The Latest
Second Special Session Ends With Property Tax Relief Deal Passed
Abbott has indicated he will call lawmakers back in the fall for more issues, including school choice.
Elon Musk’s Twitter Files Lawsuit in Dallas Against Data Scrapers
Four unnamed Dallas-based entities tried to “scrape every tweet ever made,” Musk alleges.
New Paxton Prosecutor Gave Cash to His Opponent’s Campaign
Taxpayers will be on the hook for the prosecutors’ payments—$500 an hour plus expenses.
Texas Congressman Warns of Growing Chinese Influence Amid Border Invasion
According to U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, the Chinese Communist Party is pouring resources into South America to undermine the U.S.
The Archive
Let The Sunlight Shine
Three right-thinking members of the legislature are recommending that more House and Senate votes be recorded, and therefore subject to public review. State Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas), State Rep. Brian McCall (R-Plano), and State Rep. Tony Goolsby (R-Dallas), have...
Rare political courage on display
Just a few moments ago I witnessed a rare act of political courage. We learned last week about the Republican attempt to undo the important reforms conservatives made in the Children's Health Insurance Program four years ago. At that time, the stories of fraud and...
More recorded votes good for taxpayers
The House's State Affairs Committee is expected today to hear testimony regarding a series of bills that would significantly open the legislative process to taxpayer and voter scrutiny. In the past, many important votes have been held as "voice votes," allowing...
America’s Most Irresponsible
The Drudge Report is today noting that the U.S. Comptroller, David Walker, will tell 60 Minutes on Sunday that Medicare is on a course to bankrupt the United States. He says that the president's prescription drug plan, "is probably the most fiscally irresponsible...
House Committee Unanimously Hangs Up on Telephone Tax
The Lone Star Report brings us the following good news:The House Regulated Industries committee unanimously voted Feb. 21 to eliminate the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF). The tax on consumers’ phone bill was created in 1995 to help wire schools,...
Lower State Taxes & Spending Equal Less Poverty, Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
A recent study by the Goldwater Institute has demonstrated that low-tax and low-spending states are more successful at reducing poverty than their high-tax, high-spending counterparts. As President Reagan noted, a rising tide lifts all boats.The 10 states with the...
How much to keep Hollywood away?
The Austin American Statesman is calling on lawmakers to enact a slush fund that would attract more Hollywood liberals to Texas. What's not to love about that? They are particularly appalled by the idea that Friday Night Lights (a low-rated show about Texas high...
Busting the Cap for Tax Relief
February 19, 2007 Dear Members of the Texas House: For the sake of taxpayers, you and your colleagues should vote to bust the state’s spending cap. It is the opinion of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility that this is the only way Texans can be assured of receiving...
Senator Nichols Stands Up for Homeowners
The Athens Review (Texas not Greece) reported today that Senator Robert Nichols, a Republican freshman representing Northeast Texas, has filed two bills to benefit homeowners. First, SB575 would cap appraisal increases at 5 percent for homeowners, though it would...