Local

Local Archive

Senator Bob Hall: Inconsistency Breeds Corruption

State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) penned a letter this week urging the Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Office to rescind all waivers allowing counties and precincts to deviate from election law, arguing that doing so creates fertile ground for local...

A Taxing Question: 4B or Not 4B

Despite original assurances that the special sales tax would only be used to pay the debt on a sports complex, Midland taxpayers could face a property tax hike and increased fees if voters don’t reauthorize the tax later this year. That was the message Midland’s...

Is It Time For One Bin For All?

Just days before the extension expired on Houston’s recycling contract with Waste Management, Mayor Sylvester Turner brokered a deal with the corporation to continue service uninterrupted. The new contract, which will be presented to council next week, is a two-year...

,

San Antonio’s Golden Throne

Update: Since the writing of this article, the cost of installing the facility has ballooned beyond original projections to around $191,000. Following in their trend to find new, creative ways to flush money down the toilet, San Antonio City Council voted last...

Recycling Program Gets Dumped

Unless a deal more favorable to taxpayers is brokered in the coming days, Houston’s recycling program will end on March 16. The increased cost of contracting with the massive corporation coupled with the serious fiscal restraints of the city make the future of...

Local Debt Continues to Skyrocket

Texas’ local debt epidemic continues to worsen at an alarming rate. In response, conservatives such as State Sen. Konni Burton (R-Colleyville) have pledged to push for debt-related reforms next legislative session. Texas has the second-highest per-capita local debt in...

Amid Deficit, HISD Continues Spending

As Houston ISD officials scramble to close their Robin Hood-induced budget gap, trustees are pushing a costly backbench issue to the forefront – the renaming of a number of district campuses. Despite vocal outrage, HISD trustees voted last month to rename seven...

Local Officials Oppose Ridesharing Innovation

Texas prides itself on its vibrant economy and pro-business climate, but often-overlooked local regulations are stifling innovative new businesses wildly popular among millions of Texans who benefit from increased job opportunities and travel services. Last month Uber...

,

Establishment Celebrates Pyrrhic Victories

As the dust has settled from Tuesday’s primary election, two groups lost big: the establishment donors who paid big into the protection racket, and the “second-rung” of legislative coalition sycophants. Many of those who spent the last several years helping to fill...