Budget Battle Set in Austin

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — With seven weeks left, the real wrangling in Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s first session now begins. That’s because the Senate on Tuesday approved a new spending blueprint for Texas: a $211.4 billion budget proposal that more than triples border security spending, boosts highway construction and leaves Democrats grumbling over classroom spending and pre-K dollars. Among those weighing in is Republican Sen. Kevin Eltife of Tyler.

The broad strokes of the Senate plan don’t drastically differ from what the House ratified during a grueling 18-hour floor debate earlier this month. But there’s still a long way to go before a compromise reaches Abbott’s desk. Although the House and Senate spending plans are not far apart side by side, how to deliver nearly $5 billion in tax cuts has so far led to a stalemate. Democrats aren’t thrilled either. They resigned themselves to Republicans’ tax-cutting fever but wanted lawmakers to put more money toward schools and roads first. Even Eltife signaled his disappointment that the Legislature was talking tax cuts while roads are still short $3 billion in funding.