Municipal Franchise Fees: Why Are Consumers Paying Millions Every Year?

July 22, 2014

Every year, municipalities levy hundreds of millions of dollars on utilities in right-of-way (ROW) fees, largely in excess of what is needed for the maintenance of ROWs. Consumers end up paying the bill.

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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....

June 9, 2026

Economy

Homeowners’ Insurance

Reform of the Texas homeowners’ insurance market in 2003 called for a file-and-use regulatory system. However, in 2009, the Sunset Review Commission’s Staff Report on the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) rightly concluded that the “Legislature cannot judge the success of the shift to file-and-use rate regulation because the system has not been fully implemented.”...

January 4, 2017

Economy

Short-term Consumer Lending

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, lenders and consumers alike have had many concerns regarding the state of the credit market. Traditional banks have tightened restrictions on lending, making it more difficult to obtain credit, especially when the need arises very suddenly and unexpectedly. For consumers who don’t meet banks’ lending criteria, options...

January 4, 2017

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