Local Debt

Taxpayers Bamboozled Over Bonds

Taxpayers Bamboozled Over Bonds

The issuance of debt by government officials is a passive form of taxation, because debt issued today will require taxes on future income.  And because borrowing requires the payment of interest, the cost to taxpayers is typically twice the amount borrowed and spent....

FWISD: Doubling Down on Costly Debt Addiction

FWISD: Doubling Down on Costly Debt Addiction

Interest expense is a huge cost that won’t be included on the ballot, nor in town halls conducted by district staff that will be living off taxpayer provided pensions by the time voters realize what hit them.

Bypassing the Voters

A local panel is recommending that Travis County officials forego an election, and instead just unilaterally issue debt and raise taxes to build a new courthouse. Why? They want to "bypass" the "risk" of not getting approval from those pesky taxpayers. This is an...

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Commuter Rail is a California-Sized Mistake

When the State of California says it’s too expensive, it should grab your attention. A recent study conducted by a group of experts determined that California taxpayers can’t afford a new high-speed rail system – but that news is unlikely to stop the calls for...

Building Permanent Debt

With the drought continuing to affect Texas families, water infrastructure is on everyone’s minds in the Lone Star State. Unfortunately, the state’s constitutional amendment election Nov. 8 creates an infrastructure of $6 billion in permanent debt from under which...