Texas’s business franchise tax is costly, complicated, and time-consuming to observe. Its negative and distortionary effects should motivate policymakers to eliminate it entirely. Key points: Because of the substantial costs, large and small business owners can often spend more on compliance than on paying the franchise tax itself. Phasing out or repealing the tax altogether...
Much of the policy discussion around President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill has focused on electricity subsidies, where the outcome admittedly falls short of what fiscal conservatives hoped for. Wind and solar projects can still claim subsidies through July 2030, extending billions in taxpayer support for the next five years and driving up ratepayer bills...
Bring Home the Mississippi Miracle: A Texas Triumph in Early Literacy Texas lacks a coherent third-grade literacy standard and statewide implementation system. Restoring a mastery-based promotion gate and aligning coaching, screening, and funding can reverse stagnating reading outcomes. Key points: Texas removed its third-grade promotion requirement, weakening the connection between reading mastery and grade advancement....