State

State Archive

,

Comptroller Releases Revenue Estimate

Monday morning, State Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE). Because the Texas Constitution requires a balanced budget, this estimate will set a total spending cap for the legislature as it comes into session this week. Hegar expects...

,

Speakership Victory

At noon on Tuesday, the question of who will be the Speaker of the Texas House in the 84th Session will be resolved. Members of the Texas House will vote for the status quo, or for bold leadership. They will stick with the Austin establishment, or side with the people...

Abbott Calls For Regulatory Reform

At the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Orientation, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott presented a number of regulatory reforms designed to increase economic competitiveness. Each must be acted upon by lawmakers. For example, Abbott said the oil and gas boom from the...

,

Straus Happened

Since the grow-government establishment in Austin cannot win when they take their case to the voters, as witnessed by this year's elections, they must rely on deception and strategic power plays to keep their noses in the taxpayers’ trough. Lately, some of these...

,

Medicaid Expansion: More Fraud, or More Corruption

Last month, Austin was rocked by the latest in a slew of scandals suggesting widespread corruption in state government. Health and Human Services Commission Chief Counsel Jack Stick resigned after newspaper investigators revealed that he had been funneling no-bid...

,

Protect Power or Serve the People

Close allies of Texas House Speaker Joe Straus were rejected by Republican primary voters last March, and his Democratic allies were routed in their efforts to “turn Texas purple” in November. Yet Straus refuses to relinquish power and give the people of Texas the...

Dead Money

The Texas Capitol can often be the scene of strange phenomena. Enter funds consolidation—this government accounting gimmick actually allows liberal-leaning legislators to spend more of your money by first hoarding it. First some background. The state...

,

Straus Not Always Silent on Issue of Record Vote

Several weeks ago, Speaker candidate Rep. Scott Turner penned a letter to State Rep. Charlie Geren and House Speaker Joe Straus, calling on them to end their divisive rhetoric about a roll call vote for Speaker and join him in jointly asking the Secretary of State for...