Supporters of the government school monopoly push for Democrats.
State
The Costs of Texas’ Porous Southern Border
While President Biden continues to loosen border control, many Texans are paying the price.
Will Texas Follow Florida’s Lead Against Grooming?
With the Texas GOP convention on the horizon, the issue is expected to be a hot topic among party activists.
Gov. Abbott and Speaker Phelan Silent Following Drag Show for Children
Four days after the event took place, the two Texas leaders still haven’t commented on the sexually explicit event.
Data Undermines Democrat Push for Gun Control Measures
While Texas Democrats call for gun control to improve safety, the data shows the opposite is more effective.
MOST RECENT
Second Called Special Legislative Session Commences, Still No Quorum in House
With only 81 House lawmakers present and 68 absent, the House remains paralyzed and unable to conduct legislative business.
Gov. Abbott Moves to Restore Legislative Funding for Additional Month After His Own Veto
Gov. Greg Abbott, who had previously vetoed funding for the Legislature, praised the extension.
Gov. Abbott Asks State Agency to Decide if Gender Mutilation is Child Abuse
The governor finally made his long-awaited “announcement.” But, will it do anything?
First Called Special Session Concludes With Nothing to Show
The Senate passed virtually everything on Abbott’s agenda, while the House remained paralyzed and unable to consider any of the items.
After Failed Special Session, Grassroots Call for Changes to Texas House Rules
”Any reluctance or resistance on the part of Republican State Representatives to pass strong rule changes to stop the obstruction of the work of the Texas House and halt impediments to ‘the consent of the governed,’ should be viewed as active participation in the obstruction.” –JoAnn Fleming
Text Messages Reveal Meeting Between Speaker Phelan and Democrats Before They Left
The revelation comes in a newly released text message exchange between Speaker Dade Phelan and Democrat State Rep. Joe Moody.
Abbott Announces a Second Special Session, With Extra Agenda Items
The second special session is slated to begin on Saturday, August 7.
Reports: US Border Patrol Only ‘Processing’ Illegal Immigration, Not Stopping It
Still no action by state or federal officials to stop illegal border crossings.
Transparency Takes Center Stage at Texas Elections Conference
Officials say transparent processes promote public confidence in elections.
GOP Lawmaker Files Bill to Prevent Lawmakers From Abandoning Their Responsibilities
The bill would set a limit to the amount of unexcused absences a lawmaker can have before their seat is declared vacant.
ARCHIVE
School Tax Scam
Here’s a nice little scam floating around school districts: claiming credit for cutting taxes when they haven’t.
Bad Tax Ideas Never Go Away
Fighting tax-and-spendoholics is like playing Wack-A-Mole at the arcade. You knock them down, only to find they pop right back up. The lesson? We have to move faster and hit harder.
Last legislative session, taxpayers were successful in stopping tax-and-spendoholics from increasing the taxes to fund further boondoggle spending on more light-rail and other mass transit pork (the only thing “mass†is the cost – mass transit fails to actually relieve congestion, dollar for dollar). But, hey, those trains are fun at Disney World…
Road Taxes Should Fund Roads? What A Crazy Idea…
State Sen. John Carona says in today’s Dallas Morning News that Texas must “stop the diversion of gas tax funds for other uses.†That’s welcome news. While the state’s constitution currently requires transportation funds to be used for transportation expenses, “transportation†is a constantly-expending term.
According to the Morning News, almost a third of Texas’ gasoline tax revenues for transportation have been “diverted†away from true transportation projects.
Privatization Serves Taxpayers Even When Contractors Fail
Advocates of big government rarely let facts get in the way of their pursuit of growing budgets. Such is the case with Waco Tribune-Herald editor John Young, whose weekly column is very often devoted to the worship of government (of the activist variety) and the damnation of conservative, free market principles.
Property Tax Relief… For Government Employees
The headline in today's Houston Chronicle says it all: City union asks for property tax relief. My heart leapt for joy: Bureaucrats are now joining the call for tax relief!
But then I read the article… They don't want property tax relief for all taxpayers, only for government employees. Acting in true-to-bureaucratic form, the city employee union there is looking for a new taxpayer-funded program that would pay the property taxes of city employees. The audacity almost makes the head spin.
Ineffective Treatment?
The Houston Chronicle reported over the weekend that medical professionals are skeptical that the legislature's new $3 billion "cancer fund" will accomplish much more than spend $3 billion of the taxpayers' money.
But, don't worry, it was created with the best of intentions… State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), summed it up nicely in her quote to the Chronicle that "she'd ‘like to sit back and tell my grandchildren I had something to do with the cure.' "
Deadweight, and Dead Weight
An elected official (a Republican, no less) told me yesterday he doesn't mind paying taxes because it is "the price of freedom." His doe-eyed statement was wrong on a great many levels, practical and philosophical. First and foremost, freedom's price has been paid — again and again — by the blood of patriots on battlefields near and far, not collected by revenue agents.
Â
Tainted Performance Measures at the Department of Agriculture
Today, the State Auditor released a report certifying that the Department of Agriculture met only 60 percent (3 of 5 with one of the three certified with qualification) of its performance measures. That's the same Department of Agriculture that, as noted in this post , earlier this month sponsored a swanky gourmet dinner in Austin.
Small Businesses Bracing for Burdensome Business Tax
The San Antonio Express-News reports that many small business owners around th
e state are facing huge bills due under the new state gross receipts tax which starts in 2007, with the first payment to the state due by May 2008. The article notes that many firms are seeing a tenfold increase in tax due as compared with the franchise tax, which it replaces.
Fiscal Irresponsibility At TEA?
A report issued by the Office of the Inspector General at the Texas Education Agency has shed light on a contracting process ripe for fraud and abuse.
It is alleged that individuals received large subcontracts from one of the Education Service Centers, divisions of state government, to perform tasks originally contracted by the TEA. These individuals had personal ties to high-ranking appointees within the TEA, creating for some the appearance of impropriety.