News
The Ginn Economic Brief: U.S. Economic Situation—October 2023
Highlights Figure 1: Year-Over-Year Real Average Weekly Earnings Declined for 26 Months Before Increasing in the Last Three but Fell Again and Remain Down Nearly 5% Since January 2021 Overview Labor Market The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its…
School Choice for All… Some… Not That Many
What does it say about a state that has to pay off government schools and those within the government school system in order to potentially adopt a school choice system that benefits only some students? That scenario is exactly what…
Comptroller Says Texas is Taking Too Much of Your Money
The State’s metaphorical piggy bank continues to fill up with surplus dollars from your wallet, says the Texas Comptroller. Last Friday, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Certification Revenue Estimate(CRE) for the fiscal 2024-25 biennium. The CRE revises estimates from…
ROUND 3: The Third Special Session Has Begun
The third special session of the year has officially started, with the Texas House and Texas Senate both convening this afternoon. Tensions between the two chambers and members of leadership are high after a strained regular session, two special sessions,…
Last Call for School Choice: Third Special Session in Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is again promoting what could be universal school choice during the third special session in Texas that starts on Oct. 9th. That would be among the best actions Texas can make, the other being eliminating…
Texas House Lawmakers Join the Call for Audit of Impeachment Investigation
Friday, three Texas House lawmakers called on both the Texas House Speaker, Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) and State Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction) to conduct a “complete audit and providing an itemized account of taxpayer funds spent on the impeachment investigation and…
Abbott Officially Announces Third Special Session
Rumors had abounded for months that Governor Abbott was going to call a third special session to address so-called “school choice.” The third special session of the year has officially been called by Governor Abbott, with the State Legislature to…
EXPLAINER: The Basics of How to Engage with the Legislature
The Texas State Legislature meets for its Constitutionally-required regular session once every odd-numbered year for 140 days from roughly mid-January to the end of May. The Governor can call additional special sessions of thirty days at any point outside of…
Stopgap Passage Results In Vacating McCarthy’s Speakership
In recent developments, the budgetary decisions and the political maneuvering in the U.S. Congress have taken an unforeseen turn, spotlighting the fiscal discourse that underpins our nation’s governance. The passage of the stopgap resolution, a temporary measure to prevent a…
Understanding School Choice: A Comprehensive Guide
In the realm of education, the term “school choice” has become a buzzword, sparking discussions, debates, and policy changes across the globe. But what exactly is school choice, and why is it significant? Let’s delve into the concept and explore…
Texas Two Step in Dallas: Property Tax Relief but Excessive Spending by State and Localities
This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. If you live in Texas, then your property taxes are skyrocketing. This has made housing less affordable, especially for the neediest among…
Federal Reserve Holds Steady
The Federal Reserve holds interest rates at current levels, but the future outlook is more uncertain. At their September meeting held last week, The Federal Reserve’s “Federal Open Markets Committee” (FOMC) declined to increase Federal Funds Interest Rates further and…
Property Tax Bills About to Hit Mailboxes
It is that time of year again! When Texas taxpayers are reminded that they, in fact, do NOT own their homes, but rather pay perpetual rent to the government via the property tax. That’s right, soon property tax bills will…
Why the August Jobs Report Adds Up to a Weak Economy
This commentary was originally published at EconLib here. It is being republished with permission from the author. Americans say the economy is the most important problem facing the country. But major headlines covering the latest jobs report for August do their best…
Texans Can Downsize Texas Government in November
Texas politicians had a choice to make this spring. With a record $80 billion of new revenue available, they could either spend the money or give it back to Texas taxpayers in the form of property tax relief. Unfortunately for…