Texas Could Be Socked By The Fiscal Cliff

Texas could be socked by the fiscal cliff Express-News Copyright 2012 Express-News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 6:44 p.m., Tuesday, December 11, 2012 The committee heard Tuesday from budget analysts, state agencies and universities about the programs that would be affected by the failure to reach a deficit-reduction package, triggering automatic spending cuts and the expiration of Bush-era tax breaks. Hardest-hit would be funding for education for disadvantaged children; special education basic state grants; the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program; and the child care and development block grant administered by the Texas Workforce Commission and Department of Family and Protective Services. Villarreal said, however, No matter what actually comes out of this, I think the citizens of the United States and the state of Texas can expect a drop in federal spending on military and domestic programs, and a rise in tax rates — even if they reach a deal. Because in the end, the larger problem that we are trying to solve is a national debt that is growing every year into the future at our current levels of federal spending and at the rate we raise taxes.