Local
Texas School Funding at Record Levels, Districts Claim It’s Not Enough
Although the state allocated more money towards education than ever before, school districts say it’s not enough to keep up with falling enrollment rates.
Decision Texas, Local, Metroplex
Candidates Race for Open House District 97 Seat
The Fort Worth-area seat has three candidates vying for the Republican nomination.
Local Leftist Activist Files Petition to Recall Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson
Davante Peters has until March 5 to obtain more than 103,000 signatures from registered voters to recall the now-Republican mayor.
After Delay, Harris County Set to Begin Guaranteed Basic Income Program`
Currently a pilot program using federal funding, local officials may look to taxpayers to continue the program in the future.
Local Archive
Protecting Taxpayers Starts Locally
Members of the Republican-dominated legislature have failed to adequately protect Texans from rising property taxes. But culpability ultimately falls on local officials who, despite clinging to “limited government” and “local control” rhetoric, have failed to pass...
Houston Puts Unions Over Taxpayers
Houston City Council approved the 2015 Houston Organization of Public Employees (HOPE) agreement for municipal employees with very little fanfare or scrutiny. The three-year agreement offers increased benefits to employees covered by the contract but, as usual, at the...
HISD $211 Million Shortfall
Houston ISD (HISD) trustees are calling for an audit of the district’s unprecedented 2012 $1.89 billion bond program. Suddenly it has been brought to their attention that the program is facing a $211 million shortfall and will have to halt some projects until another...
Arlington City Council Set to Raise Tax Burden
Despite rising property values overall and adding over a million dollars in revenue from new properties on the tax roll, the Arlington City Council intends to adopt the same property tax rate as last year, which will result in higher tax bills for families and...
HERO Battle Wages On
With the closing of Houston’s filing deadline, some seventy-five candidates vying for Mayor, Controller, and City Council have emerged. But what may ultimately end up driving turnout are not these hotly contested elections, but the public vote for or against the...
Texas’ Property Tax System Encourages Waste
Texas’ property tax system is in need of a serious overhaul. Not only does the Lone Star State have the nation's 14th most burdensome property tax system, but the system also creates perverse incentives for local officials to overtax, spend and borrow. Officials have...
Collin County Officials Poised to Fight Rising Tax Burdens
Due to rapidly rising property values, Collin County residents are facing the threat of a higher county property tax bill unless officials significantly reduce tax rates. With enough reserve funds saved to support nearly a full year of county government operations...
Midland Taxpayers Say ‘Stop It’
Nearly 700 taxpayers in Midland County have spoken out against a massive tax hike proposal. Will county commissioners listen? Our West Texas bureau correspondent Lauren Lawson hand-delivered the petitions today for County Judge Mike Bradford and the commissioners to...
Dallas-Area Legislators Ignored by “Inaccurate” DMN
Dallas-area state legislators recently penned a response to a Dallas Morning News editorial alleging it contained “misguided and inaccurate” information and made “erroneous” claims about the mayor of Irving. The DMN has a long history of reports that have criticized...