>> GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT SENT A LETTER TO STATE AGENTS. SHE AGENCIES THIS MORNING ASKING THEM TO THINK TWICE BEFORE ACCEPTING FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. >> KXAN IS MONICA MADDEN REPORTS ON THE GOVERNOR'S WARNING ABOUT POSSIBLE STRINGS ATTACHED AND WHY SOME SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TEXAS EXCEPT THESE INVESTMENTS AS THEY COME IN. >> 35 BILLION THAT'S THE MONEY TEXAS IS SET TO RECEIVE UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED A MONTH AGO. THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT WILL IMPROVE TEXAS AIRPORTS, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ROADS AND BROADBAND ACCESS. WE NEED INTERNET CONNECTIVITY WE NEED WATER WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BILL WILL HELP DO BUT IT'S MONEY GOVERNOR ABBOTT SAYS STATE AGENCIES SHOULD NOT ACCEPT IF DOING SO WOULD HINDER OR NEEDLESSLY CONSTRAIN THE STATE BAN SKIN OF THE TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION APPLAUDS THIS APPROACH I REALLY SUGGESTED THAT WE LOOK AT THIS CLOSELY REJECTS FUNDS THAT ARE COMING DOWN IF WE REALLY DON'T NEED THEM IF THAT IS GOING TO SET US UP FOR FUTURE SPENDING AND THINGS THAT STATE DOES NOT NEED THAT WE SHOULDN'T HEADED DOWN IN THAT DIRECTION HE GUESSES THE GOVERNOR IS URGING CAUTION IN ORDER TO AVOID RELIANCE ON FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THINGS THE STATE HAS NOT APPROPRIATED MONEY FOR IT YET.
>> AS WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IS WHAT I LIKE WHAT WE CALL FISCAL CLIFFS WHERE YOU PUT ADDITIONAL MONEY INTO A CERTAIN AREA AND THAT MONEY DRIES UP AND NOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE IT WAS A BIPARTISAN BILL SO IF THERE WERE ANY CONCERNS I THINK THAT OUR REPUBLICAN FRIENDS WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THAT UP BUT WOULD NOT AGREE TO THAT SO I THINK THE BIPARTISAN IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
MY PREDICTION IS THAT. >> MOST THE GRAND MAJORITY OF THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS MONICA MADDEN KXAN NEWS. EXACTLY HOW MUCH WILL BE ALLOCATED TO EACH SECTOR IS STILL BEING DETERMINED TO GIVE YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE. >> THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN PASSED IN MARCH AND IT TOOK MONTHS FOR THAT MONEY TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERN.