PowerPoint presentation by Myron Ebell

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...

Housing Is Too Expensive. Blame Your Local Tree Ordinance.

Matthew Bernard wanted to build a home. He bought a small lot in Oakland, California, and began clearing several diseased and fallen trees that the local fire department had identified as hazards. The result was a $915,000 “mitigation fee” from the city of Oakland—nearly five times the value of the lot itself. Under Oakland’s tree ordinance,...

Toward an Office of Parental Rights in Texas: A Legal-Political-Historical Approach to the Protection of the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Parents

Toward an Office of Parental Rights in Texas: A Legal-Political-Historical Approach to the Protection of the Fundamental Rights and Duties of Parents   Key points: Changing legal images of the family, constitutional disputes, and state overreach threaten parental rights as a broad, actionable claim of parents over the direction of their child’s life. The Due Process Clause...