Chair of House Public Education has told several people he intended all along to parlay chairmanship into lobbying gig.
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Swan Song for Parental Choice Opponents
While the Texas House continues to move toward stymieing school choice, a good number of the loudest voices won’t be coming back to Austin next year.
Texas Republicans Want School Choice
Momentum is building in Texas to pass legislation expanding educational opportunities.
Liberals, Lobbyists, Losers, and Lame Ducks For Ratliff
In his campaign against taxpayer champion Matt Rinaldi, Bennett Ratliff is touting a small group of "conservative" legislative endorsements. But the group is composed of liberals, lobbyists, losers, and lame ducks. Of the thirteen legislative endorsements touted by...
Straus Facts #12: Joe Straus Enables Cronyism
Straus appointees are taking advantage of their positions.
Straus Marks Farney for Protection
According to sources, Gordon Johnson has informed liberal House Speaker Joe Straus’s vendors that Georgetown Republican Marsha Farney’s reelection is one of Straus’s “top five” races.
Abbott’s Education Reform Killed By Texas House Leadership
Legislation designed to let parents get their children out of failing schools, promoted as a top reform by Gov. Greg Abbott, passed the Texas Senate with bipartisan support – only to be killed in the Texas House by the coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans...
Numbers Don’t Lie: Jones Study Confirms Accuracy of Fiscal Responsibility Index Results….Again
Since 2007, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) has released the Fiscal Responsibility Index following each session. Comprised of almost 100 votes in 2015, the Index provides a review of Texas lawmakers’ commitment to fiscal conservatism. The Index is useful for...
Continuing (mis)Education
Education reformers were again thwarted by the Texas House leadership. The only substantive “reform” to make it through was a bill designating schools and districts with a letter-grade rating. That replaces the current system of rating districts as "acceptable,"...
Tax Hikes Defeated in the Texas House
Texans fed up with property taxes got a glimmer of hope last night in the Texas House. The measure on the agenda? HB 506 by Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) which would have permitted school property tax rates to rise up to an additional 10 cents per $100 of valuation....