News
Senate Committee on Local Government Meets on Important Taxpayer Items
This week, the Senate Committee on Local Government met to deal with a list of issues and charges, some of which involved property taxes, taxpayer-funded lobbying, and appraisal reform. In many ways, this was the Senate version of the charges…
House Committees Met on Issues Important to Texas Taxpayers
On Thursday, both the Texas House Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees held interim public hearings in preparation for the upcoming legislative session set to begin in January of 2023. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility was there in person to help…
Opportunities Grow for Texas Taxpayers Concerned About Property Taxes
As state lawmakers prepare for the 2023 legislative session in the coming weeks, Texas taxpayers have multiple opportunities to address state lawmakers on issues like their ever-increasing property tax burdens. Texas Senate Local Government Committee The Texas Senate Local…
Eliminate Property Tax: By the Numbers
Recently, the 22,000-member Facebook group Eliminate the Property Tax featured a write-up by group admin Russell Bennett that supports House Bill 3742 (from the 83rd legislative session) and explains why their group is still in support of the bill, which they…
City of Deer Park Proposes Increase in Property Taxes
As we have begun to report on local jurisdictions adopting new tax rates for the next fiscal year, it has become apparent that many around the state are failing to adopt the “no-new-revenue” tax rate. This has caused several concerned…
Abbott Draws Line in the Sand on Budget Surplus Use for Property Tax Relief
On Wednesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott reportedly opined on the projected budget surplus and its partial use for the purposes of providing a property tax cut. “Texas is sitting on a record budget surplus of $27 billion… Because this…
Deceptive Duncanville: Status Quo for Local Politics
As we have begun to report on cities adopting new tax rates and many failing to adopt the no-new-revenue rate, a number of folks have reached out to us at Texans for Fiscal Responsibility about the deceptive practices reducing transparency…
Polling Suggests Most Texans Want True Property Tax Relief
This week, the Defend Texas Liberty PAC released polling that suggested a majority of Texans, from both major political parties, support using a majority of the projected budget surplus to lower their property tax burdens. Polling Results Among several…
Higher Education Escapes Culpability in Student Loan Debt Forgiveness Debate
Last week, the Biden administration announced plans to eliminate a portion of student loan debt for Americans who qualify under a certain income threshold. To be clear, the plan collectivizes the debt incurred by individuals and further burdens U.S. taxpayers….
Student Loan Forgiveness: Potential Fuel to the Inflation Fire
Why pay off your debt if you can get your fellow Americans to pick up the tab? Traditionally, if an individual takes out a loan, it is with the promise that it will be paid back. But evidently, that dynamic…
Despite Promises From Appropriators, No Major Cities Are Adopting the No-New-Revenue Rate
It’s that time of year again: local governments across Texas are considering their budgets for the next fiscal year and setting their tax rates to support such spending. This year is special for Texas taxpayers because it is a year…
Upcoming Opportunity for Texas Taxpayers to Opine on Growing Property Tax Problem
As state lawmakers prepare for the 2023 legislative session in the coming weeks, Texas taxpayers have an opportunity to address them on issues like their ever-increasing property tax burdens. Texas House Ways & Means Committee The Texas House Ways…
Abbott Spends $1,400 per Bus Rider to Help Biden Keep Illegal Immigrants in America
Currently in Texas, immigrants caught crossing the border illegally can volunteer to be put on charter buses, which are primarily paid for by Texas taxpayers. These immigrants are then securely bused to either Washington, D.C., or New York City. This…
No Such Thing as Failing Schools in Texas, Sort Of
An announcement from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) on Monday came with great news! According to them, there is no such thing as a failing school in Texas … kind of. The TEA just released its newest accountability ratings for…
House Speaker Wants to Renew Controversial Corporate Welfare Program
Last week, Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan made headlines for his comments at the West Texas Legislative Summit in San Angelo, Texas, where he indicated that the House will take a “long, hard look” in the next legislative session…