Whose Property is It? What to know: An Austin homeowner is being fined nearly $9,000 for having his own trees trimmed. The TPPF take: Attorneys with TPPF’s Center for the American Future are representing homeowner Michael Petrick in a lawsuit against the city. “This is exactly the sort of thing that makes housing too expensive in Austin,”...
High Lines What to know: The Texas Public Utilities Commission will meet today to deliberate the latest planned segment of a high-powered electric transmission line. Lawmakers have asked commissioners to pause until the Legislature can meet. The TPPF take: Those transmission lines will solve none of the problems with the Texas grid. “Other plans exist that can...
Mamdani and the Border What to know: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for “sanctuary” policies throughout the U.S. The TPPF take: Mamdani acknowledged recently that he’s never been to the southern U.S. border. “The issue is not whether Mamdani has physically visited the border,” says...
Nonprofiteering What to know: The city of Austin pays questionable and controversial nonprofits tens of millions every year and “does not use competitive bidding when awarding contracts for ‘social services.’” Such a dynamic invites waste, grift, and corruption in a mighty way. The TPPF take: Austin doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a profiteering problem. “In Austin and...
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors What to know: Texas lawmakers are pushing back on a Mexican politician who is lecturing them on border policy, noting his attempt to “inject the political priorities of a foreign government into the domestic affairs of the State of Texas.” The TPPF take: Corrupt Mexican political figures have no business weighing in on Texas...
Help Where It’s Needed What to know: Even the Dallas Morning News is recognizing that “Low-income families and disabled kids are the big winners of education savings accounts.” The TPPF take: The program is doing just what supporters said it would do—get help to where it’s needed. “The program puts parents in the driver’s seat of their children’s education...
Islamism in Texas What to know: The Texas Education Agency is currently investigating the Manara Academy charter school system. It’s looking into “prohibited use of instructional materials and classroom activities.” The TPPF take: The TEA is right to investigate the Manara Academy and other schools with radical Islamist links. “New research indicates that the Manara Academy system, which comprises...
Undeserved What to know: Fort Worth ISD’s academic failures were so great that State officials took it over in late 2025. Still, the disaster won’t stop the district’s outgoing superintendent from “receiv[ing] at least $412,700 as part of her resignation agreement.” The TPPF take: Taxpayers shouldn’t be expected to pay a fortune for failure. “Fort Worth ISD’s former...
They See Me Rollin’ What to know: A French citizen has admitted to voting in New Jersey elections—illegally. This raises questions about other non-citizens on the state’s voter rolls. The TPPF take: Accurate voter rolls are the foundation of election administration. “Election integrity is about more than verifying who can vote,” says TPPF’s Josh Findlay. “It also requires...
It’s Not a Revenue Problem What to know: The city of Austin just proposed a new $6.6 billion budget that calls for raising taxes and fees, despite residents struggling with an affordability crisis. In all, “the increases would cost the average Austin homeowner nearly $346 a year,” with more than half of that amount stemming from higher property...
Public Education Elites What to know: Austin ISD’s highest paid employees make more than $200,000 per year and also receive cell phone stipends, travel stipends, retirement benefits, and subsidized healthcare. “The combined total pay for all top 30 employees was about $5.9 million” for the 2025-26 school year. The TPPF take: Education elites complain about inadequate funding even...
Home Prices What to know: Illegal immigration drove up housing prices, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says in a draft report. The TPPF take: There’s no mystery here; millions more people means millions fewer affordable homes. “Housing markets are governed by the same economic principles as every other market,” says TPPF’s John Bonura. “When millions of additional people enter...