Budget Surplus

Commentary

The Case for Prosperity: Less Government, More Growth in Texas

As Texas faces rising property taxes and record-high government spending, it’s time to reassess the path toward long-term prosperity. Recent data illustrates Texas’ strengths and challenges.  In August 2024, Texas maintained a 4.1% unemployment rate, while the state’s GDP grew…

Commentary

The High and Rising Burden of Property Taxes.

The following piece is taken from Dr. Vance Ginn’s Testimony to the Texas House Select Committee on Sustainable Property Tax Relief: Over the last decade, the Texas Legislature has made some progress in providing property tax relief, but the housing…

Research

2026-27 Frozen Texas Budget: Reining in Unsustainable Spending

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…

Commentary

It’s Time to Relieve Texas Families 

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…

News

The Texas Fiscal Size-Up: What You Need to Know

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…

Commentary

Comptroller Announces Budget Surplus, Lawmakers Yearn to Spend More of Your Money

On July 17th, in a letter to Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dade Phelan, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reported that general revenue-related collections for the 2024 fiscal year have been tracking with the 2024-2025 Certification…

Commentary

A Bold Vision for Texas: Eliminating Property Taxes for True Ownership

Texas should set the path forward for what is sound fiscal policy. Politicians have a clear mandate and a moral imperative to limit government spending better and abolish property taxes.  The overwhelming support among Republican voters, with 78% backing the…

Commentary

Abbott Once Again Says He Wants to Eliminate School Property Taxes

Yes, it is possible… And we have a plan to do it.  Yesterday, at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Texas Policy Summit,  Governor Greg Abbott took the stage to address those in attendance, discussing issues ranging from school choice to…

Commentary

Texas Can Have More Tax Relief if the Legislature Stops its Out-of-Control Spending

This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. In 2023, Texas led the U.S. on many fronts: job growth, economic expansion, energy production, and a record surplus of $33 billion. This…

Commentary

Year-in-Review: Texas Mired in Fiscal (Ir)Responsibility

Explore a pivotal year in Texas politics, featuring a historic budget surplus, the largest spending increase, complex property tax cuts, corporate welfare debates, and the unresolved school choice saga. This comprehensive review sheds light on the major legislative decisions and their implications for the future of Texas.

News

The Ginn Economic Brief: Texas Economic Situation – November 2023

Texas lost jobs in October and faces major headwinds with a weak U.S. economy and a poor performance by this year’s 88th Legislature. There is a better way. Free-market capitalism is the best path to let people prosper, as it…

Commentary

$18.3 Billion Surplus Proves Texas Can Cut Property Taxes More

This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. The Texas Legislature just found out it has a huge opportunity to correct its profligate spending failures made earlier this year. But instead,…

News

The Ginn Economic Brief: Texas Economic Situation – October 2023

Texas has been a leader in job creation. But Texas faces major headwinds as this year’s 88th Legislature has looked more like California than what Texans expect. There is a better way. Free-market capitalism is the best path to let…

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…

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…