Galveston County Daily News, June 19, 2007
GALVESTON - A veto by Gov. Rick Perry last week erased $2 million that the University of Texas Medical Branch would have used to prevent and treat diabetes. Perry, however, approved $18 million for diabetes research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
"One of my priorities is increasing collaboration among the agencies and institutions of higher education. The medical branch can collaborate with Southwestern." Perry, who vetoed $570 million in state appropriations as he slashed away at what he called "pork," said: "Our process of funding higher education is seriously flawed." Dr. Randall J. Urban, chair of internal medicine at the medical branch and director of its Stark Diabetes Center, said he was disappointed by Perry's veto. The center would have divided the state appropriations among communities, giving $150,000 each to Laredo, Brownsville, Corpus Christi and the Galveston region, which includes Brazoria, Orange, Matagorda and Jefferson counties. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=56002d5d4c47a2e3