by Michael Quinn Sullivan | Mar. 25, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
By super-majority votes, the Texas Senate on Wednesday approved $4.6 billion in tax relief in a series of measures aimed at helping small businesses and homeowners. “Rather than spend excess revenue, the Senate has voted to return $4.6 billion to Texas...
by Michael Quinn Sullivan | Mar. 24, 2015 | Uncategorized
Calling their opposition to tax relief “disappointing and discouraging,” State Sen. Charles Schwertner penned a stinging rebuke to big business associations. In a letter dated March 24, Schwetner takes special aim at the Texas Association of Business for...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 24, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
In both the Texas House and Senate, the chairmen of the Higher Education committees will be working to raise tuition for Texas students and families on Wednesday. In the House, Higher Education Committee Chairman John Zerwas (R–Richmond) will hold a hearing at 8am...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 24, 2015 | Uncategorized
Earlier this month we wrote about how Texas House Speaker Joe Straus was slow-rolling the reading and referral of bills – particularly certain conservative priorities. Since then, Straus has picked up the pace. Reading and Referral of House Bills and House Joint...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 24, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
The horizon for the future of the University of Texas at Austin grew a shade darker yesterday. News broke that the UT System Board of Regents is set to appoint Greg Fenves, the current Executive Vice President and Provost at UT Austin, to replace his boss, Bill...
by Owen Stroud | Mar. 24, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
On Tuesday morning, the House Appropriations Committee unanimously passed the budget plan provided in House Bill 1. HB 1, as passed by the committee, will spend $209.8 billion over the 2016-17 biennium, an increase of $7.4 billion from the $202.4 billion base budget...
by Charles Blain | Mar. 24, 2015 | Local
The blame for Texas’ local debt epidemic is typically assigned to city councils and school boards. But little attention is given to the unelected boards that govern Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZ), which also have the ability to tax and borrow on behalf of...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 24, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
There may be no better example in the Texas Legislature of the tyranny of House leadership and the corruption of the legislative process than the current practice of the House Calendars Committee. Under current House practice, 15 members hand picked by House Speaker...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 24, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
Last session, members of the Texas Senate were used by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to defend Bill Powers and the elites who control the University of Texas at Austin. In light of recent reports exposing corruption at UT, will Senators allow themselves to be used again by...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 23, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
Greyhound 2k, a Boston-based advocate for the welfare of Greyhounds has lodged complaints against Gulf Greyhound Park related to the abuse of dogs at the track. The track is owned in part by Robert and Gordon Johnson, two longtime Austin lobbyists for gambling...
by Michael Quinn Sullivan | Mar. 23, 2015 | Local
A new group has surfaced in Texas, and it seems to be spreading some misinformation about the Texas Legislature. Specifically, it’s trying to make Straus-affiliated, politically insecure Republicans sound more conservative than they are. Some Texans are receiving...
by Michael Quinn Sullivan | Mar. 23, 2015 | Uncategorized
[Updated below.]While taxpayers are eager for relief, crony-business interests are working to undermine the Texas Senate’s tax relief efforts. In votes that will test the new resolve of the conservative majority, senators will be choosing on Wednesday between...
by Buddy Kipp | Mar. 23, 2015 | State
After spending millions of dollars based on claims of rampant steroid use in high schools, the Texas Legislature has been advised to shut down the six-year-old random testing program it began with great fanfare in 2008. Supporters of the program, however, say that the...
by Tony McDonald | Mar. 23, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
Despite being one of only two Republican Senators refusing to sign on in support of the Senate’s bipartisan property tax relief measure, State Sen. Kel Seliger is authoring legislation aimed at giving horse and dog racing tracks special treatment—a 100% refund of...
by Ross Kecseg | Mar. 22, 2015 | Citizen Profiles
Originally from Pontiac, Michigan, Michael Dion and his wife have lived in the Austin area since 1974, when parts of Hwy 183 were still a four-lane divided road with little traffic. Prior to settling in Cedar Park, Texas in 2004, Michael and his wife sailed their...
by Michael Quinn Sullivan | Mar. 22, 2015 | Uncategorized
It was 250 years ago today that the British government dropped a sizable straw on the oppressed back of the American colonies. On March 22, 1765, Parliament enacted the Stamp Act on the American colonies. Their stated intention was to raise funds to pay for British...
by Ross Kecseg | Mar. 21, 2015 | State
In an attempt to make transportation funding a legislative priority, State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) has filed legislation to dedicate more tax revenue to non-tolled roads. His reform mirrors State Sen. Robert Nicohols’ original proposal (SB 5) prior to moderate...
by Cary Cheshire | Mar. 20, 2015 | State, Uncategorized
While reducing debt is generally a good thing, comments by State Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton), a lieutenant of liberal House Speaker Joe Straus, reveal what conservatives have feared – some “debt reduction efforts” in the legislature have ulterior motivations. As he...
by Cary Cheshire | Mar. 20, 2015 | State
Attorney General Ken Paxton joined 22 other state attorneys general are urging the Obama administration to permanently discard a proposed ban on M855 5.56 x 45mm ammunition. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) had recently proposed the ban under...
by Cary Cheshire | Mar. 19, 2015 | State
Almost everyone hates hidden hotel fees. However, while one lawmaker is fighting back against them, she’s catching heat from local officials unhappy with her position. Always beating the drum for bigger government, the “local control” (see: local tyranny) mob has...
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