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.
Small Towns, Big Tax Increases
The city of Whitesboro ignited a firestorm recently when officials suggested adopting a tax rate that would have skyrocketed the average homeowner’s property tax bill by 61 percent. The initial public hearing to discuss the matter drew hordes of angry Whitesboro residents who voiced their discontent. So much so, in fact, that city councilmembers tabled...