American Pride What to know: Pride in being American has slipped to an all-time low, with Democrats leading the way, new polls show. The TPPF take: Only 36% of Democrats say they are extremely or very proud to be Americans. “Did these folks miss the news last week when America’s B-2 Bombers ended a decades-old...
Your Right to Repair What to know: Texas’ “Right to Repair” bill has been signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. The TPPF take: The new law establishes a Right to Repair for consumers who purchase personal electronic equipment across the state. “When Texans buy a product, they should truly own it, including the...
Nobel Peace Prize? What to know: Two countries, Pakistan and Congo, have now nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after he helped negotiate ends to their wars. The TPPF take: Don’t expect the leftist Nobel committee to take the nomination seriously. “President Barack Obama received the Peace Prize in 2009, but...
The Fully Funded Fallacy What to know: Houston ISD’s superintendent “will be among the state’s top-earning superintendents after his recent $82,000 raise raised his base pay to $462,000.” But even with that huge pay hike, he’s still paid less than the school superintendents in Lake Travis ($468,296), Tomball ($469,638), Barbers Hill ($489,143), and Victoria ($565,047)...
Accountability Counts What to know: Texas students have improved their reading scores, but lost ground with math, new STAAR results show. The TPPF take: While no test is perfect, we must continue to monitor our students’ progress. “’What gets measured, gets fixed’ is the foundation of a strong accountability system, and it’s exactly why Texas...
He’s Right You Know What to know: President Donald Trump is slamming “green energy” tax credits in the Big, Beautiful budget package now before the U.S. Senate. The TPPF take: President Trump is right, and the current Senate proposal does not go far enough to end the subsidies now. “What California and Europe are teaching...
Keep the Cuts Coming What to know: Austin ISD is facing a $110 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year, prompted by too much spending and too many kids fleeing the Woke district. To grapple with the huge deficit, it plans “a more than 20% reduction to Central Office staffing—[yielding] an approximate savings of...
Tax Cuts What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a $10 billion property tax cut into law (though portions must still be approved by voters in November). The TPPF take: The tax relief package is expected to lower taxes for the average homeowner by $484 per year while elderly and disabled homeowners will pay $938...
Housing Boom What to know: Texas lawmakers have laid the groundwork for a housing boom by clearing away red tape. The TPPF take: One of the leading causes of the housing affordability crisis is a matter of supply. “Zoning regulations in many major metropolitan areas have created an artificial scarcity of houses, which in turn...
The Root of the Problem What to know: Governor Abbott is highlighting the real problem with property taxes—despite the state lawmakers’ best efforts to get tax bills down, local governments continue “diminishing the impact of state cuts by continually raising rates.” The TPPF take: We’re caught in a cycle where the state provides tax...
Here They Come What to know: One school district is accelerating its plan to pitch voters on a massive $290 million bond “after bills limiting when districts could have elections died in the Texas Legislature.” Expect more local governments to follow suit. The TPPF take: The failure of key legislation invites local governments to...
Caught Red-Handed What to know: The Department of Justice has arrested another Chinese researcher smuggling biological materials into the U.S. The TPPF take: Texas has taken measures to protect itself. “Concern over China’s potentially harmful infiltration of Texas first took practical effect in 2021, with a law, known as the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection...