Pocket Facts

The simple reform Congress can make to move millions from welfare to work

Congress has a chance to help millions of Americans move from welfare to work while fixing one of the country’s most broken federal programs. Lawmakers are preparing to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which controls the vast and failed federal workforce-development system. Instead of doubling down on the longstanding approach of wasting money...

Tracking Local Government Debt in Texas: 2016 – 2025

Local governments in Texas have accumulated excessive public debt. Strict reforms are necessary to restore fiscal discipline. Key points: In fiscal year 2025, local government borrowing reached nearly $561 billion in combined principal and interest, which is $17,706 in debt per capita. From 2016 to 2025, total local debt rose from $331.8 billion to $561...

Don’t Fence Me In: Tourism’s Role in Rural Economic Development

Editor’s Note: This is the latest part of a series on rural Texas and the challenges that rural Texans face. Over the next year, the Associated News Service will delve into the issues facing the Lone Star State’s 177 (out of 254) rural counties. AMARILLO—If you want to fall in love all over again with...