TFR Statement on Appropriation Bills
Today, both the Texas House and Senate have released their budgets. Both the House and Senate appropriation bills provide $15B for property tax relief, with $12B to compress Maintenance & Operations rates by 7.75% and $3B to increase the homestead exemption from...
Is Texas Ready to Legalize Casino Gambling?
It seems like every two years, just as the legislative session begins, so too do the conversations about expanded gambling in Texas. Most recently, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) made comments that seem to signal he is in favor of "destination-style...
Episode 2: Session Begins & Fiscal Update with Vance Ginn, Ph.D.
https://youtu.be/KB1FPXyY5RE Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss what occurred in the first week of the 88th Legislative Session, as well as the details of the fiscal update we received from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar with guest...
Another Casualty in House Rules Debate: Transparency
On Wednesday, Day 2 of the 88th Legislative Session, the Texas House of Representatives considered House Resolution 4, or the proposed rules that will guide their efforts over the remainder of the legislative session and interim period. Lawmakers made several attempts...
Legislature Votes to Raise Office Budgets at Taxpayers’ Expense
Only two days into the 88th Legislative Session, both legislative chambers made a mad dash to give their offices as much money as they could squeeze out of Texas taxpayers. Growing Government As expected, they used the usual excuses: to keep up with inflation and to...
Vote Notice – 1.11.2023
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for January 11, 2023 (Day 2 of the 88th Legislative Session): Texas House of Representatives Subject: Housekeeping Resolution, House Resolution 3 (HR3) Author: State Rep. Will Metcalf (R-Montgomery)...
Phelan Re-elected Speaker, Gives Insight Into Priorities
Election of Speaker The 88th Legislative Session officially convened Tuesday, and in the Texas House of Representatives, the first order of business after being sworn in was to elect a House speaker. Two candidates were nominated. The incumbent speaker, Republican...
They Are Right, Texas Has a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
On Monday, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released his long-awaited Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) ahead of the 88th Legislative Session, which begins today. The BRE is an estimate of the revenue that the State of Texas expects to receive through the next two-year...
Vote Notice – 1.10.2023
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for January 10, 2023 (Day 1 of the 88th Legislative Session): Texas House of Representatives Subject: Speaker of the House TFR Position: Support State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington). Oppose...