News
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…
TFR Calls for Third Special Session to “Ax the Tax”
Today, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) requesting that he immediately call a third special legislative session, to address a host of pressing issues affecting all Texas taxpayers and families. It is already…
Federal Reserve’s Upcoming September Meeting
Rate Hike Speculation and Recession Concerns for 2024 On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet to discuss the state of the US economy, the ongoing threat of inflation, and possible interest…
Pushing Back Against Compromise School Choice Efforts
The Texas Legislature is widely expected to convene in yet another special legislative session in the coming weeks. This time they will reportedly focus on education freedom and parental choice or school choice and salary increases for government school teachers….
Dan Patrick Demands Audit on Failed House Impeachment Attempt
After this exciting weekend, there is no doubt that you have heard that the Texas House Board of Managers’ attempt to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has failed. On Saturday Paxton was acquitted on all charges and able to…
Stop the Spending Spree: US Freedom Caucus Opposes Status Quo as Possible Shutdown Looms
With the Federal Government’s fiscal year rapidly coming to an end on September 30th, Congress must pass a “continuing resolution,” on spending, or once again face a partial government shutdown. This continuing resolution is essentially a temporary spending bill, using…
In Latest CPI Release, Inflation Rears Its Ugly Head Again
After months of significant declines in CPI inflation, today the CPI (Consumer Price Index) numbers for August showed a resurgence of inflation in the U.S. In August, the CPI rose by 0.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking a…
August Jobs Report: Rising Unemployment and Dissatisfaction
The US economy under President Biden continued its mellow pace in August, as Americans continued to strain under the burdens of record inflation, rising interest rates, and economic uncertainty. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its raw jobs report…
Another Year, Another Debt Milestone
$33 trillion. Written another way, $33,000,000,000,000. The U.S. National Debt is estimated to surpass $33 trillion in a matter of days. Sadly, milestones like these seem to have become all too regular. Just one year ago I wrote a similar…
Last Call for Texas Taxpayers: Final Chance to Challenge Rising Taxes and Local Spending
Every year in August and September, Local Governments across the Lone Star State set about the task of proposing and then adopting their tax rates and budgets for the next year. Last month, TFR reminded Texas taxpayers about the impending…