AUSTIN – In his State of the State address last week, Republican Gov. Rick Perry talked about university tuition freezes and adult stem cell research, but El Paso’s Democratic delegation said it’s what he didn’t talk about that matters.

“What I didn’t hear from the governor’s speech was solutions,” said new state Rep. Joe Moody. “During his time as governor and with a House chamber that was more about politics than policy, good programs have been ignored or worse, whittled down with budget cuts.”

Perry acknowledged that the country is facing an economic crisis and that the Legislature would have to put more effort into working together to get real work done.

“Over the remaining 126 days we might define the word ‘good’ a little differently from time to time,” Perry said. “We might diverge on how to get it done, but I have no doubt that each of us is committed to doing what’s best for the state. We were put in this building to serve those outside the building.”

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) said Perry should have focused more on making solid investments for the future.

“One in five Texas children are uninsured; tuition at UTEP has risen 73 percent; tax cuts for the wealthy have hurt public schools, forcing them to cut key programs,” Shapleigh said. “Texas is No. 1 in dropouts and No. 46 in SATs. When Rick Perry values tax cuts for the wealthy over investments in our future, Texas loses.”

Perry’s address was undoubtedly less controversial and interesting than his speech before the last legislative session when he said the state lottery was for sale and that a top priority would be funding for the medical school in El Paso.

He briefly mentioned El Paso this time around, but it was only in reference to the size of the state.

One item that perked up ears on the House floor was Perry’s call to legislators to prohibit tuition increases for a student during their four years of college.

He also wants to allow military veterans to pay state-resident tuition rates, regardless of where they live.

But all the higher education talk wasn’t enough to convince Democratic leaders.

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie said Perry’s focus on tuition costs was ironic in that he created the problem himself.

“Texans pay the highest insurance rates in the nation and today, Gov. Perry attempted to change the subject and focus on inflated college tuition costs – a lame attempt to fix a problem he created,” Richie said. “His cynical political maneuver serves only to highlight the failures of the tired old Republican policies of the past.”

Heading into the speech, many were also talking about the influence of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on the campaign. She’ll be challenging Gov. Perry in the 2010 primary.

“What we saw today sounded more like the ‘state of Gov. Perry’s campaign’ address,” Richie said. “Texans expect more than political posturing. Unfortunately, Gov. Perry wants to lay blame and point fingers, even at his rivals within the Republican Party. That’s not leadership – it’s rank political posturing.”

Among the major points in Perry’s speech were:

Budget and taxes
• Devote $260 million to the Texas Enterprise Fund and to the $203.5 million Emerging Technology Fund, which are used to provide job-creation incentives to companies, and spend $60 million on incentives for in-state film production.

• Raise the franchise-tax exemption for small businesses to $1 million; currently, businesses with $300,000 or more in gross receipts must pay some taxes.

Public education
• Spend $622.5 million on teacher incentive pay.

• Create an incentive program for schools that tackle childhood obesity.

Higher education
• Prohibit tuition increases for a student over his or her four years of college.

• Increase financial aid for college students and college nursing programs.

• Allow military veterans to pay state-resident tuition rates, regardless of where they live.

• Provide universities incentive funding based on graduation rates.

Social issues
• Invest in adult stem-cell research.

• Require women seeking an abortion to see an ultrasound before the procedure.