Ozone levels have long challenged Texas’ two largest urban areas-Houston-Galveston-Brasoria (HGB) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)-although continuous, dramatic improvement has occurred in the last 10 years. Unlike many states, Texas has aggressively regulated industrial sources of ozone and federal engine standards coming online in the next few years will continue to lower mobile emissions without onerous, costly state regulation.
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