Local

City Officials Consider Property Tax Increases and Garbage Fee for Houston Residents
The administration may seek to lift both the city’s local property tax cap and the state-imposed property tax cap in one ballot measure this November.

Montgomery County Adopts Citizen-Led Library Book Review Policy
The new policy puts citizens in charge of determining what taxpayer-funded library materials are appropriate for children and young adults.

New Details Emerge in Conservative Professor’s Free Speech Lawsuit Against UT
Allegations of nepotism, at the university president’s behest, are a reminder of ugly recent history.

Kerrville City Council Passes Controversial Anti-Solicitation Ordinance Despite Pushback
The ordinance bars all soliciting, peddling, and canvassing on public sidewalks.
Local Archive
Big Government’s Raid on the Banks
It is not surprising that Texas cities restrict strip clubs, but now the City of West Lake Hills near Austin has banned new banks and nearby Lakeway has required them to obtain a unique permit. Why? Because they do not generate sales tax revenue. Lakeway Mayor Steve...
City of Dallas Entering Hotel Business with $500 Million in Tax Dollars
Even as local governments like the City of Dallas can barely keep the potholes filled and their jails running properly, they are none too eager to indulge in mission creep. On May 15, the Dallas City Council approved spending $42 million to purchase land to create a...
Liberals Of Convenience
Liberals love to micromanage other people’s business – as long as the rules don’t apply to them. The Texas House Democratic Caucus chair proved that this week with her whining “Monday Memo” decrying recent attention paid to predominately liberal officeholders who were...
State Rep. Smithee, Beaumont Enterprise Say Give It Back
Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) told a local TV station, "The government doesn't need to be taxing or collecting anymore money than is absolutely necessary. We can either find some place to spend that money or give it back to the tax payers and from my standpoint, it's...
And The Field Grows
No sooner had our weekly e-mail newsletter left the servers than word arrived that Houston attorney Grant Harpold is making plans to run for Senate District 17. That seat will be open because of Dr. Kyle Janek's expected resignation in the next several weeks. Harpold...
Why Unions Stink: Yet Another Reason Not To Be Californian
Facing a $16 million budget deficit, Vallejo, California, is filing for bankruptcy. It seems for way too long the inmates have been running the asylum. Or, rather, the "public safety" unions have been draining the city coffers dry. Nearly 75 percent of the city budget...
Big Gun, Little Bang
Unions are unions, whatever they call themselves and whatever their industry. While they might have once served a legitimate function, unions today are drains on our economy and every sector of endeavor. Government is no different. In the Fort Worth suburb of...
Austen in Austin?
If there's such a thing as a one-man think-tank, Austen Furse might qualify. He's a reliable conservative and excellent businessman with political credentials stretching from Matagorda County to the White House. He's also the only person to have now publically...
Travis County Appraisals Skyrocket
At a time of record foreclosures and declining home values, someone forgot to tell the Travis County appraiser. Values were posted minutes ago and my home rose a whopping 19.3%, sending my school property tax cut up in smoldering flames. However, values are up 31% in...