AUSTIN – In a sharp rebuff of Gov. Rick Perry, the Senate on Thursday tentatively voted to accept $555 million in unemployment aid from the federal economic stimulus plan.
Senators voted 22-9 in favor of a bill by Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, that would authorize state officials to receive the stimulus money to shore up Texas' trust fund for unemployed workers.
The Texas Workforce Commission has estimated that the fund will drop $839 million below its minimum required level by Oct. 1 because of the large number of Texans receiving unemployment benefits this year.
If the stimulus funds are not accepted – as the governor has proposed – employers would be called on to make up the difference through a "deficit" unemployment insurance tax next year.
All of the no votes in the GOP-dominated Senate were cast by Republicans, but 10 GOP members joined with Democrats in voting for the bill.
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