The Department of Defense announced they are sending more than a thousand troops to the southern border, along with airlift support to carry out deportations.
State
Communist China in Texas: Gene Wu’s Connections
Multiple suspicious connections exist between the elected state representative and the global opponents of self-governance.
Understanding the State Board of Education
How the SBOE decides on curricula for Texas children.
Texas Comptroller Names 10 Companies Boycotting Oil and Gas Industry
“This research uncovered a systemic lack of transparency that should concern every American regardless of political persuasion.”
Investigation Reveals Public Texas Medical Schools are Teaching Child-Gender Modification
An investigation by State Rep. Bryan Slaton shows numerous medical schools across the state are engaged in the practice.
MOST RECENT
Republican Activists and Lawmakers Implore Abbott to Act on Employer Vaccine Mandates
They request he add it to the ongoing special session agenda for consideration by lawmakers. Legislation has been filed to do as much but has yet to move through the legislative process.
Border County Asks Abbott to Deploy Texas Military to ‘Repel’ Illegal Crossings
“Texans are done waiting for someone else to fix our own border.”
US District Judge Blocks Texas Heartbeat Act
Favoring the U.S. Department of Justice, Judge Pittman issues a temporary restraining order to halt the Heartbeat Act.
No Movement on Vaccine Mandates by Lawmakers
Though several lawmakers in each legislative chamber have filed legislation to address the issue—which is on Abbott’s special session agenda—it has not been prioritized.
Abbott Joins Other GOP Governors in Blaming Biden for Border Crisis
While sharing policy proposals for the federal government to secure the border, the Texas governor declined to commit to closing ports of entry with Mexico.
Senate Passes Election Bill Fix to Keep Voter Fraud a Felony
The Senate’s fix maintains the status quo for illegal voting penalties, but it’s not clear if the House will act to keep stronger punishments for cheaters.
Conservative Activist Trayce Bradford Announces Campaign Against Dan Patrick
“We must respect the role of self-governance and value the heritage of this great state and her citizens.”
Trump Endorses Against State Sen. Kel Seliger
Compared Seliger to “Texas version of Mitt Romney” while touting the credentials of one of Seliger’s announced primary election challengers.
Proposed House Redistricting Map is on the Move, With Few Changes in Committee
In a Republican-controlled House, some Republican-leaning districts are drawn to favor Democrats.
Gov. Greg Abbott Could Posthumously Pardon George Floyd
The Texas parole board has voted to pardon Floyd of a 2004 drug possession charge.
ARCHIVE
Your Tax Relief On Life Support
It's hard to believe I'm even having to write this: but your only shot at getting even a little bit of honest property tax relief is on life support, and hours away from death. Please call your legislator today and ask them to demand that House Bill 2785 come up for a vote right now!
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Due to the rules of the Legislature, H.B. 2785 must be heard essentially now, or it is dead.
Senate Leaders Won’t Answer Taxpayers’ Calls
When the moderate to liberal editorial board of the San Antonio Express-News 
blasts ostensibly conservative Republican Senate leaders for not getting rid of an outrageous tax, something is seriously wrong in Austin. That is what happened earlier this week.
Thousands of Texans Demand Budget Reform
Real Spending Limits, Budget Transparency Highlighted In Letters
AUSTIN, Texas – By the thousands, Texans are demanding that the legislature act now on significant budget reforms that will provide for a strong spending limit and real spending transparency.
Thousands of postcards and letters from Texas voters to their legislators were presented at a Capitol press conference this morning. They were then hand-delivered to the legislators’ offices. (Sign the letter online!)
House Votes to Stop Appraisal Districts from Suing Taxpayers
While little has been accomplished this session for taxpayers so far, some good news came tod
ay when the House unanimously passed HB3490 which will prevent appraisal districts from suing property taxpayers when they win their appeal before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB). This common sense measure, which was triggered by a recent Wharton County case, that protects taxpayers from government-funded lawsuits when they have already won their case will now go to the Senate. The bill only applies if the value of the property is less than $1 million.
House Passes an Appraisal Relief Bill – Will the Senate Follow?
Last week, the Texas House finally passed a piece of property tax relief 
legislation, voting in favor of HB216 by Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton) by a margin of 87-53. This bill allows appraisal districts a margin of error of 10 percent, instead of the current 5 percent, in appraising properties. While the Texas Constitution prohibits a statewide appraisal, the Comptroller's Property Value Study (PVS) is used to reduce school equalization funds to districts taht are below 5 percent in the sample of properties evaluated by the PVS.
Super-Subsidize Me
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It's getting increasingly easy to get on the government gravy train. From movie studio execs to Ph.D. families, the hand-outs just don't end in this Republican-controlled legislature. Small government. Right…
This week, the Texas Senate's Finance Committee is considering a hand-out to mega-rich movie moguls threatening to take their latte's and go shoot their TV shows somewhere else.
Pauken Tries to Push Property Tax Relief Up the Hill
The Tyler Morning Telegraph has a revealing story today (see link or below) in 
which Tom Pauken, the chair of the Governor's Property Tax Reform Task Force, is quoted stating how disappointed he is with the lack of progress so far. He speaks candidly about what he sees as the primary obstacle to significant protections to control skyrocketing appraisals: Representative Fred Hill, Chairman of the House Local Ways and Means Committee. Referring to Hill as "hard-headed," Pauken notes that Hill has so far blocked all but the most cosmetic reforms.Â
Senator Patrick Goes to Bat for Taxpayers – Identifies Nearly $3 Billion in Spending Cuts to Save Taxpayers’ Money
Senator Dan Patrick has once again demonstrated that he is not afraid to 
rock the boat in order to stand up for taxpayers.  He not only voted against a $152 billion Senate budget ($2 billion more than the House version) but further listed over $2.9 billion in specific cuts he would make.   This is a gutsy move on behalf of taxpayers. His proposed cuts appear below.  Of course, there are arguments that some of these programs are within the legitimate role of government and deserve funding, but Senator Patrick is right on target and, at the very least, these cuts should have been debated. Â
The Elephant In The Room
Take the Scissor to Big Government: Tuesday’s Blockbuster Hearing on Tax and Spending Limits
If you can come to th
e Capitol only once this session, tomorrow Tuesday, April 10 is a great day to do it. Vitally important legislation to limit the growth in government will be heard by the House Appropriations Committee beginning at 12:30 in Capitol Extension Room 1.030.