APB issued for Six Texas Republican Legislators ? Has anyone checked New Mexico or Oklahoma ?

Lawmakers leave key committee meeting
03:32 PM CDT on Friday, May 5, 2006
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – Six Republican senators – led by Florence Shapiro of Plano – stormed out of a key Senate committee meeting Friday over a move by some senators to increase state aid for lower wealth school districts.
The quorum break prompted the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Republican Steve Ogden of Bryan, to direct Senate sergeants to round up the six senators in the Capitol – but none could be located.
Ms. Shapiro left the meeting after Mr. Ogden refused to recognize her for a motion to head off what she considered unfriendly amendments to her bill cutting school property taxes and implementing a teacher pay raise.
Following her out of the public hearing were Kim Brimer of Fort Worth, Bob Deuell of Greenville, Kyle Janek of Houston, Jane Nelson of Lewisville and Tommy Williams of The Woodlands.
Three years ago, Republicans scaled Democrats with criticism after they fled the state to block a Senate quorum and prevent passage of a GOP-backed congressional redistricting plan.
“The solutions being offered by some of my colleagues can best be described as a bridge to nowhere,” Ms. Shapiro said of proposed amendments to her bill that appeared to have enough votes to pass.
“They are setting bad fiscal policy for our state that benefits some schools while hurting others. The purpose of this special session is to deliver property tax reduction and address the (Supreme Court) concerns, not create a personal piggy bank for certain members.”
The senator was particularly angered over one proposal that would have taken away $300 million from her initiative to improve high schools and use that money to increase state aid for lower wealth school districts.
The proposal, sponsored by Republicans Todd Staples of Palestine and Robert Duncan of Lubbock, also would eliminate the possibility that the Dallas school district will become a “Robin Hood” district this fall, forced to give up some of its property tax revenue because of its above-average property wealth.
Committee members got a laugh when one senator, Republican Craig Estes of Wichita Falls, came into the hearing while Senate sergeants were searching the Capitol. “You got the wrong one,” Sen. John Whitmire of Houston cracked as Mr. Estes – not a committee member - walked in.
E-mail tstutz@dallasnews.com
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