Emails, Drew Brandewie, communications director, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, March 22, 2017

Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 4:10 PM

To: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)’

As you know, when it comes to allocations from the state budget there’s no distinction between state general revenue and federal aid or other sources of revenue. It’s all lumped together as revenue (All Funds) for the purposes of spending allocations. This point is reinforced by reporting from your paper (“Texas Legislature Adopts $209 Billion Budget”) and others (below).  

And as you noted, he said “close to a third of the Texas government budget.” He did not say “close to a third of the Texas government’s appropriations,” or “close to a third of the Texas government’s general revenue.” He said the overall budget.

Thanks,

Drew

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“After weeks of negotiations over how much to spend on tax cuts, border security, Medicaid payments, higher education and other areas, the two chambers approved a $209.4 billion budget…The total allocation for the Medicaid program, which provides health insurance to the state’s poor and disabled, came to $61.2 billion…” (“A Closer Look at the Final 2016-2017 State Budget,” Texas Tribune, 6/2/2015)

“Over the next two years, Medicaid will provide $61 billion in care for slightly more than 4 million Texans.” (“Texas’ Cuts to Medicaid Could Leave Poor Without Therapy,” Dallas Morning News, August 2015)

“In Texas, Medicaid represents 29 percent ($61 billion) of the state budget for 2016-2017.” (Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, University of Texas)

From: Selby, Gardner (CMG-Austin)

Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2017 5:12 PM

To: Brandewie, Drew (Cornyn)

Subject: RE: Update

What was his source for the claim? Cornyn said in what looked like his scripted remarks that Medicaid accounted for “a third of all state spending.”

4:23 p.m.

The sources for the claim you told me a reader flagged and you’re checking (“close to a third of the Texas government budget.”) are the Texas LBB report you sent me plus the news accounts I provided. If you misspoke and are checking something different, please let me know.