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Proposed budget grows state government 40 percent... Tarleton professor steals $1 million... Huffines and Craddick are running for comptroller...

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Campaign To Save the Texas Lottery Linked to Abbott Advisor A new social media advertising campaign has been launched to protect the embattled Texas Lottery amid charges of money laundering and corruption. As Daniel Greer reports [[link removed]], the campaign is directly linked to an advisor in Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.

The day before Texas Scorecard launched the documentary Rigged [[link removed]], a group called Texans for a Stronger Economy appears to have launched a Facebook ad campaign to hype the lottery and its alleged economic benefits.

According to IRS tax filings, Texans for a Stronger Economy was established as a non-profit in 2014 by Austin lobbyist Robert S. Howden to “collect and distribute information regarding the positive economic benefits of the Texas Lottery.”

Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, Howden was appointed as an advisor to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office. Texas Ethics Commission records, aggregated by Transparency USA, show that Howden has been the sole lobbyist for Texans for a Stronger Economy since its founding and that he has been compensated for those services. Inexplicably, there is no corresponding expenditure or compensation from the group to Howden in the entity’s filings with the IRS.

Both Howden and the governor's office were asked to clarify his relationship with the pro-lottery organization, but neither responded. Paxton Investigates EPIC Developer for Violations of State Law Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking documentation from the real-estate development arm of the East Plano Islamic Center. As Will Biagini reports [[link removed]], the investigation is centered on determining if any violations of consumer protection laws have occurred in developing “EPIC City,” a planned 402-acre Islamic community.

Paxton's investigation is coming on the heels of Gov. Greg Abbott's recent declaration that “Sharia Cities,” regions centered around Islamic dogma, are not allowed in Texas.

“The individuals behind this project are deeply tied to radical ideology, openly advocating for Sharia while operating under a financial model that avoids standard oversight and accountability.” – Amy Mek [[link removed]] Texas Senators Unanimously Approve Biennial Budget Members of the Texas Senate unanimously approved [[link removed]] a $336.1 billion state budget for the 2026–2027 biennium, making it the largest spending plan in state history. Only $6 billion of that is allocated to new property tax relief.

Government education receives a substantial boost, with $5.3 billion in new funding. In total, public and higher education spending accounts for $129.7 billion—nearly 40 percent of the entire budget.

Other notable appropriations include $103.6 billion for healthcare, with $80.8 billion going toward Medicaid, $6.5 billion for border security, $5 billion for the Texas Energy Fund, $3 billion for dementia research, and $498 million for film incentives. The budget now moves to the House, where the draft has been substantially similar to this Senate plan.

Andrew McVeigh, the president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, noted [[link removed]] the budget marked a 40 percent increase over the last two sessions. Ex-Professor Admits To Stealing Nearly $1 Million From Tarleton State University A former Tarleton State University associate professor, Julie Howell, has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $1 million from the school during her tenure. Valerie Muñoz has the story [[link removed]].

According to court documents, Howell was the department head for Educational Leadership & Technology in the College of Education at Tarleton State University for two years, ending on April 9, 2024.

During that time, Howell was given a payment card to be used for travel expenses related to official school business. Instead, she used the card for “personal expenditures, primarily related to gambling.” To conceal the transactions, she transferred money from the card to PayPal accounts she created under seemingly legitimate business names.

Howell is scheduled for sentencing on June 10 in Tarrant County federal court. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Hegar’s Departure Sparks Early GOP Battle for Comptroller With Comptroller Glenn Hegar set to become the next chancellor of the Texas A&M University System, the race to replace him is already well underway—nearly a year before the primary elections. Brandon Waltens has the story [[link removed]].

Two Republicans have launched early campaigns for the post: Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former State Sen. Don Huffines.

Craddick, who was first elected to the Railroad Commission in 2012, said [[link removed]] she's running to bring "efficiency and transparency" to the comptroller’s office. She pointed to reforms made under her leadership, including an overhaul of the agency’s IT system that cut down permitting times significantly.

Huffines—who ran a high-profile primary challenge against Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022—is pitching himself as an outsider who will shake up state government. He is pledging [[link removed]] not to take a salary, pension, or other taxpayer-funded perks. He's already announced a series of high-profile endorsements.

The primary election will likely be set for March 3, 2026. While the field could still grow—especially once Gov. Greg Abbott appoints an interim comptroller to fill Hegar’s seat—the early battle lines are already being drawn. Superintendent Ousted for Failing to Report Teachers’ Abuse of Special Needs Students Parents applauded the Millsap Independent School District trustees as they voted to oust Superintendent Edie Martin in the wake of charges that she covered up child abuse by special education teachers. Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] that the superintendent was arrested last week for failing to report two elementary school teachers’ abuse of at least three special education students.

Video emerged earlier this month showing the teachers abusing a 10-year-old boy who is non-verbal and autistic. The staff member who recorded a video of the educators abusing the boy told sheriff’s office investigators she reported the abuse to Martin on February 19.

According to the sheriff's department, Martin called the district's law firm but did not report the crime as required by law. Martin was also recorded instructing one of the whistleblowers to delete videos of the abuse from her phone because “they are educator records.” Number of the Day

342

The number of days until March 3, 2026, the likely date for the Texas Primary Election.

[Source: calendar]

Today in History

On March 26, 1945, American forces declared the island of Iwo Jima secured from Japanese forces, more than a month after fighting had begun.

Quote-Unquote

"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

– Chester Nimitz​

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