The Texas Legislature faces a difficult quandary. In order to responsibly balance the state’s budget, every option must be on the table-but not everything is. One of the state’s largest budget items, Article II: Health and Human Services, is virtually off-limits to lawmakers interested in trying to realize cost-savings and efficiencies.
Economy
Austin’s Simple Fix for Soaring Housing Costs
After years of watching home prices skyrocket out of reach for first responders, nurses, and young families, in December 2023, Austin city council voted to rewrite its zoning code. The first phase of its HOME Initiative—known as HOME-1—effectively allowed up to three homes on most lots that previously could host only one. A year later,...
December 9, 2025