Texas could spend billions in new state money on community colleges, mental health services, property tax cuts and raises for current and retired teachers under measures Texas Senate budget writers approved Monday.
The Senate Finance Committee set aside an additional $5 billion over the next two years for teacher pay raises and other educator programs — as well as costs associated with offering parents private school subsidies — a proposal currently spurring heated debate in the Legislature. They also added $3.7 billion for cost-of-living adjustments for retired teachers and agreed to spend an additional $650 million on school safety measures.
“BIG thanks to my colleagues and my staff for their many months of hard work and their efforts to help advance this historic and conservative budget,” Senate Finance Chair Joan Huffman, R-Houston, tweeted moments after the measures were adopted.
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