Bush Says He's Still Undecided

Noting the attention he has drawn as an undeclared presidential candidate, Republican Gov. George W. Bush urged Texas legislators to use the national spotlight to show the nation how limited, bipartisan government solves problems.

In his State of the State address Wednesday, Bush, unlike a week ago in his inaugural address, acknowledged how his indecision over seeking the White House in 2000 has taken center stage.

While he repeated that he remains undecided on seeking the GOP presidential nomination, Bush said state House and Senate members could capitalize on his rising national profile.

"I have been asked about it. You have been asked about it. You didn't ask for it, but it is here anyway. And we can either view it as a distraction, or seize it as an opportunity to show the world what limited and constructive government looks like."

Bush noted that the nation's second-largest state, with the world's 11th-largest economy, runs well with a Legislature that meets only 140 days every other year.

He said Texas' short lawmaking period focuses the attention of all participants because it "requires us to put aside posturing and politics and find common ground.

"We sometimes disagree, but we do so agreeably," he said.

The first Texas governor re-elected to consecutive four-year terms, Bush praised lawmakers for changes enacted during his first term. The state's welfare rolls have been trimmed by half, more than 340,000, to the lowest level in a decade, he said.

Bush, the son of former President George W. Bush, is considered an early front-runner for the 2000 GOP nomination.

In his speech, Bush backed a $2 billion property tax cut and supported a bill requiring minors to receive parental consent for abortions.

He also called for increased education spending, including the launching of a pilot program for "school vouchers" under which students would receive public money to attend private schools. The voucher proposal is a favorite of social conservatives, but opponents fear it could hurt the public school system.

"It's time to see if it works," Bush said.

Bush, who describes himself as a "compassionate conservative," also spoke about the benefits of racial and ethnic diversity.

Texas should be "united in our diversity so every Texan can find the common ground of Texas values that are larger than race or party," Bush said.