Testimony: Strengthening the Texas Model

February 16, 2015

The Honorable Talmadge Heflin

"Testimony: Strengthening the Texas Model" includes Center for Fiscal Policy Director The Honorable Talmadge Heflin's submitted testimony before the House Ways & Means Committee on the Foundation's fiscal policy priorities.

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Southern Spirit Line: High Voltage Hype, Low Impact for Texas

The proposed Southern Spirit transmission line connecting Texas to Louisiana and Mississippi has generated a lot of headlines over the past week, with my favorite coming from the publication Electrek: “Hell froze over in Texas—the state will connect to the U.S. grid for the first time via a fed grant.” I laughed. The article fails...

October 11, 2024

Economy

Liberty Action Agenda

The Liberty Action Agenda is a set of critical reforms that must be made to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas. To ensure the flourishing of Texans during the next quarter-century, we must work now toward these bold policy proposals that embody the Texas ideal.  Eliminate Taxpayer Funded Lobbying: The Texas Legislature should no longer allow local governments...

January 19, 2026

Local Government

Texas Local Government Debt Soars to $552 Billion

New data shows a dramatic increase in local government debt last year, which drove property taxes higher and worsened the cost-of-living crisis. According to the Bond Review Board’s latest estimates, the total amount owed by cities, counties, school districts, and special districts rose to nearly $552 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Shockingly, that massive sum is more than $52 billion higher than the prior year’s amount. Once again, independent school districts (ISDs) were the most heavily indebted type of political subdivision,...

January 28, 2026

The Honorable Talmadge Heflin

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Southern Spirit Line: High Voltage Hype, Low Impact for Texas

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