Taxpayer-funded lobbying is a common practice in which “[local] governmental entities spend public money to hire registered lobbyists to advocate for and against specific legislative proposals. These progovernment advocacy efforts are routinely at odds with private citizens’ liberties and finances” (Quintero & Welton, 2023, p. 2). It is estimated that political subdivisions spent as much as $75 million contracting with lobbyists to advocate for larger budgets, more taxing authority, and greater regulatory control Quintero & Welton, 2023, p. 1) Several members of the 89th Texas Legislature have made it a top priority to end the practice of taxpayer funded lobbying this year.
Taxes & Spending
These 12 Small & Mid-Sized Cities and Counties are Threatening Huge Tax Hikes
Many small and mid-sized cities and counties are right now considering tax rates that, if ultimately adopted, will result in homeowners paying higher taxes. In some cases, those threatened tax hikes are dramatic. To better understand which Texas taxpayers are in the danger zone, I recently surveyed numerous Notices of Public Hearing on Tax Increase,...
September 14, 2026