Commissioner Bush Orders Land Office to Start 2016 Budget from Zero
The Texas General Land Office is starting next year's budget from zero.Commissioner George P. Bush ordered all agency budget planners and managers to jettison "baseline budgeting" in the upcoming fiscal year. Under baseline budgeting, planners set budgets based on what was spent in the prior year or two years, and then increase them by a few percent to take inflation into account."Baseline budgeting creates monster government," Commissioner Bush said. Read More
Chief Ranger statement in response to defacing incident, arrest at the Alamo
Today Chief of the Alamo Rangers, Mark Adkins, released the following statement in response to an incident of criminal vandalism resulting in an arrest at the Alamo:"On September 3, 2015, at approximately 4:40 p.m. an individual was observed by an Alamo Tour Guide inside the Alamo Church, in the room known as the Monks' Burial Room, desecrating the wall using a car key. An Alamo Tour Guide confronted the individual who attempted to flee the building, but was detained by Alamo Rangers until the San Antonio Police Department could arrive and take the individual into custody. Read More
Coastal Protection
Texas and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are teaming up for the first time ever to develop a plan to better protect the Texas coast from storms, and to speed recovery afterward. Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and Brigadier General David C. Hill, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division in Dallas, today signed Texas' first-ever agreement with the federal government to begin work in this context. "It has been seven years since hurricanes Ike and Dolly. We are still just as vulnerable now as we were then," Bush said. Read More
Commissioner Bush Leads 23-State Effort to End Green 'Sue and Settle' Racket
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush has joined forces with land commissioners from Wisconsin to Hawaii to stop environmentalists from taking advantage of American taxpayers."The Endangered Species Act was designed to preserve biodiversity, not enrich trial lawyers and political activists," said Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush. "So we've joined with our Western allies to put an end to 'sue and settle' and force the Obama administration to be upfront with the American people. Read More
Save Texas History
Save Texas History hit a milestone this week, earning more than $300,000 to preserve historic Texas maps with the online sales of historic map reproductions."The sale of historic map reproductions from the Land Office Archives funds the conservation of priceless original maps and documents at no cost to Texas taxpayers," Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush said. "All Texans should be proud of this efficient program. Read More
OSPRA Awards
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush today recognized six individuals who did more than all others last year to keep the coast clean. The commissioner honored them with Oil Spill Prevention and Response Awards. “OSPRA Award recipients exemplify how industry and regulatory agencies can work together to protect our environment,” Bush said. “They are best in class, going above and beyond to protect and preserve the Texas coast.” Lifetime AchievementBush tapped Texas A&M professor Norman L. Guinasso, Jr. Read More
GIS expertise
An international conference of geographic information system (GIS) technology users recently honored the General Land Office (GLO)for its innovative use of technology to make maps. The GIS team at the General Land Office won the Special Achievement Award for Exceptional Application of Geospatial Technology at the Esri International User Conference in San Diego. Read More
Voices of Veterans
The National Museum of the Marine Corps has a new Texas ambassador — U.S. Marine Major James Crabtree. Crabtree was appointed to the position by Governor Greg Abbott. Crabtree coordinates the Texas Veterans Land Board's Voices of Veterans oral history program. His new duties as a member of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's Governors Council will include helping spread the word to fellow Marines about the museum, just outside Quantico, Virginia. "It will be easy to talk about because it's the best museum I've ever seen," Crabtree said. Read More
Oil and gas
Texas' first-ever online sale of oil and gas leases quickly became the biggest state lease sale in the nation to be held on EnergyNet, earning public schools nearly $20 million Tuesday morning. "When private oil and gas companies develop minerals managed by the GLO, it creates high-paying jobs and earns hundreds of millions of dollars a year for public education in Texas," Bush said. Read More