Analysis: Fight over education funding is pure Texas

Analysis: Fight over education funding is pure Texas

Although the money is federal, the fight is between Perry and Doggett.

Rick Perry

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ENLARGE PHOTO

Rick Perry

Governor condemns amendment.

By Kate Alexander

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Updated: 8:02 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010

Published: 7:49 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010

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Gov. Rick Perry has not been shy about mixing it up with the federal government.

Indeed, he is writing a book on how fed up he is with it.

So the bitter dispute between Perry and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett over $830 million in federal emergency school aid would seem to fit neatly into the governor's Texas vs. Washington political narrative.

But Perry, a Republican facing re-election in November, wasn't necessarily spoiling for another fight. Until Doggett picked one.

Doggett, an Austin Democrat, has been fuming for more than a year over Texas' use of the $3.2 billion in federal stimulus money intended to help public schools in 2009.

He said that money was intended to supplement state education