Detroit Defaults, El Paso Pays

Reinvigorating Federalism and Fiscal Discipline in Texas: Establishing the Office of State Sovereignty

Texas governments received $84.3 billion in federal funding in 2023, raising concerns over financial dependency and regulatory consequences. Creating an Office of State Sovereignty to monitor the application, receipt, and conditions of this aid could mitigate fiscal risk and improve transparency. Key points: Texas lacks a centralized system to oversee federal grants potentially flowing to...

Higher Taxes on the Horizon: City of Stephenville

Many city, county, and school district officials are right now deciding where to set tax rates for the next fiscal year. In some cases, these local decisions will push property taxes higher, creating new challenges for families struggling with affordability.   Given the very real prospect of tax hikes on the horizon, now is the time...

Texas Needs To Fix Its Energy Strategy

Texas is America’s manufacturing and energy export powerhouse. If the Trump administration envisions a true American energy renaissance on the horizon, Texas must lead. But before Texas can lead, it must get its own grid in order. Decades of federal and state subsidies—the latter now thankfully dead—have powered an overinvestment in periodic wind and solar...