This article is such a load of horsesh*t and so is the FW Star Telegram article. You can read about how Texas addresses its budget here:
http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_state_budget
Our Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget. It’s not a recommendation. It’s a requirement. We have a $9B rainy day fund that can be used with the approval of the legislature. Any “projected” spending over “projected” revenue requires the approval of 4/5 of our legislature. It ain’t gonna happen. We’ll cut, cut, cut until the “projected” budget is balanced.
We are nowhere near having the financial problems that California has. Nowhere. Not. Even. Close.
Sunshine review??.....lol... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As of July 11, 2010, however, the state faced a budget shortfall of up to $18 billion dollars.
Texas is feeling the effects of the economic downturn. Taking all state revenue sources into account, the state is expected to collect $167.7 billion in revenue for all state funds in 2010-11."[3] Revenue will not reach that level, and lawmakers have called for budget cuts.
The state faces a budget gap for the 2012-13 biennium and it has been estimated to be as high as $18 billion. The legislature will face the issue when it next meets in January 2011.[2]