When handwringing isn’t enough

Some of the biggest supporters of educational improvements are, of course, business executives whose own continued success depends in large part on the quality of our public school classrooms. So, it is no surprise that some of Texas’ top business organizations are very concerned – to the point of handwringing about the severity of the looming budget cuts to education and other public services.

But, so far, they aren’t raising their hands, offering to take on a little extra tax burden themselves – for their own future prosperity and the good of the state as a whole. My good friend and former, longtime colleague R.G. Ratcliffe presents a good summation in the article linked at the bottom of this post. It’s a wellwritten contribution he made to Burkablog a week ago and which I finally got around to reading.

R.G. points out, among other things, the strong Republican leanings of the business community, which, of course, can’t be dismissed as a factor in their lack of constructive input.

Yes, these are some of Gov. Perry’s biggest supporters and campaign contributors, the people who have helped keep him in office for a record 10 years. But they are afraid to tell the governor that his slashandburn policy for state government has no clothes.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/blogs/burkablog/?p=9822#more9822