The Latest
Attorney General Attempts to Stop Border NGO Criminal Activity
This is the latest development in the attorney general’s legal battle with a Catholic nonprofit accused of human smuggling.
Houston Controller Clashes with Mayor over Collective Bargaining
Controller Chris Hollins is arguing the city could lower the taxpayer burden on the settlement to half of what is currently being proposed.
DPS Arrests Illegal Alien Wanted for Murder
Two human smugglers were also apprehended.
New Effort Begins to Eliminate Texas GOP’s Pro-Life Priority
The petition claims the abortion issue is hindering Republicans’ ability to secure electoral victories.
The Archive
Dewhurst Questions Existence & Return of Surplus, But More Tax Cuts Now Can Help Avert Future Economic Slowdown
Speaking at a Capitol news conference yesterday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said "We don't have a 14.3 billion dollar surplus." He asserted that "when you look at promised property tax cuts out to 2011, we're looking at a balanced budget with just...
Conservative Leaders: Return the Surplus!
Leaders of seven conservative organizations today called on legislators to "return the certified surplus to Texas taxpayers." Earlier this week the state's new Comptroller, Susan Combs, certified for legislative use a $14.3 billion surplus. Signing the letters are the...
Return Surplus To The Taxpayer
Texas Comptroller Susan Combs today officially certified the state's surplus at $14.3 billion. The president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Michael Quinn Sullivan, offered the following statement: "The surplus is not found money, but rather the overpayment by...
Remember the Taxpayer!
In responding to the official revenue estimate issued by Comptroller Susan Combs, Gov. Perry said, “This surplus should reinforce our commitment to the principles and policies that helped create it. State leaders must continue to be fiscally disciplined, we must...
Taxpayers vs. Spending Addicts in Abilene
The Abilene Reporter-News has a revealing piece today discussing how Abilene taxpayers support revenue and appraisal caps while local officials are frightened by the prospect. The most eye-opening quote is:Taylor County Commissioner Chuck Statler likened the...
That big pile of money..
That big pile of money belongs to Texas' taxpayers. That legislators aren't falling all over themselves leading into the session to return it completely to the taxpayers is more than a little disappointing. By spending the surplus, they will be taxing us again, and...
It’s Wait and See at the LBB – At Least Fix the Cap Before Busting It, If You Must
The Legislative Budget Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 4 has been postponed to Thursday, January 11, apparently to give legislative leaders more time to chat with members about the setting of the spending limitation pursuant to the Constitution. TFR...
Tax cuts ain’t spending!
State Senator Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) got it right in today's Dallas Morning News when he said, "I don't think the spending cap was designed to prevent tax cuts." What spending cap? The so-loose-as-to-be-non-existent cap added to the state constitution back in 1978...