High Plains Report

PROCLAMATION BY THE Governor of the State of Texas TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME: WHEREAS, education is the foundation for the economic and cultural future of the state of Texas and the constitutional responsibility for the development of an efficient system of public education rests with the legislature; and WHEREAS, the current state of public school finance requires immediate action by the legislature to ensure the continued efficient and effective operation of Texas schools due to the Texas Supreme Court's conclusion that the public education finance system violates article VIII, section 1-e of the Texas Constitution and the Texas Supreme Court has given the legislature until June 1, 2006 to change the public education finance system.; and WHEREAS, the people have placed the constitutional power to call and convene the legislature into special session in the hands of the Chief Executive Officer of the State; NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, by the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 8, of the Texas Constitution, do hereby call an extraordinary session of the 79th Legislature, to be convened in the city of Austin, commencing at 2 p.m.

The state surplus has hit $8.2 billion, an amount so large that it could tempt lawmakers to forego a major tax overhaul as they begin a special session today focused on paying for school finance.

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