State
Lawmakers Press for Action on Border Crisis and Child Abuse Allegations Amid Inaction from House Speaker
State Reps. Brian Harrison and Nate Schatzline are calling on Democrat Rep. Joe Moody to address the issues.
Illegal Alien Wanted in Spain, Crossed in Texas
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston arrested a Colombian national wanted by Spanish authorities for drug trafficking charges.
UT Austin Students Arrested in April Riots to Receive Academic Probation, Suspensions
Three of the four known cases involve “deferred suspensions,” which allow the students to remain at UT as long as no other violation is committed.
Texas GOP Priority: End Federal Overreach
The Texas GOP wants the state to stand its ground against overreach from the federal government.
State Archive
Insurance Bad, Government Good
Breathlessly reported by the Austin American Statesman is a report showing that -- gasp -- health insurance premiums rates have risen 39.7 percent since 2001. Of course, state government has grown more than 30 percent since '01 but the Statesman doesn't seem bugged by...
School Districts Should Trim Central Office Before Raising Taxes
Edgewood ISD announced this week they are cutting as many as 12 central office positions, though the district says they have 92 more than needed. Other Texas districts should follow - consider that Dallas and Houston ISDs have about 3,000 central office staff while...
Getting Serious On Property Taxes
A special House committee was formed this week to address the state's out-of-control property taxes. House Speaker Tom Craddick appointed some of the Legislature's strongest fiscal conservatives to the committee. After numerous false starts over the years, it's...
Someone’s Paying Attention
At least Susan Combs is paying attention to the needs of the state's economy. With businesses struggling to understand, let alone pay, the confusingly complex new business tax, Comptroller Combs announced she’s giving everyone an extra month to make sense of what her...
Did You Know Texas Cities Can Tax Leased Cars?
Even we have trouble keeping up with all the different taxes and fees and today we learned that a 2001 law passed by the Legislature allows Texas cities to impose property taxes on leased cars. The Galveston Daily News reports that League City collects $243 per year...
A Mouse In A Cheese Factory
Too many politicians, including those claiming to be conservatives, try to impress taxpayers with the increased activity of government. Conservative activist Chuck Ellis recently commented on the big-spending ways of his local government officials, but the same could...
Cut the Line on Wasteful Spending
The Tyler Morning Paper published an editorial today that rings true both literally and as a figure of speech. The article addresses The Universal Service Fund or USF and the need to examine its worthiness. The “fund” aka corporate subsidy is a surcharge that appears...
A Bad Idea Turns Into A Nightmare
Businesses around the state are only now learning how much they are going to have to fork over to Austin under the new business tax -- which is due one month from today. The picture isn’t pretty and the results could be disastrous; which translates into lost jobs. The...
Texas Fire Hydrant Imbroglio: Common Sense in Government Has Been Extinguished
Last session the Legislature passed a law requiring all fire hydrants with a flow of less than 250 gallons per minute be painted black to avoid hook-ups to inoperative hydrants, but now the Green Valley Special Utility District has decided to paint all of its hydrants...