The Legistlative Cocktail Hour

Perry calls third special session to tackle transportation

Gov. Rick Perry called a third special session of the Texas Legislature today, after lawmakers failed to pass a transportation bill that would pay for roads. The most viable legislation would have diverted gas and oil revenues from the Rainy Day Fund into one for Texas roads and infrastructure. The bill came to a screeching halt over bipartisan objections in the House on Monday.

Because this is one of the three things the legislature was supposed to tackle in the first and then second session, Perry is undoubtedly annoyed at the prospect of taking a break from harassing Californians and New Yorkers to focus on another installment of Austin politics. This third session will add another couple hundred thousand dollars to the $1.6 million the two previous special sessions have cost taxpayers, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

(Insider tip: If you want to see your favorite representative or senator cry, today would be the day to head to the Cloak Room and watch them wallow in their whiskey.)

They might as well put a “Mess with Texas” bumper sticker on the presidential limo
This line from a recent Politico article sums up quite nicely how some Texans feel about U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement last week that the Department of Justice will be taking Texas to court over our new voting maps, as well as challenging the state's ability to pass fair voting laws.

This all comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the provision in the Voting Rights Act that makes it mandatory for states with a history of institutional racism to run any new voting laws by the federal government. You may recall that Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott barely waited a day after the SCOTUS announcement to begin pushing these Republican-friendly, minority-disenfranchising maps through before the fall.

While it doesn’t come as a surprise that Holder would go after Texas instead of — I don’t know — Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia or any other state, it certainly does play into the stereotype: The rest of the country sees us as racist cowboys, and an example needs to be made. This is 2013! It’s not like one of the most powerful men in Texas is trying to push through an undemocratic tool that strips Hispanic and black voters of their rights! That would be ridiculous. Actually, that’s exactly what’s happening.

Wendy Davis and Ted Cruz news
Two of the most buzzed about Texas lawmakers are making waves in Washington this week. Davis (D-Fort Worth) has been speaking at various Democratic events in the nation’s capital, adding to the rumors that she will be considering running for a higher public office. The next Ann Richards? Maybe. The next Kay Bailey Hutchison? Perhaps a bit more likely (KBH's Republican leanings aside).

Speaking of Texas senators, what’s going on with that delightful Ted Cruz? Well, he’s continuing his Tour de Crazy this week bashing Obamacare, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and his fellow Republicans in the Senate. Right now, Cruz alongside Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Marco “Thirsty” Rubio (R-Florida) are attempting to block Obamacare by simply not voting a budget and then shaming fellow Republicans by calling them "scared."

And you thought all Canadians were nice.

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A Towering Task

Famous UT Tower will look new again after years of renovations

Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

The Tower in its current state.

One of the most famous sights at the University of Texas at Austin, the Tower, is soon undergoing a big renovation. It'll take a few years, estimated through the summer of 2027, but when it comes out the other side it should look like as new as it did in 1937.

The project is called “Our Tower: The Next 100 Years,” and it will start exterior work in November. It is part of a $70 million budget that was improved in August, and it'll include work on the "stone, windows, lighting, clockface, and historic gilding on the facade," according to a press release.

This will mean repainting metal and wood, applying gilding, and reconstructing the east and west entrances, all in their original colors and styles.

Some renovations were announced in 2022, but this announcement gives a more complete look at what will be done — and some of the work is coming as soon as this fall.

A rendering of the Tower after renovations looks the same, but cleaner.Rendering courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

“The most iconic symbol of The University of Texas, the Tower represents the long-standing tradition of excellence this great University is known for,” said UT System Board of Regents chairman Kevin P. Eltife int the release. “This restoration is one of the board’s top priorities, and we are thrilled the work is getting underway. We want every UT student, faculty and staff member, and alum to have a sense of pride as they walk across the Forty Acres, and especially when they see the Tower restored to its former glory.”

Some of the work is also to improve how the Tower functions, including updating exterior lights to work with LEDs, replacing some roofs, and fixing up windows for better energy efficiency.

A summary by the University of the project's scope so far.Graphic courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

The project will be led by Robert A.M. Stern Architects LLC (RAMSA), which partially specializes in historic renovations and has worked on other university projects, including at Yale, the University of Portland (in Oregon), Georgetown University (in Washington, D.C.), the University of Connecticut, and other stately buildings.

UT Tower spandrels Someone repaints the cast iron spandrels in 1969. They depict five ancient alphabets: Egyptian hieroglyphics, Phoenician, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

The Tower will keep serving its current purposes throughout the process, including as a commemorative surface for burnt orange lighting, although it will be fitted with scaffolding and a decorative covering, along with the main building, which will be covered first in November. The Tower and the main building's south facade will stay uncovered until after commencement in 2025.

“Our Tower was built as a sign of audacity and a young university’s aspirations for excellence. Nearly a century later, we have those same characteristics. The Tower represents what is possible for a world-class university that is committed to creating knowledge and teaching tomorrow’s leaders to change the world,” said UT President Jay Hartzell. “Thanks to the vision and support of our Board of Regents, and the generosity of alumni and friends, we are ready to begin realizing the future for our most important University landmark.”

A 2027 view of the West Entrance.Rendering courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

Funding doesn't come entirely from the Board of Regents’ budget; it is also from the Available University Fund and individual gifts. The campaign to provide funding is ongoing, led by Marcie and Bob Zlotnik. The amount raised will eventually determine the final scope of the project.

“Bob and I are honored to contribute to such a historic project for the University, which will restore the Tower to its former luster and secure its legacy for future generations of Longhorns,” said Marcie Zlotnik. “The Tower holds such a special place in our hearts, and through the very earliest phase of this effort, we have relished connecting with many of the University’s friends and supporters to reignite our collective love for it.”

More information about the Tower is available at tower.utexas.edu.

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