Annexing anyone against their will disparages their fundamental rights to life, liberty and property. Isn’t the purpose of government to protect these rights, not trample on them?
"Testimony: Liberty Cities May Be Small, But They’re A Really Big Deal" includes Center for Local Governance Senior Policy Analyst Jess Field's support for Senate Bill 710.
On Monday, the Texas Intergovernmental Affairs Committee heard Senate Bill 710, which would allow Texans in unincorporated areas to protect their freedom from big-city taxes and regulations by incorporating “liberty cities.”
"Testimony: Bringing Best Practices to Local Government Records Requests" includes Jess Fields' testimony in support of House Bill 2310.
Together, these open government laws reflect the strong desire of Texans to know what their government is doing, how it makes its decisions, and why. For the vast majority of policy decisions, they are in full effect, allowing the public to see what their governments are up to.
But what if a major Texas city suddenly faced financial ruin and ultimately bankruptcy, all because they could no longer afford to pay their public employees the guaranteed return promised by their pensions? Suddenly, pensions would be just the first part of a real-life horror movie.
The people of Texas deserve more openness in government. This principle unites all of us – whether on the left or right – and serves all Texans.
Texans believe in government transparency and accountability. For this reason, we have some of the most advanced open-government initiatives in the nation. Yet one policy area remains outside the view of the general public: economic development.
If SB 1254 passes, the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act will once again matter to an entire realm of government policy that spends millions upon millions of our tax dollars. There is no reason why Texans should be kept in the dark about something so important.
For Kingsbury, the road to their own city has not been easy. But like all freedom-loving Texans, their resolve to protect their rights has remained undeterred.
The U.S. Census Bureau released new data recently revealing that the U.S. homeownership rate dropped to only 64.5 percent, a 20-year-low. The blame should be placed squarely on federal and local tampering, which have caused, not solved, our housing problems.
I believe this bond package is “all hat, no cattle.” The wild claims the school district is making should not inspire confidence, but instead raise eyebrows. McAllen ISD should know that its taxpayers are smarter than that.