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...
Bob Dylan said it best: “For the times they are a-changin.’” It used to be that cities had their way at the Texas Capitol. By wielding local control as a cudgel, city officials and their favorite trade association expertly advanced their agenda and killed any bills that threatened their power or revenue. But no longer....
It’s over. Monday concludes the 86th regular session, meaning that it’s time for lawmakers to go home and for the public to grade their work. So let’s take stock of the good, the bad and the unfinished of the last 140 days. Assuming deals hold and no vetoes happen, the best thing to come out...
With a little help from the Local & Consent Calendars Committee, the Texas House could be getting ready to help make local elections more transparent. There’s a bill currently pending in committee—Senate Bill 1229—that would require local officials to post a lot more information online. If the bill gets out of committee and is approved...
Like a parent preparing to discipline unruly children, the Texas Legislature is getting ready to rein in local governments on everything from taxation to regulation to annexation and more. And city officials are none too happy about it. The latest high-profile flare-up came courtesy of Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who used his State of the...
Have you heard about the small South Texas school district that built a $20 million water park using state tax dollars? Or that this same school district lost almost $250,000 in the park’s first year up-and-running? Or that it also owns a golf course and that also ran a deficit last year of $300,000? Well,...
La Joya ISD is back in the news again, and not for good reason. Many of us learned recently that the small, underperforming district spent $20 million to build a water park—and that a lot of that funding came from state taxpayers. It was also discovered that the district lost roughly $250,000 running the park...