UPDATED: Foundation hosting health care town hall in Austin tonight; Doggett aide says issue will be
The Americans for Prosperity Foundation is hosting a town hall on health care at 7 p.m. today in Austin, details posted here. The foundation says participants will take up this question: “What is the best prescription for healthy reform?” It says speakers will discuss the merits of the health care proposal that passed through the U.S. House and the plan being debated in the Senate. Among invited attendees: Dr. Donna Campbell and George Morovich, Republicans who have said they’ll be challenging U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, next year. Doggett also was invited, accord

Almost $1 billion less in state's rainy day fund
Texas’ piggy bank will be almost $1 billion lighter than expected, according to a report released last week by Texas Comptroller Susan Combs. Combs revised her estimate for the so-called rainy day fund to $8.2 billion, down from her January projection of $9.1 billion. The primary culprit is falling natural gas prices, which will lead to less production and thus less tax revenue. Every dollar in the rainy day fund matters because that money is seen as key to plugging some of the budget hole that is expected to greet legislators when they return to Austin in 2011. Legislators kept their hands off that fund when writing the current two-year budget in an

UPDATED: TYC ombudsman indicted, resigns
UPDATE: Indicted Texas Youth Commission ombudsman Catherine Evans has resigned, hours after she was indicted for allegedly smuggling a folding knife into an East Texas youth lockup. The just-issued statement from Allison Castle, Perry’s press secretary: “The office of the Ombudsman is an important position for the agency and the youth and it is clear that Catherine Evans’ bad judgment and the indictment have hampered her credibility and effectiveness in this role. “The governor’s office has been in contact with Ms. Evans and she has agreed to resign. Gov. Perry has accepted her resignation and will appoint a replacement as soon as pos

Abbott: Price-comparison sites are deceptive
Two groups of price-comparison Web sites were sued today by the Texas attorney general’s office for allegedly misleading online shoppers, amid allegations that some retailers paid for their higher ratings that were touted as independent. In announcing the lawsuit late this morning, Attorney General Greg Abbott said he filed two separate lawsuits to stop merchants from using misleading price-comparisons — including one online site that “represented themselves as neutral and unbiased, online merchants paid that defendant to render higher ratings.” The court actions were filed on Cyber Monday, an expected peak day for online holiday shopping .

UPDATED: Opiela, saying "my time was up," resigns as executive director of Republican Part
Eric Opiela, executive director of the Republican Party of Texas, resigned last week to return to privately practicing law, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him remain involved in Capitol doings. Opiela, who became executive director in March 2008, submitted his resignation, effective immediately, on Wednesday. And Wayne Hamilton of Austin, a former executive director of the party, has agreed to perform Opiela’s duties as a senior adviser, party spokesman Bryan Preston said. Preston and Opiela each said Opiela’s departure stemmed from Cathie Adams of Dallas recently succeeding Houston lawyer Tina Benkiser as the party’s chairwoman. Opiela