Gavel to Gavel — Senior Care

AUSTIN — A list of demands is on the table for lawmakers. It comes from a group standing up for seniors that's been around 12 years. They're called the Silver-haired Legislature. Seniors are a reliable voting block, but they do have some big issues to address this year.

The group of seniors representing all parts of the state say they want help with many issues. To help get them all addressed, they're top concern is establishing a committee on aging.

Specifically, they want medicaid funding to go up .. they say the money now doesn't meet the costs for long-care providers. They also want more money to go to transportation, even in rural communities. Property values are important when it comes to taxes, so they're asking for a cap of just 5% increase per year. One big issue that many groups will be talking about is re-enacting state regulation of electric utilities.

UNEMPLOYMENT FUND

There's some more urgent issues getting lawmakers' attentions now. The state's reporting they expect to be short almost five hundred million dollars short on unemployment compensation by October.

The governor suspended the tax that replenishes the fund and with record jobless claims. The money will be used up quickly. The law requires the fund exist, so lawmakers have three options: get bonds, raise taxes again on business owners or get a loan.