RECEIVED AU G 4 Austin, Texas 78711 Office of the Governor Phone (512) 475-0510 DATE: July 31, 1980 TO: David A. Dean FROM: Jim Kaster MEMO RE: The contingency plan for LEAA In reading your memo to WPC of July 29 I only had one concern. In your next to last paragraph you indicated that if the legislature passed the plan as submitted WPC would have the sole authority and discretion as to priorities and types of programs to be funded. As you know, in the last session of the legislature the legis- lature attempted to appropriate $860,000 a year out of Criminal Justice funds to help pay for District Attorneys' expenses. We vetoed that amount. Also, in the Appropriations Bill there are riders placed to require that senate and house members be notified not only of its grant application but also of awards made prior to the announcement of the grantee or the public. What this indicates to me is that the legislature may seize on the opportunity to stick their nose into the Criminal Justice planning funds. This is particularly true of Bill Heatly. He is cunning enough to know how to do it. The legislature will be looking at these funds and trying to tap them. I agree with the idea of a contingency plan but we do need to be aware of what the legislature may do. JJK:ncs CC: W. P. Clements, Jr. MIMES J. KASTER Legislative Liaison
