My name is Rod Bordelon and I am appearing on behalf of the Texas Public Policy Foundation testifying in support of House Bill 2350 relating to state preemption of municipal and county licensing regulations and ordinances. In recent years, local jurisdictions have established many of their own regulations of commerce, which are different than state regulations, leading to a “patchwork” of regulations and regulatory inconsistency that individuals and businesses are
forced to comply with.
Texas Local Government Debt Soars to $552 Billion
New data shows a dramatic increase in local government debt last year, which drove property taxes higher and worsened the cost-of-living crisis. According to the Bond Review Board’s latest estimates, the total amount owed by cities, counties, school districts, and special districts rose to nearly $552 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Shockingly, that massive sum is more than $52 billion higher than the prior year’s amount. Once again, independent school districts (ISDs) were the most heavily indebted type of political subdivision,...