Police and Fire Pension System Will Not Pay Out DROP Accounts. Board members decided Thursday not to pay out lump sums this month, citing the $2.2 billion fund’s fragile state. Officials were unable to renegotiate a debt agreement that could generate the need for a $174 million loan if the fund dips below $2 billion. Dipping below $2 billion to pay lump-sum withdrawals would further damage the entire fund. The decision angered many retirees in attendance.
Former IT Chief Suspected John Wiley Price Was Leaking Info. In testimony Thursday, the former Dallas County information technology director said he presumed that the commissioner was disclosing confidential documents to help his associate’s clients win county contracts. When the director shared this discovery with top officials, they declined to act.
Thursday Was A Busy Day For Tony Romo. The day began with the expectation that the Cowboys would release the 36-year-old quarterback. They didn’t. Then, there were reports that the ‘Boys might trade Romo. The Houston Texans and Denver Broncos were the top contenders. But Romo remained on the Cowboys’ roster at the end of Thursday. In the midst of uncertainty, he released a 39-second “farewell video” on social media, thanking fans for their support.
Prosecutors Ask For a Delay in Paxton Trial, Seek Payment. The attorneys, who are pursuing criminal charges against state Attorney General Ken Paxton, have not been paid for work they did on the case in 2016. The prosecutors submitted a $205,000 invoice in January, but a local taxpayer (and former Paxton donor) filed a lawsuit to block them from receiving that money, insisting their hourly fees violated a local cap on prosecutors’ pay. The 5th Court of Appeals will make the decision.
