Sen. Watson wants public vote on budget trick
American-Statesman Staff
Four years ago, state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, was alone in the wilderness calling for the end of a little understood but high-dollar accounting maneuver that had helped Texas balance its budget for two decades.
Today, it is all the rage in the Texas Legislature to decry the diversion of public dollars that are collected for a specific purpose but not spent for that purpose. Over the years, nearly $5 billion have accumulated from fines, fees and dedicated taxes that were supposed to be used for trauma centers, vehicle emissions reduction, student loan repayments for doctors and other specific purposes.
