If We Make it Through December What to know: Energy prices are beginning to rise, even as winter approaches. The TPPF take: Biden’s green energy fiasco, not Trump’s reforms, is jacking up your electric bill. “Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act — only now going into effect, so any electricity price increases to this point aren’t due...
Tax Cut Elections What to know: Gov. Greg Abbott is championing a new proposal to “[e]mpower voters to roll back property tax rates through referendums.” With this tool, Texans could petition for an election to cut taxes. The TPPF take: The tax cut election concept promises to give Texans a powerful new tool to right-size local government and...
Spending is the Problem What to know: Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on the next Texas Legislature to rein in local government over-spending, which is the driving force behind skyrocketing tax bills. As part of this call, the governor is pushing to “[l]imit local spending to a formula based on population plus inflation or 3.5%, whichever is...
Evidence! What to know: The International Olympic Committee has uncovered “evidence” that men have biological advantages over women in sports. The TPPF take: This could and should lead to the banning of men from all female sports. “This move undoubtedly pushed forward after a man beat a woman’s face in during a boxing match in the last summer...
School District Squanderers What to know: Houston ISD was recently discovered to have spent $1.3 million on consulting services, mostly related to passing bonds. A large part of the expense came as “HISD used Outreach Strategies to share information about a $4.4 billion school bond, which ultimately failed in November 2024.” The TPPF take: Instead of spending tax...
Color Me Shocked What to know: Waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant throughout the city of Austin. For example, the city committed taxpayer resources to creating an adult coloring book featuring a drag queen who crows: “Quitting tobacco has allowed me to be the best performer that I can.” The TPPF take: If Austin has enough money to create comics...
Live Within Your Means What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced a slate of 2027 local government tax and spending reforms, aimed at helping taxpayers and improving affordability. The governor explained one reason for this effort is that: “Local governments must live within their own means—just like you have to live within your means.” The...
An End to the Shutdown What to know: The U.S. Senate has voted to end the nation’s longest-ever federal government shutdown. The TPPF take: Senate Democrats’ shutdown surrender was a gift to the Republican Party. “Progressives bet the farm on voter backlash, but while the shutdown likely boosted the vote in the odd-year election in Virginia and New...
Big Win? What to know: Many in the media are celebrating last week’s off-year elections as a big win for Democrats. The TPPF take: They’re not entirely wrong. “In the rest of the country, Democrats and their progressive left-wing alliance ran the table, taking both of the gubernatorial races that were up, electing a socialist as mayor of...
Changing of the Guard What to know: It’s official—former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t seek re-election to the seat in Congress she has held for nearly 40 years. The TPPF take: Pelosi’s brutal partisanship did much to damage our civil discourse. “Her decision to tear up President Trump’s first State of the Union address when he handed it...
Bought and Paid For What to know: The Justice Department has arrested two Mississippi sheriffs and 12 officers for providing protection for people they believed worked for drug cartels. The TPPF take: The cartels and China continue to make inroads into the U.S., even as leftist judges attempt to block law enforcement efforts. “The most dangerous battles now unfolding...
A Special Problem What to know: A new Houston Chronicle report is highlighting a big and growing problem for Texas taxpayers—special purpose districts. As the article notes: “The number of special purpose taxing districts has nearly doubled since 1998, reaching 2,300 last year and far outpacing the state’s population growth.” With each new taxing unit created, the burden...