Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

TYC officials proved no better at hiring than incarcerating or rehabilitating. Unable to fill the jobs, they found themselves with millions in unspent salary money. (photo courtesy texastough.files.wordpress.com)

Anyone who depends on higher-ups to approve funding for an annual budget knows the drill: Whatever they give you this year, spend it; if not, they might think you don't need as much next year.

In a nutshell, that's how top officials at the Texas Youth Commission – yes, that Texas Youth Commission – found themselves in the soup again.

TYC, which has earned national notoriety for abusive treatment of juvenile offenders placed in its care, wanted $14 million to reorganize its offices and accommodate new hires.

The Texas Legislature – no doubt horrified by Page One stories detailing rampant misdeeds in TYC facilities – said no. Instead, legislators said, they would give the troubled agency $29 million to hire new corrections officers, which is what it really needs.

TYC officials proved no better at hiring than incarcerating or rehabilitating. Unable to fill the jobs, they found themselves with millions in unspent salary money.

Their politically incomprehensible solution? "Hey, now we can reorganize and renovate our offices!"

Legislators, alerted by Emily Ramshaw of our Austin Bureau, are, shall we say, somewhat taken aback by this blatant affront. We certainly can't blame them.

Shifting a few travel dollars around might not be a giant deal in most budgets. But the TYC has become enough of a laughingstock – and an outright danger to many Texas teens – that short of using pepper spray on its critics, this was the worst idea possible.

Imagine the scene when TYC officials show up to discuss their next budget and face a group of legislators with bandages on their bitten hands.

We hope Dimitria Pope, the acting executive director, enjoys that new $600 office chair, since it sounds like she won't be sitting in it much longer.