Budget Surplus
Episode 12: Texas House Budget “Debate” Incoming, Taxpayers Beware
Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, 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 💰 In our seventh episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, 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 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, 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 💰 In our sixth episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, 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…
Episode 5: Property Tax “Relief” Legislation Moving in Texas House
Episode Description 💰 In our fifth episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, we discuss the Texas Property Tax Relief Act of House Bill 2 being heard in the Texas House Ways & Means Committee as well as the proposed ban on…
Despite Promised Relief, Property Taxes Jumped 12.2% in 2022
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) recently published a new report revealing the abysmal numbers related to property tax levies released by the Texas comptroller’s office. The major takeaway? The Texas Legislature continues to trumpet their “historic tax reform” package from…
Episode 7: Reviewing the State of the State Address
Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent State of the State address and what it might mean for Texas taxpayers. Articles Referenced All previous episodes of the podcast can be found here as…
Gov. Abbott Flip-flops on Property Tax Elimination in State of the State
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday evening laid out his vision for the ongoing 88th Legislative Session and beyond, signaling to Texas state lawmakers what he wants them to prioritize. The speech is normally given in front of both chambers…
What Texas Taxpayers Should Expect Out of Abbott’s State of the State Address
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is set to give his State of the State address on Thursday evening and lay out his vision for the ongoing 88th Legislative Session and beyond. It is widely expected he will name specific policy issues…
The Frozen Texas Budget Path to Eliminating Property Taxes
An Overview Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s 3-Step Plan to Eliminate All Property Taxes While Texas has done a better job at keeping spending and taxes lower than many other states, thereby supporting a more robust business tax climate and more…
Why Property Taxes Are Immoral: Examining the Impact on Private Property
Property taxes are a contentious issue for many people, with some (mostly local government officials) arguing that they are an important source of funding for government services. In contrast, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) and many Texas taxpayers argue that…
Taxpayer Champion Seeks to Put Texas on a Path to Property Tax Elimination
Shortly after the 88th Legislative Session began, Republican State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) filed legislation seeking to put Texas on a path to eliminating the property tax. Cain has been a Taxpayer Champion in every session he has served,…
Are We Really Getting $15 Billion in Property Tax Relief?
Recently, the House and Senate released their versions of the appropriation bill. House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 respectively lay out the biennial budget for the 2024-2025 biennium. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has already highlighted that $15 billion in…
It’s Simple: Bust the Spending Limit to Provide Taxpayers Relief
For years, fiscal watchdog organizations, including ours, worked to secure an additional spending limit or guardrail on the state appropriations process to prevent lawmakers from continuing the trend of expanding government at a rate faster than the population growth it…