For years, there’s been a growing divide between the kinds of policies enacted at the state level and those imposed locally. As Texas state government has gotten more conservative, our local governments have become less so.
Economic development incentives such as tax abatements are often simply presumed to work by their proponents. But the real-life consequences of incentives gone wrong are rarely considered, and yet affect real lives and real families. The study that the Center for Local Governance released today, The Failure of Tax Abatements: Corporate Handouts That Just Don’t...
In 2009, Allen ISD proposed and passed a bond authorization for a $60 million football stadium that seats 18,000 and is as nice as many university football facilities. Among other features, it has an indoor golf practice area, a large wrestling facility, and a 75-foot-long high definition video scoreboard. The stadium opened in time for...
On Thursday, the San Antonio City Councilwill consider a restrictive ridesharing ordinance that could shutdown Uber and Lyft in the city. Government-protected taxicab companies, eager to shut out the new competition, are strongly supportive of the new rules. But if the council wants to put the safety and best interests of its citizens ahead of...
It’s hard to open a major newspaper without reading about another Texas city cutting a special deal with a private corporation. This happens so regularly that it almost seems normal for government to throw public money at well-connected private interests. But it isn’t. The proliferation of economic development incentives in Texas begs the question:...
In recent years, the public’s awareness of crony capitalism, whereby government picks winners and losers, has increased tremendously. This is a good thing for advocates of free markets, because no market can be free where politicians use the power and largesse of government to benefit the well-connected. Unfortunately, many see the federal government’s favoritism...
Sandy Oaks, just south of San Antonio, is the newest city in Texas. Last month, the town decided it wasn’t going to burden its residents with a property tax, relying instead on the sales tax to fund much of its operations. In doing so, it joined the growing number of Texans incorporating their communities to...
When passing new laws regulating business, rarely do policymakers consider the unintended consequences. But they are always present. In this case, it has to do with a 2011 New York law aimed at regulating Airbnb—the service that allows people to rent out living spaces on a night-by-night basis as a sort of bed and breakfast—hence...
As local government debt explodes in Texas, voters are becoming increasingly uneasy about the prospect of paying for more debt out of their property taxes. As a result, some local government entities, especially school districts, are crafting ways pass bonds more easily in low-turnout elections. In May, Texas school districts held bond elections asking taxpayers...
Banning plastic bags a bad
This commentary originally appeared in Breitbart Texas on September 10, 2014. Are radical social engineering policies entering our schools? If Dripping Springs ISD’s latest ploy to save the planet is any indication, the answer is yes. Recently, Dripping Springs ISD joined other school districts in observing “Meatless Mondays,” which, as they sound, are Mondays on which no...
This commentary was originally published in MySanAntonio.com on Sept. 5, 2014. Von Ormy is a small town south of San Antonio that most Texans probably haven't heard of. But city officials have a big idea that could change all that. Last month, it was announced that Von Ormy likely will become the first municipality in Bexar County...