CPRIT, tech fund still passed over by budget panel

House budget panel takes no action on CPRIT, tech fund requests while adopting funding plans

Published On: Feb 28 2013 11:19:36 AM CST
Texas News
AUSTIN, Texas -

Texas' troubled $3 billion cancer-fighting agency and Gov. Rick Perry's signature fund for high-tech startups still haven't swayed budget writers to hand over more taxpayer dollars.

The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday didn't include fresh funding for either initiative while adopting recommended budget plans. Lawmakers didn't even discuss the possibility before swiftly adopting subcommittee proposals.

That means the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the Emerging Technology Fund still have some convincing to do. Both want a combined $830 million dollars over the next biennium for cancer research and money for private startups to create new technologies and jobs.

The cancer agency, known as CPRIT, is under criminal investigation following the revelation of questionable grant awards. Perry's tech fund has been dogged by failed investments and oversight concerns.

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