The Texas Margins Tax and…

September 18, 2012

James Quintero

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.

The Honorable Talmadge Heflin

Texas’ margin tax is costly, complex, and a growing body of evidence suggests that it is dulling the Lone Star State’s otherwise dynamic competitive edge. “

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Ft. Worth ISD’s New Superintendent Scores Big Payday

In October 2025, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath notified Fort Worth ISD (FWISD) trustees and administrators that “chronically low levels of support given to students and very low levels of academic performance” had prompted a state takeover of district operations. In support of the intervention, officials provided ample evidence of the obvious problems, like...

May 27, 2026

Taxes & Spending

Higher Taxes on the Horizon: Lovejoy ISD

Many city, county, and school district officials are in the early stages of deciding where to set their tax rates for the next fiscal year. In some cases, these local decisions will push property taxes higher, creating new challenges for family budgets and forcing tough personal choices. Given the very real prospect of tax hikes on the horizon, now is the time for Texans to learn what their local governments are up to and...

June 9, 2026

K-12 Education

Bring Home the Mississippi Miracle: A Texas Triumph in Early Literacy

Bring Home the Mississippi Miracle: A Texas Triumph in Early Literacy Texas lacks a coherent third-grade literacy standard and statewide implementation system. Restoring a mastery-based promotion gate and aligning coaching, screening, and funding can reverse stagnating reading outcomes. Key points: Texas removed its third-grade promotion requirement, weakening the connection between reading mastery and grade advancement....