The 2015-16 Legislators' Guide to the Issues is a compilation of the findings and recommendations of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s research on key policy issues facing Texas and the rest of the country. This invaluable desktop reference provides a general overview of the issue, supported with facts, recommendations, and resources on a range of policy areas including spending and taxes, health care, K-12 education, higher education, energy, environment, consumers, property rights, and effective justice.
Local Government
When Government Lobbies Itself: Why Texas Should Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Texas local governments use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to influence state legislation—creating conflicts of interest, distorting democratic accountability, and undermining the interests of Texas taxpayers. Key points: Taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures more than doubled from the 85th to the 89th Legislature, now reaching as high as $111.5 million. Taxpayer-funded lobbyists consistently opposed legislation involving property...
April 6, 2026