AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) - While Gov. Rick Perry is slamming Washington bailouts and excessive spending, his own state Senate defied his wishes and voted Thursday to accept $555 million in federal unemployment benefits.
The measure, which passed 22-9 on a preliminary vote Thursday, would expand state unemployment benefits by including part-time workers and people who quit for compelling reasons, such as a child’s illness or family violence.
Perry, a Republican, has agreed to take almost all the nearly $17 billion slated for Texas in federal stimulus money. But he says there are too many strings attached to the $555 million in unemployment benefits.
“The governor has made his position on this issue very clear,” said his spokeswoman, Allison Castle. “He does not support expanding the unemployment insurance program which will burden employers and hurt job creation.”
The slap from senators comes as the governor, facing a re-election challenge from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, steps up his criticism of Washington spending, appearing at numerous anti-tax rallies and taking to the airwaves to bash the federal government.
All 12 Democrats and 10 of the Senate’s 19 Republicans voted to bypass Perry and accept the federal dollars.
Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, sponsor of the legislation, said laid-off workers needed the help from Washington, noting the federal stimulus package offers unemployment benefits for nearly a decade.
“It’s very important to those who have lost work through no fault of their own. The stimulus money will pay for those benefits for nine years,” Eltife said. “To me it’s a no-brainer to take the money.”
Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said Texas employers would be stuck paying the bill, through higher state taxes, once the federal money ran out.
“I just felt like the long-term consequences of expanding that program are not good for Texas employers,” Williams said.
Perry hasn’t said whether he’ll veto the legislation. Castle, his spokeswoman, said it’s still not clear it will make it to his desk.
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