Texans know that economic freedom is the foundation of prosperity. Yet, despite Republican control of the Governor’s Office and Legislature since 2003, state and local government spending has grown far too much, burdening taxpayers and stifling even greater economic growth….

Texas ranks 7th in the 2025 State Tax Competitiveness Index, benefiting from its lack of an individual income tax and a competitive unemployment insurance tax system. However, high property taxes, a complex corporate tax system, and excessive government spending, all…

Property taxes are a financial burden that Texans can no longer afford to endure. Over the past 26 years, Figure 1 illustrates how property taxes have increased by an unsustainable 330%, far outpacing population and inflation growth of 136%. Figure…

States across the country are rethinking tax reform to stay competitive for residents and businesses. Many are exploring ways to phase out personal income, business franchise, and property taxes to attract workers, foster economic growth, and ensure property rights. But…

Texas is at a critical point in addressing its housing affordability crisis. As the property tax burden on Texans is at historic highs, the State’s housing market faces serious challenges that drive up costs and limit access to affordable homes….

In the latest economic showdown between Texas and California—the two largest U.S. states by population and economic output—the results are clear: Texas is outpacing California in job creation and overall economic performance.  Over the year leading up to September 2024,…

Big Government Is Holding America Back America’s federal debt has now skyrocketed past $35 trillion—an increase of $2.3 trillion in just the last fiscal year. Inflation persists, with core prices rising 3.3% over the past year. Meanwhile, government jobs are…

As Texas faces rising property taxes and record-high government spending, it’s time to reassess the path toward long-term prosperity. Recent data illustrates Texas’ strengths and challenges.  In August 2024, Texas maintained a 4.1% unemployment rate, while the state’s GDP grew…

The following piece is taken from Dr. Vance Ginn’s Testimony to the Texas House Select Committee on Sustainable Property Tax Relief: Over the last decade, the Texas Legislature has made some progress in providing property tax relief, but the housing…

Overview Introduction ​Recently, the Texas Legislative Budget Board released the Fiscal Size-Up 2024-25 Biennium report with the latest estimated or budgeted amounts in the prior 2022-23 budget and the appropriated 2024-25 budget. The results from the 88th Texas Legislature’s efforts…

The State of Texas is pouring unprecedented amounts of taxpayer money into public education with little to show for it.  From the 2014-15 school year, to the 2022-23 school year, total education spending surged 53% to $92.4 billion, while per-student…

Texas at the Crossroads: Sustaining Leadership Amid New Challenges Texas has long been at the forefront of job creation in the U.S., consistently outpacing other states, particularly since the COVID lockdowns. However, recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics…

This commentary was originally published at VanceGinn.com here. It is being republished with permission from the author. Overview Despite increases in public education expenditures with taxpayer money in Texas, student performance is flat or declining. Texas is falling behind thriving states…

Introduction The Texas Legislative Budget Board (LBB) publishes the “Fiscal Size-Up” report after every session to comprehensively review the state’s budget and fiscal actions for the biennium. The latest report, covering the 2024-25 budget period, offers crucial insights into how…

This commentary was originally published at the American Institute for Economic Research here. It is being republished with permission from the author. The latest employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for June 2024 offers a compelling snapshot of the divergent economic…