GOVERNOR BUSH IMPROVES SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM IN TEXAS

* Texas has made significant gains in the number of sites and the
number of children served by the Summer Food Program -- the number of
children served increased from 175,000 at 1,700 locations in 1996 to 259,000
served at 2,300 sites today.
* Governor Bush signed legislation providing a $2 million nutritional
outreach program to help recruit and serve more children in Texas.
* This year the Clinton-Gore Administration recognized Texas as the
best state in the nation in delivering food stamps to the poor, providing a
$27.9 million bonus.


 TEXAS CURRENTLY ENJOYS A $1 BILLION BUDGET SURPLUS

* According to the Texas Comptroller, Texas currently has at least $1
billion in the state treasury, which can be used to fund current or future
needs.  The extra funds were held over to meet any unforeseen expenditures.
* Texas law requires state agencies to seek legislative approval to
utilize the surplus to meet these expenditures.


 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ARE COMMON IN TEXAS

* Since Texas operates on a biennial budget, it is common to
experience unanticipated expenditures.  The estimate for the current $98.2
billion budget was off by less than 1 percent and the Legislature kept $1
billion of the surplus in the state treasury to meet these expenditures.
* In the 1995 legislative session immediately following Governor Ann
Richards, Governor Bush and the Legislature approved a $1.6 billion
supplemental appropriation.  In 1997, the appropriation was $182 million and
$104 million in 1999.[Texas Legislative Budget Board]


 TEXAS WILL ENTER NEXT BUDGET CYCLE WITH A LARGE SURPLUS

* Since Texas currently has a $1 billion budget surplus and economic
forecasts show additional revenue will be available, the legislature will
easily meet the $610 million supplemental appropriation and still enjoy a
sizable surplus of at least $400 million.


 LEGISLATURE GIVES NEAR UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE TEXAS BUDGET

* In 1999, the FY2000-01 State budget was approved by the Texas Senate
by a voice vote with just one Senator signaling opposition and by the Texas
House (142-0).