Budget Surplus

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…

News88th TXLege

Nearly 800 New Laws on the Horizon

This Friday, September 1st, 2023, marks the day nearly 800 new laws, passed by the 88th Legislature, go into effect. Of those, several will impact Texas taxpayers directly both immediately and into the future.  For Texas taxpayers, the 88th Legislative…

NewsState

The Ginn Economic Brief: Texas Economic Situation – August 2023

Texas is a leader in job creation over the last year and since February 2020. But Texas faces major headwinds as the recently ended 88th Legislature looked more like California than what is expected from the free-market bastion of hope…

Research

Texas Passes Largest Budget Increase in Texas History

Overview Texas Passes Largest Budget Increase in Texas History Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) recently signed the Texas budget (HB 1) passed by the 88th Texas Legislature with the largest spending increases, the largest corporate welfare increases, and the largest social safety net…

News88th TXLege

Property Tax Relief: Where Does It Stand?

The first-called special session has officially crossed the two-week mark, and with that, not much has changed regarding actual progress to bring down the skyrocketing tax bills of Texans. Among the various bills, property tax relief plans, political rhetoric, posturing,…

Commentary

Where Are the Fiscal Conservatives?

Lost in all of the noise and chaos surrounding the 88th Legislative Session is the fact that Republican lawmakers, who have enjoyed a comfortable majority in the Texas Legislature for the last two decades, ushered in the biggest spending increase…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 20: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the 88th Legislative Session

Episode Description 💰 In our FINAL EPISODE of this season of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we are joined by special guests Vance Ginn, Ph.D., and Bill Peacock to discuss the 88th Legislative Session, what happened, what did not happen, the good, the…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 15: The Session Comes to a Close With Not Much to Show for It

Episode Description 💰 In our fifteenth and final episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, we discuss the end of the 88th Legislative Session and lack of successes for things on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s “emergency agenda” and items important to Texas…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 19: Will They Get to Property Tax Relief in Time?

Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss what still has the potential to get done before imminent key deadlines in the near-ended Texas 88th Legislative Session. Will Texas taxpayers get tangible property tax relief? Will we…

Statements

TFR Statement On SB3 – Property Tax Relief

Taxpayers have a lot to be thankful for what seems to be a compromise between the House and Senate with the latest version of Senate Bill 3. As passed by the House, this bill includes $12 billion for a 15-cent…

News88th TXLege

Texas House Improves Senate’s Property Tax Relief Proposal

On Thursday, the Texas House of Representatives considered Senate Bill 3, or one of the prioritized pieces of legislation included in Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s property tax relief package. It passed its initial consideration by a vote of 140…