CAPITOL LETTERS

Former House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, and two GOP colleagues, Lubbock's Delwin Jones and Pasadena's Robert Talton, just held a presser to denounce the $152.5 billion budget that is before lawmakers today -- and Republican Speaker Tom Craddick's use of it for his own political ends.

The three dissidents assailed $100 million of late additions to the budget, college "special items" that they said Mr. Craddick used to shore up support so he could face down efforts to remove him. Mr. Pitts also outlined tens of millions of pork projects inserted for the Midland-Odessa, Permian Basin area, which Mr. Craddick represents.

"We can and must do better," Mr. Pitts said. "This budget is bloated and fiscally irresponsible."

While Mr. Pitts said he thinks fiscally conservative Republicans should oppose the budget and force a special session on the subject, he dodged a question about whether anti-Craddick forces have the votes to blow up the budget.

Craddick spokeswoman Alexis DeLee said she would respond -- but is too busy right now listening to dissidents' attempt to get Mr. Craddick on record for every aspect of the vast power he's been claiming since Friday afternoon.