Well, well, well.
It seems like secession lovin', stimulus hatin' Texas Governor Rick Perry doesn't mind all stimulus funds.
Apparently, he is going to use Obama's money to rebuild his house.
(More after flip)
Last year, the Texas Governor's Mansion was severely damaged in a fire. Ironically, the fire occurred while they were remodeling to put in a sprinkler system.
Since last fall, television commericals have been running featuring celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey, Lee Ann Rimes and others urging Texans to pony up for repairs.
Well, according to the Associated Press, apparently Rick Perry and the Republican Legislature have found a new way to pay for it...federal stimulus dollars.
May 21, 5:46 PM EDT
Stimulus funds for repair of Governor's Mansion
By JAY ROOT
Associated Press Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- While Gov. Rick Perry is criticizing Washington bailouts, state lawmakers are planning to use $11 million in federal stimulus money to help rebuild the badly burned Texas Governor's Mansion.
Top budget negotiators said Thursday that a House-Senate committee agreed on the expenditures late Wednesday night. Some $11 million in federal rescue dollars would be spent to refurbish the mansion, which was badly burned in an arson fire last summer.
Around $10 million in state tax money will also be spent on a renovation expected to cost about $20 million, officials said.
"If we're going to fix it up we're going to have to use stimulus money," said Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan. "We've made a decision to use the stimulus money. This is a good use of it."
Ogden, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, both said the $11 million was coming out of a $700 million rescue package for Texas - part of the massive federal stimulus pie approved earlier this year by the U.S. Congress.
The financing for the repairs was decided in a late Wednesday meeting of the budget conference committee, which Ogden and Pitts lead, both men said. The final budget still faces a vote in the House and Senate, then approval from Perry, before it can become law.
Asked if Perry approved of using federal money for the mansion, Pitts said, "He just wanted it done."
Now keep in mind that Texas has a Rainy Day Fund with more than $6 billion in it.
Also keep in mind that the legislature is today debating a plan to get the last $555 million in unemployment funds offered in the stimulus plan, over Perry's objection.
I'm used to GOP hypocrisy, but this really takes the cake.
Your money repairing Perry's House