Excerpt:
With President Joe Biden and a Democratic-controlled Congress moving ahead on a coronavirus relief package, Texas budget writers are beginning to look at how they might use federal funds for one-time “investments,” such as bolstering pension funds for retired teachers and state workers.
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That’s only one way state coffers could be altered now that the federal government is led by Democrats. Unlike Republicans who controlled the U.S. Senate during former President Donald Trump’s administration, the Democrats and Biden want to send money to aid state and local governments. Of a $1.9 trillion package, some $350 billion would go to states and localities.
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“Those investments may be made in our retirement funds or one-time plugs or capital investments,” Kolkhorst said. She referred to lawmakers’ ongoing efforts to make the Teacher Retirement System and the Employees Retirement System more actuarially sound, and to deteriorating buildings used as state offices and at state mental hospital campuses.
Author(s): Robert T. Garrett
Publication Date: 8 February 2021
Publication Site: Dallas Morning News