Christopher Paxton

Mr. Medicaid on the Make

Mr. Medicaid on the Make

Cole Ballweg’s business stands to make a small fortune off Medicaid expansion under Obamacare. No wonder the Democratic candidate for state representative in Tarrant County is pushing for it so hard on the campaign trail. Ballweg is the co-founder of Vivicare Health...

Process Over Outcomes: An Opportunity for Reform

Process Over Outcomes: An Opportunity for Reform

Official testimony of senior Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) leadership at a recent House hearing revealed seemingly contradictory Prop 1 claims, a complete lack of thoughtful policy discussions, and major inconsistencies in project evaluation by the...

Cradles of Dysfunction

Cradles of Dysfunction

Texas drivers are fed up with the dysfunctional predicament of our state’s transportation system. While many local politicians cast blame at the state, it is fitting that their search for whom to blame should begin with a look in the mirror. Taxpayers ought to know...

Proposition 1: In Brief

Proposition 1: In Brief

The following is an informational handout on Proposition 1--the proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution. Prop 1 Information

Fix First, Then Fund

Fix First, Then Fund

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is the poster child of agencies in dire need of reform. We’ve recently reported on the many, well-documented illustrations of institutional incompetence, poor leadership decisions, and a lack of objective processes for...

University of North Texas Know-Nothings

University of North Texas Know-Nothings

Over the course of four decades, the University of North Texas received millions of dollars over and above their legislative appropriation. According to a new State Auditor’s Office report, the university manipulated payroll and accounting systems to inappropriately...

Austin’s Debt Train to Nowhere

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Austin’s Debt Train to Nowhere

In November, Austin voters will decide on City Proposition 1—a billion dollar transit rail line that will over double the city’s debt and lead to a substantial tax increase for property tax payers. Unlike previous elections on boondoggle projects, greater citizen...

TXDOT’s About-Face

TXDOT’s About-Face

Yesterday’s Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) meeting witnessed a marked departure from usual state transportation policy: actually funding urgently needed improvements to state roads. Although this might be a victory for taxpayers, the commission’s action has...

Democrats: The No-Show Party

Democrats: The No-Show Party

Senate Democrats had better things to do than attend today’s hearing on transportation. Not a single Democrat on the Senate Transportation Committee bothered to show up and hear testimony from TxDOT staff and citizens regarding TxDOT’s funding challenges and...

RMAs: Repeated Malfeasance Authorities

RMAs: Repeated Malfeasance Authorities

Regional Mobility Authorities (RMAs) tasked with transportation projects in certain areas of the Lone Star State are engaged in waste and incompetence that would make TXDOT blush. Even worse: our state transportation dollars subsidize the waste, meaning that when an...