Sequester cuts could impact Texas and the Valley

RIO GRANDE VALLEY (KVEO NEWS CENTER 23) — According to the White House, if the sequester happens, Texas will lose:

• $67.8 million in primary and secondary education funding.
• 930 teaching and teachers' aides jobs will be in jeopardy.
• There'll be a decrease of 172,000 in the number of students served.
• There'll be a decrease of 280 schools receiving funding.
• Funding for disabled students will be decreased by $51 million.
• Decrease of up to 620 jobs in staff working with disabled students.

Nationwide there would be 83-billion dollars in cuts across the board from a total federal budget and unless Congress comes to an agreement by March 1st, a series of automatic cuts called sequester would go into effect and have major impacts.

Dr. Salvador Contreras, Economics Professor at UTPA says, "We're likely to be affected by this to some degree and it's just not clear at this point how we would be affected. "

And that's because it's up to congress to attempt to come to a middle ground by March 1st, republicans refuse to close tax loopholes, on the other hand  democrats feel thousands of middle class jobs could be in jeopardy.

Contreras say, "Republicans appear to not be giving any ground..i think they only what the president to propose cuts in only government spendings and they seem unwilling to allow any tax increases... "

Many polls show that the majority of Americans support the president's plan to avert the sequester through new taxes and spending cuts, but still many are concerned.

So what effects would these cuts have on us here in Texas? We are talking about 25% job cuts from border security, 70-million in educational funding, and nearly 2.5 million in healthcare.
 However, these aren't the only cuts.

Nationally, air travel could also be crippled, fewer TSA agents would mean longer security lines and fewer air traffic controllers and here in Texas 930 teaching jobs would be in jeopardy, this would include some major cuts, which concerns many locally because many cuts would take place.

Meanwhile, as time is ticking down closer to March 1st, only time will tell the final outcome.