AUSTIN, TX – On Wednesday, the Texas House and Texas Senate both introduced their proposed appropriation bills for the 2026-2027 biennium.  The House version, HB 1, was introduced by State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), while the Senate version, SB 1,…

The News Comes Despite Promises of Tax Relief New data released by the Texas Comptroller’s office shows that property taxes increased for the second straight year, despite recent claims of property tax relief from politicians. Figure 1 shows the total…

Democrat Majority Defeats Republican Nominee David Cook On Tuesday, the long-awaited and highly contentious race for Speaker of the Texas House came to a disappointing conclusion for advocates of small government and fiscal responsibility. A majority of Democrat House members were…

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for January 16, 2025  (Day 3 of the 89th Legislative Session): Texas House of Representatives Subject: HR 3 –  Housekeeping Resolution Subject: HR 3 –  Housekeeping Resolution – Specific Amendments…

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for January 14, 2025  (Day 1 of the 89th Legislative Session): Texas House of Representatives Subject: Speaker of the House Texas Senate None Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state…

Today, on the first day of the 89th Legislative Session, TFR sent the following message to members of the Texas Legislature congratulating them on their election and informing them about the Fiscal Responsibility Index: Dear State Senator or State Representative, …

The latest Biennial Property Tax Report from the Texas Comptroller confirms what many Texas homeowners and fiscal watchdogs, like TFR, already suspected: property taxes did, in fact, increase in 2023 by $650 Million despite promises of relief.  While this news…

The 2025 Texas legislative session is set to begin on January 14th, and with it comes an opportunity to enact meaningful reforms to benefit Texans. For taxpayers, it is crucial to understand the legislative process, key dates, and mechanisms that…

What it means for conservative-fiscal policy On Saturday, the Texas House Republican Caucus convened in the capitol building to cast their votes for a new Speaker, following Dade Phelan’s withdrawal from the contentious race the day before. As reported by…

This morning, the sitting Speaker of the Texas House, Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) released a statement announcing that he was withdrawing his candidacy to remain Speaker in the 89th Legislative Session.  Phelan’s statement announcing his decision said, in part, “Out of…

Just one week after the 2024 election in which the Republican Party further expanded their majorities in both chambers of the Texas Legislature, pre-filing of bills for the 2025 legislative session has started.  Thanks to the widespread victories of anti-establishment…

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…

Every year, the non-profit organization Truth in Accounting publishes its Financial State of the States report, which evaluates the fiscal health of all 50 states based on their latest financial data. The 2024 report is a thorough, data-driven analysis that…

The ongoing strike of longshoremen at major U.S. ports is a disruption with widespread consequences for American industries, businesses, and, most importantly, taxpayers and families. As the backbone of international trade, American ports handle an immense volume of imports and…

The recent decision by the Federal Reserve to slash interest rates by half a percentage point has sent ripples through the economic landscape, raising crucial questions for fiscal conservatives. While some may tout this move as a necessary step to…