News and Commentary

Commentary

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…

News

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…

News

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,…

Commentary

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…

News88th TXLege

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…

News

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…

Explainers

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…

NewsFederal

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…

Explainers

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…

Commentary

The Price of Open Borders

The Fiscal Implications of an Unsecured Border and Illegal Immigration  232,972. That’s how many illegal immigrants were encountered on our southern border in August alone, with over 181,000 apprehensions. That is up from 183,494 encounters in July and 144,570 in…

Commentary

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…

NewsFederal

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…

News88th TXLege

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…

Commentary

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…

Commentary

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…