(June 8, 2007)--In this year's legislative session, it paid to support embattled House Speaker Tom Craddick.

That support translated into state dollars for an antebellum plantation home near Dallas, an Edinburg museum of South Texas history, and upgrades to a Houston park named for an influential Craddick legislative ally.

Recent budget prosperity and a presiding officer in desperate need of allies ushered in a return of pork barrel spending during the recent session.

In the new budget for 2008 and 2009, those who helped Craddick survive a bipartisan coup try were big winners of an estimated $176 million in so-called "special items."

But Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee says the "budget process that took place this last session is the same as it's always been."

State Representative Sylvester Turner is a Houston Democrat who supported Craddick.

He got a $600,000 matching grant for renovations at the Sylvester Turner Park in Houston.

Turner says renovations to the 27-year-old park are needed, including new bathrooms to replace portable toilets.

State Representative Helen Giddings is another Democrat who supported Craddick.

She helped the South Dallas suburb of DeSoto get a half million dollars to buy the historic Nance Farm, a plantation home built in the 1850s.

Border area Democrats, a key bloc of support for Craddick's re-election, did particularly well in the $153. 5 billion budget.

Democratic Representative Ryan Guillen of Rio Grande City got an $800,000 matching grant for a new park in his small border town and a new rural technology center for vocational skills training.

A zoo in Brownsville and a soccer complex in Kingsville will get almost $700,000 combined for renovations.

Another $10 million was set aside for Harlingen's South Texas Hospital and a million for a border security technology and training center in McAllen.

Democratic Representatve Aaron Pena of Edinburg helped bring the city $3 million for a new drug treatment center and $750,000 for the Will Looney Legacy Park and a museum of South Texas history.

State Capitol Links

Click Here For Texas House of Representatives Web Site

Click Here For Texas Senate Web Site

Click Here To Find Information About Specific Bills

Click Here For Texas House Speaker’s Web Site

Click Here For Texas Lt. Governor’s Web Site

Click Here For Texas Governor’s Web Site

Click Here For Legislative Budget Board Web Site

Central Texas State Senators

Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor
(State Sen. District 22 includes: Bosque*, Coryell*, Ellis, Falls*, Hill*, Hood, Johnson, McLennan*, Navarro, Somervell Counties)
Click Here For Averitt Senate Web Site

Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay
(State Sen. District 24 includes: Bell*, Blanco, Brown, Burnet, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Gillespie, Hamilton*, Kerr, Kimble, Lampasas*, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Mills*, San Saba*, Taylor Counties)
Click Here For Fraser Senate Web Site

Sen. Steve Odgen, R-Bryan
(State Sen. District 5 includes: Brazos, Burleson, Freestone*, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon*, Limestone*, Madison, Milam*, Robertson, Trinity, Walker, Williamson Counties)
Click Here For Ogden Senate Web Site

Central Texas State Representatives

Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana
(State Rep. District 8 includes: Anderson, Freestone*, Limestone*, Navarro Counties)
Click Here For Cook House Web Site

State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie
(State Rep. District 10 includes: Hill*, Ellis Counties)
Click Here For Pitts House Web Site

State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown
(State Rep. District 20 includes: Milam*, Williamson-part, Counties)
Click Here For Gattis House Web Site

State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville
(State Rep. District 53 includes: Callahan, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, McCulloch*, Mason, Menard, Real, Runnels, San Saba*, Schleicher, Sutton Counties)
Click Here For Hilderbran House Web Site

Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen
(State Rep. District 54 includes: Bell-part*, Burnet, Lampasas* Counties)
Click Here For Aycock House Web Site

Rep. Dianne White Delisi, R-Temple
(State Rep. District 55 includes: Bell-part County)
Click Here For Delisi House Web Site

Rep. Charles Anderson, R-Waco
(State Rep. District 56 includes: McLennan-part County)
Click Here For Anderson House Web Site

Rep. Jim Dunnam, D-Waco
(State Rep. District 57 includes: Falls*, Leon*, McLennan-part*, Madison, Robertson Counties)
Click Here For Dunnam House Web Site

Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burleson
(State Rep. District 58 includes: Bosque*, Johnson Counties)
Click Here For Orr

More Local And State News >>More National News >>More Business News >>Sports >> Weather >>