By KRWG News
Texas – How bad is the budget crisis in Texas? Ask the Republicans who run the state, and they'll tell you it's in the eye of the beholder.
The $8 billion drop in state revenue? Solved with some belt tightening. The $7 billion loss in federal stimulus funding? Well, that was expected. As for the roughly $12 billion more that state agencies say they need to maintain the status quo? Republicans say that wish list won't come true.
In other states, governors and legislators are ready to raise taxes as much as 75 percent. Here, lawmakers are cutting deep into state services to include education and health care and have promised not to raise taxes.
That's no comfort to Texas state agencies, or those who depend on them for employment or services.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.