Strengthening Texas’ Tax & Expenditure Limit

September 13, 2010

James Quintero is the policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government for the People campaign. Since joining the Foundation in 2008, Quintero has focused extensively on: state & local government spending, taxes, debt, public pension reform, annexation, and local regulations.

With so many hindrances to budgetary prudence, it is easy to understand why Texas’ TEL has failed to live up to expectations. However, with just a handful of changes, legislators can vastly improve and entrench this important safeguard.

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The Explosion of Transmission Costs in ERCOT: Causes, Forecasts, and Policy Solutions

KEY POINTS • Transmission costs in ERCOT rose from $1.5 billion in 2010 to over $5 billion in 2024 and could increase to over $12 billion per year by 2033. • After adjusting for inflation and overall rising electricity demand, the average ratepayer in the ERCOT region paid 57% more in transmission charges in 2024...

January 8, 2026

Economy

Trump shows he will MAWA (Make America Work Again)

Former President Donald Trump went viral this week for making a campaign pitstop in Pennsylvania to work the fry station and drive-through at a McDonald’s. But Trump’s visit at McDonald’s was more than a publicity stunt—it represents the core of what makes him appealing to voters and, ultimately, what will carry him across the finish line in...

October 28, 2024

Taxes & Spending

Assessing Tax Trends in the City of Ft. Worth

Does history suggest that property taxes are too high in the city of Ft. Worth? And, if so, have local decision-makers actively helped or hurt the situation? To help answer these questions, let’s review the city’s 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) and gather four types of data—i.e., tax levies, local population, total tax rates, and taxable values—over a 10-year time horizon. Using these audited estimates, we can gauge the growth of government (i.e., tax levy trends), assess its...

February 19, 2026

Strengthening Texas’ Tax & Expenditure Limit

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The Honorable Talmadge Heflin

James Quintero

The Honorable Talmadge Heflin

James Quintero

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The Explosion of Transmission Costs in ERCOT: Causes, Forecasts, and Policy Solutions

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