Budget Surplus
Episode 15: House Lawmakers Vote to Increase Their Own Pensions at Expense of Texas Taxpayers
Episode Description π° In this episode of π§ππ«π£ππ¬ππ₯ π§ππππ¦, we discuss Texas House lawmakers voting in favor of increasing their own pensions, at the further expense of Texas taxpayers. We also discuss the corporate welfare revival effort moving in the…
Episode 11: Spending Out of Control, What HasΒ the Texas LegislatureΒ Done With the Budget Surplus?
Episode Description π° In our eleventh episode of π§ππ πͺπππ πππππ, we discuss what the Texas Legislature is proposing to do with the budget surplus (over-collected taxpayer money), the budget proposal nearing the final stages of its consideration and the…
What Happened to the Texas Budget Surplus?
Executive Summary A lot of people know about Texasβ $32.7 billion budget surplus. What most donβt know is that the Texas Legislature has $78.4 billion more in state funds to spend this year than it spent in 2021 and that…
Senate Considers State Budget Proposal
On Monday, the Texas Senate considered House Bill 1, or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the next biennium (fiscal years 2024 and 2025). The legislation represents the proposed state budget, the only item that lawmakers are constitutionally bound to…
Episode 10: Growing Government & Less Property Tax Relief
Episode Description π° In our tenth episode of π§ππ πͺπππ πππππ, we discuss the state budget proposal now making its way through the Texas Senate and the prospects for property tax relief as deadlines are on the horizon. We are…
Texas Senate Budget Exceeds Frozen Texas Budget
An Overview Texas Senate Budget Substantially Increases Appropriations Table 1 shows the amount by which the Texas Senate proposes to increase appropriations compared with what was appropriated for the 2022-23 budget. While the Legislative Budget Board shows a comparison of…
Episode 13: Priorities are Moving in the Texas Legislative Process, Do They Benefit Taxpayers?
Episode Description π° In this episode of π§ππ«π£ππ¬ππ₯ π§ππππ¦, we discuss what legislative priorities are moving, as they apply to what legislative leadership wants, and what they mean to Texas taxpayers. Show Notes/References Texans for Fiscal Responsibility relies on the…
House Considers State Budget Proposal
On Thursday of last week, the Texas House of Representatives considered House Bill 1, or the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the next biennium, fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The legislation represents the proposed state budget, the only item that…
Episode 8: Preparing for Budget Deliberations
Episode Description Β π° In our eighth episode of π§ππ πͺπππ πππππ, we are joined by special guest Vance Ginn, Ph.D. and discuss the state budget proposal ahead of its deliberation by the full Texas House of Representatives on Thursday. We…
Texas House Budget Above Frozen Texas Budget
An Overview Texas House Budget Substantially Increases Appropriations Table 1 shows the amount by which the Texas House proposes to increase appropriations compared to what was appropriated for the 2022-23 budget. While the Legislative Budget Board shows a comparison of…
Episode 12: Texas House Budget “Debate” Incoming, Taxpayers Beware
Episode Description π° In this episode of π§ππ«π£ππ¬ππ₯ π§ππππ¦, we discuss the upcoming state budget “debate” to take place in the Texas House of Representatives and why it is more like orchestrated political theatre than a heartfelt debate among lawmakers….
Episode 7: State Budget Proposal on the Move
Episode Description π° In our seventh episode of π§ππ πͺπππ πππππ, we are joined by special guest Michael Quinn Sullivan, Publisher at Texas Scorecard and discuss the state budget proposal that is moving through the Texas legislative process as well…
Episode 11: Property Tax Relief Legislation Passes Texas Senate
Episode Description π° In this episode of π§ππ«π£ππ¬ππ₯ π§ππππ¦, we discuss what priority legislation is moving now that the 88th Legislative Session is over halfway complete. We focus on property tax relief legislation that recently passed the Texas Senate and…
How Leading Property Tax Relief Proposals Stack Up for Taxpayers
The 88th Legislative Session is now halfway complete, and legislation seeking to provide property tax relief is starting to move through the legislative process. Both chambers have provided some compression of school district maintenance and operations (M&O) property taxes, which…
Episode 6: Varying Approaches to Property Tax Relief in Texas Legislature
Episode Description π° In our sixth episode of π§ππ πͺπππ πππππ, we are joined by special guest Vance Ginn, Ph.D. and discuss the varying approaches to property tax relief making their way through the legislative process in both the Texas…