Apr. 13, 2004

Statement in Response to Comptroller's Request to Expand Call of Session

AUSTIN – The following statement was issued today by Kathy Walt, press secretary to Gov. Rick Perry, in response to Comptroller Carol Strayhorn’s request that the special session of the legislature be expanded to include certain spending issues.

“Gov. Perry has called the legislature back into session effective April 20 to address Educational Excellence and Property Tax Relief. As always, the governor will carefully consider issues brought to him to be placed on the call for a special session. At this time he believes legislators’ full attention should be on educational excellence and property tax reform.

“Comptroller Strayhorn herself recommended to the legislature just last year that CHIP eligibility be reduced from one year to six months as a cost saving measure. Her own e-Texas recommendations projected that her proposal would reduce CHIP enrollment by 113,700 children by 2005.”