Commentary
Is Conroe ISD’s $2 Billion Bond Necessary?
It’s hard to say what pressing need makes it necessary, as CISD has not been forthcoming with all of the information that would help to explain.
The Enemy of my Enemy?
The righteous cause of liberty is rarely advanced through unholy alliances.
The Broken Deal on School Choice
Dade Phelan and 23 Republican House members broke faith with Greg Abbott and the Texas GOP. What will the governor do about it?
Analysis: They Had Time
House members now claim they did not have time to pass conservative legislation.
Commentary Archive
Letters to the Editor, Week of July 4
In this week's mailbag, we hear responses to State Sen. Konni Burton's commentary: Local Control: A Tool, Not The Rule Editor's note: We publish commentary from our subscribers on a weekly basis. Commentary may be edited according to community standards. Actually the...
A Solution to Local Apathy
One can imagine, or has even experienced, confusion, ignorance and apathy that usually accompany most local elections for ESDs, ISDs, MUDs, etc., which often take place in obscure polling places and at different times. I believe that aggregating the election process...
Local Control: A Tool, Not The Rule
As we near the beginning of the next legislative session, tension between the state and local governments on a number of issues is apparent. Whether it’s the growth of the local property tax burden on Texas families and businesses, restrictive ordinances killing...
Social Engineering of State Highway Users by Liberal Government is California-ising Texas
Many liberty losing policies originate in California. The Texas Department of Transportation (state highway system.) California-ised state roads this week by restricting use of highway lanes by barring 92 – 97% of drivers from restricted lanes labeled as HOV-BUS...
Observations from the Recent Property Tax Hearings
In the face of skyrocketing appraisals and a crushing property tax burden levied on working families and retired Texans on a fixed income, the Texas Senate will lead the fight for meaningful property tax reform with the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick....
Nobody Is Above An Ethics Policy
When I first ran for Keller City Council in November 2014, I was motivated by what I felt was a lack of communication, transparency, and accountability from Town Hall. Effective representation at any level of government requires our elected officials to conduct...
Property Tax Reform: Scope Creep Diverts Tax Dollars Away From Core Needs
On Wednesday, April 27, the State Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform & Relief met in Arlington to receive public testimony. During the hearing, I had the opportunity to testify. The chairman, State Sen. Chairman Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), posed a...
Good News and Bad News on School Finance in Texas
The long-awaited decision from the Texas Supreme Court in the school finance case, Morath v. Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition, was issued on May 13, 2016. (The case was argued over eight months earlier.) The court’s jargon-laden 100-page (!) decision can...
Bearing Arms at the Ballot Box: How to Fire Your Civil Bullet
“Some of you will be killed or wounded during your tour of duty because you will forget you are in a war.” This sober warning greeted many U.S. soldiers upon their arrival in Vietnam and became reality for a horrifying number. U.S. citizens who are voter-eligible...