The Texas Lyceum, a non-partisan, nonprofit statewide leadership group focused on public policy, has released the results of a poll conducted September 10-26, 2012. The poll examined attitudes about issues such as the state and national economies, public education, Medicaid expansion, college tuition deregulation and the water needs of the state. In addition, the non-partisan poll provides a look at who Texas voters will support in the upcoming presidential and U.S. Senate races and reveals the job approval numbers of our state and federal elected leaders. The executive summary and the complete poll results can be viewed through this link: http://www.texaslyceum.org/PollPage2012.aspx.
The Texas Permanent School Fund finished the 2011-12 Fiscal Year strong with a year-end value of $25.5 billion and a return of 9.44 percent on its investments. The Permanent School Fund was established in 1854 with a $2 million state investment. The fund helps to pay for textbooks and other educational expenses. It is the second largest education endowment in the country, only behind Harvard’s.
Gov. Rick Perry has reappointed Cydney C. Donnell of Fredericksburg to the Employees Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees for a term to expire Aug. 31, 2018. Donnell is an executive professor, associate department head of finance and director of real estate programs at Texas A&M University (TAMU) Mays Business School.
Gov. Rick Perry also announced that Suzy Whittenton of Austin has been named the director of administration for the Governor’s Office. The director oversees financial services, human resources, information technology, support services and the compliance and oversight division.