Spending

Podcast - The Week Ahead

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

Episode Description πŸ’° In our fifteenth and final episode of π—§π—›π—˜ π—ͺπ—˜π—˜π—ž π—”π—›π—˜π—”π——, 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…

Statements

TFR Statement on Conference Committee Report for HB 1 – General Appropriations Act

With only a few days left of the ongoing 88th Legislative Session, state lawmakers have presented a Conference Committee Report for House Bill 1 that represents perhaps the largest increase in spending in Texas history; it is certainly the biggest…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

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

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, 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…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 14: Legislative Session Ending Soon, What is Still Moving?

Episode Description πŸ’° In our fourteenth episode of π—§π—›π—˜ π—ͺπ—˜π—˜π—ž π—”π—›π—˜π—”π——, we discuss the impending deadlines in both legislative chambers as we enter the final full week of the ongoing 88th Legislative Session and what they mean for things like…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 17: Texas House Fails to Deliver on Impactful Border Security Legislation

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we discuss the recent failure by Texas House lawmakers to pass a meaningful border security legislative priority, the childish dialogue between elected leadership in both legislative chambers on potential property tax…

Commentary

A Budget Spending Spree Like No Other

Texas is often thought of as a conservative state. Teachers, for instance, complain about inadequate spending on public education and low salaries. Democrat State Rep. James Talarico (Austin) has argued that the low salaries are β€œpushing teachers out of the…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 16: As Session Begins to Wind Down, What Have They Been Up To?

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we discuss Texas House lawmakers and the confusing saga around whether they voted in favor of increasing their own pensions, at the further expense of Texas taxpayers. We also discuss the…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 12: Are Texas Taxpayers About to Get Left Out in the Cold on Property Tax Relief?

Episode Description πŸ’° In our twelfth episode of π—§π—›π—˜ π—ͺπ—˜π—˜π—ž π—”π—›π—˜π—”π——, we discuss what is left to be done ahead of key deadlines in the Texas House, a recent misleading post by former President Donald Trump in relation to the…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 15: House Lawmakers Vote to Increase Their Own Pensions at Expense of Texas Taxpayers

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, 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…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 11: Spending Out of Control, What HasΒ the Texas LegislatureΒ Done With the Budget Surplus?

Episode Description πŸ’° In our eleventh episode of π—§π—›π—˜ π—ͺπ—˜π—˜π—ž π—”π—›π—˜π—”π——, 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…

Research

What Happened to the Texas Budget Surplus?

Executive Summary A lot of people know about Texas’ $32.7 billion budget surplus. What most don’t 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…

News88th TXLege

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…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 10: Growing Government & Less Property Tax Relief

Episode Description πŸ’° In our tenth episode of π—§π—›π—˜ π—ͺπ—˜π—˜π—ž π—”π—›π—˜π—”π——, 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…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 13: Priorities are Moving in the Texas Legislative Process, Do They Benefit Taxpayers?

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, 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…

News88th TXLege

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…