$25 Million JET Fund needs Perry's signature

Thursday, June 11, 2009 - Go to External Article

Austin American Statesman

by Danny Yadron

Take it as yet another sign that the economy ain’t looking so great these days.

About 50 people crammed the Senate press conference room this afternoon to celebrate the pending creation of the $25 million Jobs and Education for Texans Fund.

The idea, spearheaded by Comptroller Susan Combs, would allocate $5 million for student tuition assistance, $10 million for start up equipment and $10 million for competitive grants for long-term job training programs.

The proposal, originally pitched in a December report by Combs, still needs a signature from Gov. Rick Perry.

The Network of Texas Industrial Areas Foundation Organizations spent much of the regular session lobbying lawmakers for the job training fund embodied in House Bill 1935 by Rep. Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio, and HB 3, a school accountability bill by Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands. The Legislature passed both bills.

The group, which includes the local coalition Austin Interfaith, runs four career training programs in the state. Capital IDEA, the Austin branch, has seen a surge in activity during the past 10 months, organizers said. At a program orientation last month, some 150 of the city’s jobless crammed into the auditorium of an East Austin church.

About 650 use the highly selective program a year to obtain a job in nursing, technology or green energy, said Doug Greco, lead organizer for Austin Interfaith. If Perry approves the fund, Capital IDEA could handle about 300 more students a year, he said.

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