With a nod to “Auld Lang Syne,” there’s plenty about 2019 that shouldn’t be forgot. There were successes, slight improvements, and setbacks—which hopefully will be remedied in 2021 when the legislature meets again. The big win for Austinites came when an appeals court struck down the city of Austin’s attempted ban on short-term rentals. All...
Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman once said: “Giving people a hand up, not a handout, is the way forward.” The Trump administration seems to agree, having announced new rules for the nation’s food stamp program that could help people transition faster from welfare to work. The new rules, set to take effect in April, take aim at a loophole...
In less than a week, Houstonians will once again head to the polls to select their next mayor and chart the city’s course over the next few years. But before voters decide on which direction the city ought to go, they should first understand where it is. To get a sense of things, voters can look to...
Local government debt continues to soar. According to new data from the Bond Review Board, local debt service outstanding—or “the amount that is required to cover the repayment of principal and interest on a debt” held by political subdivisions in Texas—rose to more than $365 billion in FY 2019, which is an increase of almost...
The re-election of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, who made protecting his state’s expanded Medicaid program a key campaign issue, has some pundits excited about the chances of expanding Texas’ own government-run healthcare system. What these pundits fail to realize, however, is that neither an election nor the elation surrounding it make Medicaid expansion a...
Texas Voters Approve Billions in New Debt On Tuesday, voters approved an overwhelming majority of the $9 billion-plus in new debt pitched by cities, counties, school districts, and special districts, according to the Texas Comptroller’s Bond Election Roundup website. Here’s how the top 10 largest new debt proposals fared and a few observations to boot....
A war of words has broken out between conservative state lawmakers and liberal local officials, with each side questioning the other’s motivations and character. These sometimes-caustic exchanges are not new to Texas politics, but the barbs are usually traded behind closed doors and inside committee rooms, not aired openly. The harshness of the public squabbling...
We have so many elections—and with campaigning now a year-round activity, it’s tough to tell what we’re voting on. This November, Houston residents will have a ballot before them allowing them to decide on leaders at the local level—the level of government that has the most immediate impact on our lives. “This municipal election is...
Early voting begins Monday, giving Texas voters another opportunity to decide on constitutional questions, bond propositions, tax increase elections and more. But this election cycle will feature at least one new change that may surprise some. Thanks to a new law passed last session — House Bill 1888 — most local officials are now banned...
Progressive politicians on the Austin City Council have spoiled the housing market, made a mess of homelessness and turned commuting into a nightmare. Now the group has fixed its gaze on something else: climate change. Spurred on by environmental activists, council members recently adopted an angst-filled resolution declaring a “climate emergency” and calling for immediate action to...
Message to Texas workers: Relax. You’ve earned it. Just like in years past, this Labor Day weekend is your chance to stay in, grill out and unwind. But perhaps even more so than before, it’s important that we also think about the prosperous economic times we enjoy — and the knife’s edge that prosperity rests...
Folks in the city of Longview — an oil patch town making its way in a new economy — are a little confused by a recent New York Times article that portrayed the city as left behind by the Texas Miracle. “They don’t see Longview the way I see Longview,” Mayor Andy Mack told the Longview News-Journal. “I...