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…

Here’s How You’ll Be Affected Contrary to the popular mantra from the Left that President Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 was a “tax cut for the rich,” Americans of almost every tax bracket experienced a…

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…

As Laurel Jordan Swift campaigns for a seat in the State House for District 121, she’s positioning herself as a champion for taxpayers.  However, a closer look at Jordan Swift’s personal and financial history reveals a troubling pattern of fiscal…

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…

The shakeup in the world of the Texas House has continued over the last few weeks, as Speaker Phelan hires a new Chief of Staff, the Speaker’s race has now expanded to three challengers, and more.  New Staff  With Dade…

Texas families are facing an affordability crisis that is being exacerbated by property taxes: a never-ending tax that, fundamentally, serves as a form of perpetual rent to the government.  While the Legislature has taken steps recently to address the rising…

Last month, the City of Austin proposed a massive city budget of $5.9 billion, an increase by over $400 million from the previous year. As reported here at Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, implementation of this radically careless budget would cost…

The American Dream Land ownership has always been deeply intertwined with the American identity. From the earliest days of settlement, land was seen as foundational to liberty, independence, self-determination, and economic opportunity.  Colonists and immigrants from all over the world…

The controversial and fiscally irresponsible guaranteed income program proposed by Harris County leadership, UpliftHarris, has been resurrected by the county’s Commissioner Court.  Originally introduced in January 2024, the program aimed to supply a monthly income of $500 to a select…

Executive Summary The only thing the Texas Legislature must do when they meet every two years is adopt a budget. Not surprisingly, with years of practice they have gotten pretty good at spending taxpayers’ money. For instance, the Legislature appropriated…

This November, Houston voters will face a crucial decision regarding a historic $4.4 billion bond proposal for the Houston Independent School District (HISD).  This bond, the largest in Texas history, has garnered unanimous support from bureaucrats at the district’s state-appointed…

As the race for Texas State House District 80 heats up to South Texas temperatures, voters face an important decision that could have long-lasting implications for their wallets, their children’s education, and the future of Texas’s economy.  After HD-80 incumbent…

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…