The Tax Foundation has released a new report with some bad news for Texas taxpayers that many probably already knew all too well.  The report, which focuses on property taxes across the nation, found that Texas has the ninth highest property taxes of the 50 states as a percentage of personal income. 

The Texas House Local Government Ways and Means Committee chaired by State Rep. Fred Hill (R-Richardson) has released its interim report.  News coverage of the report has centered on its opposition to appraisal caps, which was hardly surprising since Chairman Hill has been among the most vociferous critics of such caps. 

 When Texas lawmakers instituted the “gross margins” business tax, it is a safe bet they didn’t expect trail-lawyer-extraordinaire Mark Lanier to sue them over it. But that’s exactly what he’s planning on doing, according to today’s Houston Chronicle.