Local

MOST RECENT

ARCHIVE

VuLe’s Bad Taxpayer Values

A candidate for state representative is actually calling for property tax increases as part of her general election strategy. She apparently hasn’t being paying attention.

Tax Dollar Spending Zone

Travis County Commissioners are doing their best to make sure taxpayers aren’t stuck paying the bill for county employees’ parking and toll violations.

Reformer versus Slumlord

Voters in Houston’s House District 149 have a clear choice: a proven reformer versus a slumlord. HISD school board member Greg Meyers is taking on incumbent Hubert Vo this November, and taxpayers statewide are watching the race with interest.

Don’t Like the Taxpayer-Funded Hotel? Sign Up Against It

Do you think the City of Dallas should check in with voters before spending $550 million on a government-owned convention center hotel? If so, you can find out how to sign the petition that would amend the City Charter to prevent the hotel by going to https://www.notaxpayerhotel.com/?Page=WhereToSign.

Mansfield Building Future Wealth Through Out-of-Towners

The city of Mansfield is looking to expand its appeal and services to more out-of-towners thanks to previous visitors. The city council is considering letting the Mansfield Economic Development Corporation, or MEDC as it is so well known around here, to conduct a study on the need for future facilities that would include full service business centers and possibly a convention center.

At DFW, Your Dollars Fly Away

An investigation in north Texas finds that Dallas-Fort Worth Airport executives have been living large — and taxpayers are footing the bill for extravegant travel, including $800 first-class flights to Austin. TFR’s Michael Quinn Sullivan was interviewed for the CBS television investigation. The video is available online.

Checking In For Waste

In the middle of a national economic crisis and local revenue shortfalls, the City of Dallas is embarking on what is never a good idea: government ownership of a hotel. The city council recently voted to put city taxpayers $400 million in debt for the construction of a new convention center. The city has massive budget problems, having a hard time doing its existing jobs — police, fire, transportation — yet somehow council members think they can add “hotel ownership” without consequence. As it stands now, taxpayers have no say in this boondoggle.

Margo’s Sword

Dee Margo, a conservative businessman in El Paso, says he’s tired of the typical saber-rattling in politics, so he’s campaigning on results. Margo is the Republican nominee for House District 78, having handily defeated incumbent liberal Republican Pat Haggerty in the March primary.