Texas Democratic Congressmen Cry Foul: Texas Misusing Stimulus Funds

The Texas Democratic delegation to the United States Congress, upon learning that the Texas legislature intends to use the billions of dollars in federal stimulus funds that were allocated toward the state’s education to prop up its “Rainy Day Fund,” currently pegged at $9 billion, have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan arguing that these funds were intended to go directly to school districts – not the state. And surely, not to go toward the state’s “slush fund.”

From the Austin American-Statesman:

“‘We believe that the (stabilization funding) was not intended to allow Texas to maintain its Rainy Day Fund, but rather to immediately invest in our schools to strengthen education and improve student achievement,’ wrote the Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin.”

To which State Rep Florence Shapiro responded (as this is her little hobby shop that she mismanages on a term-by-term basis):

“Easy for them to say. The last thing we want to do is take money out of the rainy day fund. The fear is we haven't seen the bottom yet.”

The idea is that the Rainy Day Fund will provide this funding for education anyway.

But from past experience, seeing how these people rob Peter to pay Paul, making funds jump from one place to another, these Democratic Congressmen know whereof they speak.

Sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors prevail when the Republicans get their hands on new found money. The Democratic congressmen are correct, and no education stimulus funds should be released to Texas until they are properly assigned directly to the school districts.