Dewhurst Intends to Increase Education Spending

The Dew was speaking at a legislative conference in New Braunfels on Friday, and said this:

"We can still fund education, the Foundation School Program . . . at the same appropriated level we're funding right this second, actually higher." 

Note that he said "the Foundation School Program," with no mention of all of the discretionary grant programs that have been benefiting Texas public schools, such as the pre-K program, technology grants, monies for new science labs, Student Success Initiatives, teen parenting programs, etc.

Dewhurst is hunting for $5 billion in non-tax revenue, by possibly selling state lands and making more money from investments. At the Friday conference, Democratic Senator Leticia Van de Putte called Dewhurst her "number one magician." My questions are:

Is the Lt. Governor going to implement more tax swaps and lay more fees on taxpayers, yet again tricking Republican voters into thinking they have not been taxed?

If there is a way to manipulate investments to bring in $5 billion in revenues, what have we been waiting around for? Why hasn't that already been done during Dewhurst's 8-year stent as Texas' lieutenant governor?