Taxes & Spending

Tracking Trends: Brownsville-Area Governments

Are Brownsville-area governments treating taxpayers well? To answer that question, I recently gathered data from several different sources—including the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index; Texas Comptroller of Public Account’s Tax Rates and Levies; and Texas Education Agency’s Student Enrollment Reports—to determine the 5-year growth rate of population...

January 2, 2025

Local Government

Public Signals Strong Support for Regulatory Reform

A new poll conducted by Baselice and Associates suggests that the public strongly supports regulatory reform and rightsizing Texas’ administrative state. The poll, which surveyed 801 voters from November 25 to December 2, 2024, illuminates public sentiment in 3 areas: ensuring clear and easily accessible rules; establishing objective and transparent reviews; and enabling modern and...

December 18, 2024

Taxes & Spending

The Willis ISD Wake-Up Call

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a wake-up call as: “something that serves to alert a person to a problem, danger, or need.” That is a fitting descriptor for the situation in Willis, Texas, a small city located in north central Montgomery County.  Earlier this month, the town’s chief school district—Willis ISD (enrollment: 8,974)—approached voters with a $115.4...

November 20, 2024

Local Government

How Much Local Debt Was Added in the November 2024 Election?

Cities, counties, school districts, and special districts pestered voters to approve massive amounts of new debt this election cycle—and in many cases, the spenders found success.  According to newly released data from the Bond Review Board (BRB), voters statewide were asked to decide on 195 separate bond propositions seeking to fund everything from athletic facilities...

November 19, 2024

Taxes & Spending

Nonvoter-Approved Debt on the Rise

Local government officials are leaning more heavily on nonvoter-approved debt instruments, like certificates of obligation (COs), than in years past. As a result, voters are increasingly denied the opportunity to voice their support or opposition to various capital projects and taxpayers are bearing a heavier burden without consent. For anyone unfamiliar with the CO concept,...

November 14, 2024

Taxes & Spending

A Blank Check

We’re nearing the end of the voting season for this year, and now more than ever it’s important to demand clarity in what we’re voting for when it comes to Voter-Approval Tax Rate Elections—VATREs.   VATREs are what local governments—like school districts, special purpose districts, and cities—use to ask the public for huge tax hikes. Today,...

October 31, 2024

Taxes & Spending

Which ISDs (and Lone City) are Pushing VATREs?

In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed historic property tax relief that was intended to cut the average homeowner’s tax bill by roughly $1,300 per year. Unfortunately, tax-and-spend local governments have eroded much of those anticipated savings through rate hikes, bond elections, and a special type of tax increase election known as a Voter-Approval Tax Rate...

October 29, 2024

Taxes & Spending

Bigger in Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas—including government debt. According to the Bond Review Board’s latest local government annual report, Texas’ state-local debt totaled nearly $325 billion (principal only) in 2021, which was the 4th highest among the top ten most populous states. On a per capita basis, Texas governments have borrowed so much that every man,...

October 28, 2024

Taxes & Spending

The Real Cost of Houston ISD’s Bond Package

The true cost of government debt is often understated. Case-in-point: Houston ISD’s “record-breaking” $4.4 billion bond package. To date, most of the media coverage surrounding HISD’s astronomical ask has focused on the principal amount alone, i.e., the $4.4 billion figure. However, as a recent Houston Chronicle article reminds, repaying government debt involves more than just...

October 17, 2024

Economy

What the Private Sector can Teach the Public Sector about Efficiency

Recently, former President Trump floated the idea of creating “a government efficiency commission a federal commission to audit the entire federal government.” And even better, he suggested putting Elon Musk in charge of the commission, saying he is a great “cost-cutter.” Unleashing a commission of this nature on the federal government, led by a titan...

October 17, 2024

Taxes & Spending

Golden Parachutes in Harlingen ISD

It’s happened again—another government employee got a golden parachute. The Dallas Express recently reported that Harlingen ISD’s outgoing superintendent is resigning under mysterious circumstances, and they’re departing with a lot of taxpayer money, “even as the school district faces financial challenges.” The size of the severance? Over $250,000 plus the value of unused leave. The...

October 11, 2024

Taxes & Spending

It Pays to be an Education Elite in Edgewood ISD

Edgewood ISD finds itself in the midst of controversy once more.  It was revealed recently that the lackluster school district had approved a contract extension and pay hike for its superintendent. As reported by the San Antonio Express-News, “the Edgewood Independent School District board extended his contract to 2029 and raised his salary to $291,923.”...

October 10, 2024