It is not difficult to frame oneself as a cost-cutting conservative using a few budget tricks. Move money from one agency to the next, keep budget line-items at smaller amounts than requested, use accounting gimmicks. But to actually be a cost-cutting conservative,...
Michele Samuelson
Medicaid Fraud Worse than Common Toothache
Even laughing gas wouldn't make this funny. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) this week picked up a story about Medicaid fraud perpetrated by at least 26 dentist and orthodontists across Texas (originally brought to light by WFAA's Byron Harris in...
Accounting Troubles Continue in La Marque
A few weeks ago, La Marque city officials were apprised of a half million dollar budget deficit, even after a tax increase is applied in the coming fiscal year. Now comes the news that La Marque is unable to account for as much as $2 million in federal disaster...
The Sun Doesn’t Shine in El Paso ISD
Today the Texas Education Agency formally sanctioned El Paso ISD, putting their accreditation status on probation in the wake former superintendent Lorenzo Garcia's confession of fraud in June. The west Texas school district is quickly becoming the central figure in a...
A New Generation of Economic Sense
Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is his running mate and choice for vice president of the United States. The crowd went absolutely wild, and with good reason. It isn't often that a policy wonk like Ryan makes it...
Senator Watson’s Latest Tax Hike Scheme
So, Austinites - how does it feel to have Austin Energy hiking rates, a proposed property tax hike from the city council, and numerous fee increases including water utility rates? Does it feel a bit like you're being shaken down for spare change? Well, get ready,...
A Tale of Two Cities
Down in Galveston County, two cities have made the news lately with their budget issues. League City has discovered a surplus of about $3 million, and they're considering giving it back to taxpayers. Meanwhile, in nearby La Marque, the city faces a $1 million deficit...
Feds Force Gender Equality Training on Dallas ISD Officials
Back in March, I wrote about an incident in Dallas ISD where $57,000 was spent to send boys to see the film Red Tails. Girls were excluded, if you'll recall, and at the time the district claimed it was because "there weren't enough seats in the theater." While...
Disabled Vets Given No Break by TXDoT
Every time there's a break from a government fee given to veterans, the tax-and-spenders cry foul, attempting to convince whoever might be in earshot that all government services will cease if a subset of veterans receives said break. The Texas Department of...
A $14 Million Bike Bridge
Let's say you're on the governing board of a city that has a lot of bad traffic congestion. You know you have to do something about it, because your predecessors either didn't foresee the growth or they were trying, unsuccessfully, to deter it. You have leftover...