During Worst 1-Yr Drought Ever, TX GOP Refused Action On $3.25/Resident Charge For Water Supply

[hatrack]

Allan Ritter pushed a bill to make 25 million Texans pay an extra $3.25 a year to help provide water for decades. Then, with a record drought devastating farms and ranches, the state representative’s party leaders waded in.

“We couldn’t get the votes,” said the Republican from Nederland who heads the Natural Resources Committee in the House of Representatives. Lawmakers who run the chamber sought to oblige Governor Rick Perry’s pledge not to boost taxes instead.

“You couldn’t get the votes in the House to raise revenue for anything last session,” Ritter said. Since 1996, when lawmakers mandated statewide water planning, Texans haven’t agreed on how to pay for needed work. This year, as crops withered and cattle went to early slaughter, pressure rose for action to protect the economy and sustain a surging population. Perry called on citizens to pray for rain six months after the drought began. On Nov. 8, voters will decide on letting the state carry as much as $6 billion in water-related debt.

Perry, who appoints most members of boards overseeing state agencies and local water authorities, didn’t include developing resources among his priorities for the past legislative session. He entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination in August, after lawmakers had adjourned for the year. The governor supports the November ballot measure, said Lucy Nashed, a spokeswoman. She referred questions to the Environmental Quality Commission, where Commissioner Carlos Rubinstein said he can’t comment on bond issues.

EDIT

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-14/water-starved-texas-rice-crops-erode-u-s-harvest-prospects-as-prices-gain.html

[Dover]

1. ... and the drought is expected to continue. Here's the latest on water restrictions in Tx.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/more-water-restrictions-seem-likely-as-drought-continues-1915790.html

[Javaman]

2. I'm living it now...

we had a bit of rain last week. Just that very little bit caused my once straw/dust/dirt backyard to revive. Instead of grass we are getting a clover of a type.

but alas, no more rain on the horizon.

in another week, all that clover will be gone.

It's bad, really horribly bad here.

Two cattle ranchers I know, one supplies raw milk for us and the other grass fed meat, are in such dire shape they may have to sell their heads off just to survive.