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...
Forced annexation appears headed for the dustbin of history. Prior to 2017, Texas cities could unilaterally poach property just outside their official boundaries. The conscripted property owners were usually forced to swallow higher taxes, tougher regulations, and old public debts. That didn’t sit well with a lot of folks, including a big, bipartisan group of...
Austin has a long history of abusing local control, but its recent push for mandatory paid sick leave may end up being the straw that breaks the camel’s back. That much is evident by what’s happening at the Capitol. What exactly is unfolding? Maybe something big. But first a brief bit of history. In February...
The City of Austin likes to spend money. The latest example of local largesse comes from Austin’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) program, which is run by the city’s Economic Development Department. AIPP currently has three job openings for Art in Public Places Coordinators. These new employees will be responsible for “recommend[ing], develop[ing], and assist[ing] with...
By now, most people have heard about the small, underperforming school district in the Valley that spent state money to build a $20 million water park. But as it turns out, the story gets even worse. According to Progress Times, La Joya ISD’s water park has also become a drain on its annual budget. “During...
As reported by Texas Scorecard, the board for the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) voted last week to end a longstanding, taxpayer-funded contract with HillCo Partners, an Austin-based lobbying group that also advocates on behalf of many other local governing bodies, including the city of Houston. Harris County Department of Education Board Members argued...
The Certificates of Obligation Act of 1971 allows some governmental entities—like cities, counties, and certain special districts—to issue debt without voter approval to fund any public project. More specifically, certificates of obligation (COs) can be used “to fund the construction, demolition, or restoration of structures; purchase materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, buildings, land and rights of...