Keeping Texas Competitive – Budget Transparency

Federal Findings Raise Alarming Questions About Texas A&M’s Research Security

A new report from the House Select Committee on China, released Oct. 13, documents why stronger research security safeguards are necessary. The case of Dr. Enrique Lavernia, now a professor at Texas A&M University, raises serious questions about whether the university’s screening procedures are sufficient. The committee’s report, “How to Stop China’s Theft of America’s...

These 12 Small & Mid-Sized Cities and Counties are Threatening Huge Tax Hikes

Many small and mid-sized cities and counties are right now considering tax rates that, if ultimately adopted, will result in homeowners paying higher taxes. In some cases, those threatened tax hikes are dramatic.   To better understand which Texas taxpayers are in the danger zone, I recently surveyed numerous Notices of Public Hearing on Tax Increase,...

Texas City Eliminates Their Property Taxes

On September 10, the City of Von Ormy cut its already low property tax rate from $.12 to zero. Von Ormy has had a history of dedication to low, or no taxes, with 2024 being the first time they even adopted a tax rate since 2014. The city approved a zero-property tax rate even as...