Texas consumers may have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for an energy efficiency program that may not be effective, according to a report released this week by the Texas Public Policy Foundation and the Institute for Energy Research.

The report, “Energy Efficiency: Is Texas Getting Its Money’s Worth?” is on the Foundation’s Web site, www.TexasPolicy.com.

Bill White, Democratic nominee for governor, accused incumbent Gov. Rick Perry of giving a job creation grant to an investor associated with one of Perry's land deals – and that the particular investor failed to meet job creation goals.

White spoke at a press conference in his downtown Austin campaign headquarters today, calling for an audit of the Texas Enterprise Fund. His staff passed out a report titled "Rick Perry's Cash for Favors Land Deal Scandal," which charged that in 2006 the Governor dispensed with the usual 11-step process in doling out a $2.5 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant to Swearingen Aircraft Corporation of San Antonio. He further charged that most records surrounding the transaction were destroyed.

Recently sworn-in Texas Senate member Brian Birdwell (R-Waco) released a statement today denying that he voted in two states on the same general election day.

“There are inaccurate news reports published today which contain false information concerning my voting record," Birdwell said in a press release around noon today. "Let me be crystal clear. I have never, ever voted twice in the same election, and that charge is particularly offensive to a soldier who holds the voting process as honored and sacred."

Without naming a news story in particular, Birdwell said the account claimed he voted in Tarrant County on Nov. 2, 2004, and also in Prince William County, Va., that same day.

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill White took a high-profile swipe at Rick Perry at the Sheriffs' Association of Texas Annual Training Session today, while the Republican incumbent announced the support of eight Democratic border region sheriffs -- two of whom are also claimed by White.

The White campaign retorted with a press release claiming the support of 10 out of 15 sheriffs "whose county lines touch the border." We take a look at the campaigns' math -- as well as the dual endorsements -- below:

The State Board of Education (SBOE) approved a plan this morning around 11:30 a.m. that gives .5 percent of the Permanent School Fund to charter schools -- roughly $100 million.

Though The State Board of Education approved an asset allocation plan Thursday that did not include a payment to charter schools, board conservatives successfully added it back as an amendment on Friday.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time, but a Democratic-backed political action group, the Back to Basics PAC, released this ad today. We include it below, with responses to follow at a later time:

The Dallas Morning News reported that Bill White made $1.1 million in net profit from an oil company he started in the mid-'90s -- in contrast to an earlier statement that the Democratic gubernatorial nominee failed to make a substantial profit off the venture.

The story on the profit White made from the company, Frontera Resources, since 2006 may be read here: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/071810dntexwhitefrontera.1ee182a.html

The article made for some campaign fodder for the Rick Perry campaign over the weekend, including this statement, released Monday morning:

It looks like after so hard-fought a campaign between Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rick Perry, and Debra Medina in the GOP primary -- and barely a fight in the Democratic race -- Perry is trailing Bill White in terms of cash-on-hand.

The Bill White for Texas campaign boasted $9 million cash-on-hand and 16,000 supporters in a press release on the eve of the campaign finance report deadline. The Perry campaign maintains about $6 million in cash, it reported.

A recent poll claimed that three out of four Texans want the State Board of Education (SBOE) out of the statewide curriculum approval process.

"Voters show strong support," a polling report released by the Texas Freedom Network on Tuesday stated, "for ensuring that teachers and scholars can determine curriculum standards for public schools that provide a high quality education and prepares students for the future, without interference from partisan state board members."

Let's do a quick reality check on that statement, as well as the poll itself.

Three companies are currently being evaluated to operate the Texas Lottery through the next decade, the executive director of the state lottery commission announced Thursday.

During a hearing of the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures (a meeting mostly dedicated to discussions on whether to expand state-sponsored gaming in Texas), Texas Lottery Commission executive director Gary Grief said that since a January request for proposals went out, the three companies in the world large enough to handle the Texas Lottery all threw their hats in the ring. The spring deadline was extended through June following accusations of improper bidding practices by the Commission.