by TFR Staff | Feb 12, 2026 | Commentary
Texas State Representative Ken King, a Republican from Canadian, Texas, has represented House District 88 since 2013. Over seven regular legislative sessions, King has positioned himself as a conservative representing Panhandle and South Plains values. However, a...
by Bill Peacock | Feb 10, 2026 | Research
Over the last decade, the state of Texas has experienced unprecedented budget surpluses. These budget surpluses are state tax revenue that exceeds the normal needs of the state. Put another way, the people were “over-taxed.” Covering six legislative sessions since...
by Bill Peacock | Feb 6, 2026 | Research
In a previous paper1 examining the growth of Texas government over the last 10 years, we’ve seen that appropriations of Texas taxpayer funds increased by $110 billion, or 78%, during that time. Have you ever wondered what the Legislature did with all that money it...
by Bill Peacock | Jan 23, 2026 | Research
One saying that circulates around the Texas Capitol when the Legislature convenes every two years is that the legislators have only one job they are required to do: adopt a budget. Every legislative session the legislators manage to do this. In fact, the...
by Andrew McVeigh | Jan 14, 2026 | Research
Over 20 Years of State Spending Growth In 2003, Republicans achieved an historic milestone by gaining control of the Texas state government, the executive and both chambers of the Legislature, for the first time in decades. Since then, Republicans have...
