Lawmakers prepare for negotiations

MySA.com: "With a week left in the special legislative session, lawmakers advanced negotiations Wednesday in search of a school funding compromise that has eluded them four times in the past three years.

Republican Gov. Rick Perry called the 30-day special session to restructure the way Texans are taxed to pay for public education. Both the House and Senate have approved their versions of school funding packages, which consist of two bills each — one that makes education changes and the other that overhauls the tax code to pay for public schools.

'I think we're going down to the wire,' said Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick, who presides over the House. 'We'll have to have a bill on the floor by, I would say Tuesday — Monday or Tuesday.'

That gives lawmakers through the weekend to come up with a compromise on the two measures."