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Former Houston Public Works Manager Sentenced to 10 Years for Bribery
Seven people were charged over their roles in a Houston water contract corruption scandal.
‘Qualified Immunity’ Arguments On Trial in Lorena ISD Sex Abuse Case
At the Fifth Circuit, defense counsel argued that Principal April Jewell should not be liable for a teacher under her direction who victimized a 5-year-old student.
Pay Them to Go Away: A TEC Cautionary Tale of Katy Christian Magazine vs The Link Letter
Without meaningful reform, the Texas Ethics Commission will continue to target those least able to fight back while letting well-connected actors off the hook.
Report: Divest From America’s Enemies
American states—including Texas—have invested a total of $68 billion in China.
The Archive
Grand Jury Finds Travis Tax Office ‘Facilitated Theft’
The Travis County Tax Office has recently faced four employee arrests, two indictments, and a multiagency fraud investigation—but that’s only been the beginning. On Thursday, a grand jury released a report detailing the disturbing situation that has unfolded at the...
Democrat Lawmaker Wants Role in Selecting Next Speaker
A returning Democrat state legislator wants to play kingmaker in the selection of the next Speaker of the Texas House. Trey Martinez Fischer, who served in the House from 2000-2017, made a failed bid for the Texas Senate, and will rejoin the Texas House in 2019, sent...
The Woodlands Township Lowers Tax Rate
The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has voted to lower the tax rate, giving property owners some much needed relief. At their August 22 meeting, the board voted to adopt a budget of $124.2 million for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The board lowered the ad valorem tax...
Confusion: Harris County Voter Registrar Wrongly Suspends Voters
What’s going on at the Harris County Voter Registrar’s office? Harris County officials wrongly suspended the registrations of over 1,700 voters whose addresses they’re in the process of verifying, creating a firestorm of confusion and partisan finger-pointing this...
Collin College Raising Taxes to Pay for Bond Debt
Collin County’s community college district is raising taxes on residents, and that has some local taxpayers seeing red. Collin College trustees want to raise the district’s property tax rate for 2018 to $0.081222 per $100 of taxable assessed value — less than a penny...
Company Turns Down Millions in Economic Incentive Deal
It’s not often a company turns down and, especially, gives back free money. But in an unprecedented move guided by “conscience,” Alex Fairly, President of Fairly Consulting Group in Amarillo, did just that. On Wednesday, Fairly told Amarillo Economic Development...
Local Taxpayer Seeks Injunction Against Amarillo Ballpark
Amarillo’s city council and economic development corporation are facing a lawsuit that could halt the construction of a multimillion-dollar ballpark downtown. The petition for injunction, filed Tuesday by Amarillo taxpayer Claudette Smith, alleges that the City of...
Houston May Provide Millions to Lure Luxury Hotel
Last March, Houston’s convention bureau held public meetings about the city’s desire to lure a luxury hotel brand to town. The proposal recently passed the initial hurdle and will now undergo more negotiations before getting to city council, which will determine...
Amarillo City Council Implements 7 a.m. Meeting Time
Amarillo by Morning will take on a whole new meaning beginning September 4 when Amarillo City Council implements its new 7 a.m. meeting time. City council members voted Tuesday to move their meeting time from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Tuesdays as a 90-day “test period.” The...