TRYING TO PAY OFF A DIVORCE.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-3082954066793881462009-01-13T15:30:00.000-06:002009-01-13T15:30:00.000-06:00I really don't know what you're talking about, 3:0...I really don't know what you're talking about, 3:08. I was <A HREF="http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2009/01/states-reducing-inmate-numbers-to-save.html" REL="nofollow">backing budget cuts</A> before we ever heard from you.<BR/><BR/>As for the TYC spending you mention, the E.D. who did that was roundly criticized for it at the Lege and ultimately fired. That was an outlier, not a typical example, and in the context of a $9 billion hole in the budget, the amount involved was a pittance.<BR/><BR/>If you want to make government smaller, you can't pretend cutting it is easy. To make major cuts, you have to deal with the actual, real-world issues involved - e.g., how to guard incarcerated prisoners - or you're just wasting everybody's time.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15105206902753443332009-01-13T15:08:00.000-06:002009-01-13T15:08:00.000-06:00Ok. I give up. You folks don't want accountabilit...Ok. I give up. You folks don't want accountability and budget cuts, ok. Here is one more example of the waste of your tax dollars. It exists at every state agency!!!!!!!!! Keep your heads in the sand and lets make government bigger.<BR/><BR/>Texas Youth Commission defied lawmakers, spent funds on new offices<BR/><BR/>Agency shifted money earmarked for hiring new corrections officers to cover relocation expenses<BR/><BR/><BR/>02:20 PM CST on Sunday, January 20, 2008<BR/>By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News <BR/>eramshaw@dallasnews.com <BR/><BR/>AUSTIN – High-ranking Texas Youth Commission officials have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for hiring new corrections officers on renovating and relocating offices – even though lawmakers turned down their request for such spending.<BR/><BR/>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/012008dntextyc.2d28c87.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-2510963827183189682009-01-13T12:14:00.000-06:002009-01-13T12:14:00.000-06:00Well, with the fiscal writing on the wall in big b...Well, with the fiscal writing on the wall in big block letters 20 stories tall (it's always been there, but only fiscal conservatives seemed able to see them) it might be a good time to consider just what we've already bought with the money...and never could afford to begin with. Like the DrugWar. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.khou.com/news/state/stories/khou090107_mp_el-paso-drug-legalization.3fb808d.html" REL="nofollow">Some folks in El Paso are making a proposal to have a debate on continuing the DrugWar</A>, and they're drawing a lot of heat locally and even more support nationally. As times get tighter, look to see that happen more often...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22741836897205035442009-01-13T11:12:00.000-06:002009-01-13T11:12:00.000-06:00To 8:11 - Lone Star Steel could just stop producin...To 8:11 - Lone Star Steel could just stop producing as much steel for sale. TDCJ cannot - without drastic changes - simply stop guarding prisoners because you don't want to pay taxes.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15908793557148176592009-01-13T10:55:00.000-06:002009-01-13T10:55:00.000-06:00There are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. ...There are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. You can't finagle shifts around and save overtime. Because you have a given number of hours to cover and a given number of people to do it with, it will eventually come out to the same thing. Besides, many prisons already do what you suggest with 12 hour shifts. <BR/>On reducing the class of offense of <1g to a Class A, that's fine, but there are no 1st offenders in state jail. So that just leaves the county to do something with the small-time repeat offenders, and they don't have any money either. Someone said, parole more of the non-violent offenders eligible for parole. That's the best idea I've seen on this thread.Donhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16902834245861000386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-59307797724071353382009-01-13T09:40:00.000-06:002009-01-13T09:40:00.000-06:00We can appoint a multi level committee to study th...We can appoint a multi level committee to study the effects of implementing any budget cuts before we consider doing anything drastic. I think a grant to support the committee of something in the neighborhood of $17 billion to cover cost and donuts would be sufficient to get things started.Red Leathermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02813509688345174972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-58527041875411692882009-01-13T09:30:00.000-06:002009-01-13T09:30:00.000-06:00diogenes,Since we already know raising taxes is of...diogenes,<BR/><BR/>Since we already know raising taxes is off the table, how do you propose to solve the budget shortfall?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15521096702232836782009-01-13T09:22:00.000-06:002009-01-13T09:22:00.000-06:00"permanent 12 hour shifts for CO's? That may sound..."permanent 12 hour shifts for CO's? That may sound nice on paper, but that's a safety issue waiting to happen."<BR/><BR/>What data do you have to support your statement?<BR/><BR/>We've been working 12 hour shifts for years and have not had one lost time accident, both in the jail and patrol.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-13582855301096429282009-01-13T09:20:00.000-06:002009-01-13T09:20:00.000-06:00Obama tells Calderón he wants to 'upgrade' NAFTA 1...Obama tells Calderón he wants to 'upgrade' NAFTA <BR/><BR/>10:47 PM CST on Monday, January 12, 2009<BR/>By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News<BR/>tgillman@dallasnews.com <BR/><BR/>WASHINGTON – Barack Obama told Mexican President Felipe Calderón on Monday that he wants to "upgrade" NAFTA, serving notice that he hasn't abandoned a campaign pledge that irritated Mexico while appeasing union voters.<BR/><BR/>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/011309dnpolobamamexico.72a6be.html<BR/><BR/>Whether or not we're willing to face up to it, this country's on a collision course with a 3-nation merger composed of Mexico, Canada and what used to be the United States.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com