Email from the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition
Dear friends,
We have breaking news and we need your help more than ever!
Many of you have seen the historical bipartisan work of key members of the legislature to pass “smart on crime” policies.
We’ve just received a call from a very reliable source warning us that within the next couple of days (and most likely on Sunday), the House will be voting on the budget, which will decide which road Texas will take – the road that will save the State millions of dollars, strengthen families, and increase public safety, or the road that will waste funding we don’t have on new prison construction, which weakens communities and turns a blind eye to strategies that will make Texas safer.
We urge each and every one of you call your State Representatives and urge them to join Rep. Jerry Madden, Rep. Sylvester Turner, and others, and remove the primary rider regarding prison construction.
Although the budget will not be available until some time later tonight or tomorrow (Fri), we have heard that the rider is in Article IX, and that it appropriates funds contingent upon passage of SJR 65 (which approves $1 billion for general revenue bonds to be used for various items, including prison construction) and S.B. 2033 (which allows the spending of those funds).
We also urge you to let your Representatives know that they must oppose ANY other provision that might show up in the budget and waste taxpayer dollars by building prisons.
Your work has gotten us so too far to let failed policies waste your hard earned money now. Help us make the state safer and smart on crime.
Find out the contact information of your elected official by logging onto the following website:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php
Your friends at the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition.
Texas Civil Rights Review 