Texas legislators released their first draft of the state budget on Tuesday which looked to cut around $14 billion in spending.  Deep cuts in almost every state agency will affect many in Brown County, but education cuts may hit especially hard in the area if they make the final draft of the budget later this year.

Pulling funding and closure for several two-year colleges in Texas is in this first draft of the budget which includes Ranger College.

Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, Frank Phillips College in Borger, and Odessa College are also on the chopping block.   The proposed plan calls for $772 million in funding to be cut from colleges and universities across the state.

“To me, that is the height of irresponsibility,” State Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, told Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts on the House Floor regarding the proposed closures.

Ranger College reports a significant increase in enrollment from Spring 2009 to Spring 2010, partially attributed to the new campus recently opened in Brownwood.

The proposed budget also cuts $5 billion of funding for Texas public schools.