Gift Card Grift What to know: A third Austin ISD employee has been “accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of district-owned gift cards” to spend on his own personal bills, groceries, tuition, and expenses. This means that tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars have likely been stolen over a short period. The TPPF take: Why are...
Grade Inflation What to know: Grade inflation has made college transcripts all but meaningless for employers. The TPPF take: College grade inflation is undermining workforce competitiveness. “This isn’t a sign of smarter students or better teaching—it’s a collapse of standards,” says TPPF’s Tom Lindsay. “Grade point averages (GPAs) at public universities have climbed from 2.7 in the 1960s to...
Children are Safer What to know: A new report shows that child abuse deaths and removals of children into foster care, are down since the Texas Legislature enacted reforms. The TPPF take: The Legislature has worked to strengthen families. “Recent data supports what family advocates have been saying for decades—it is possible to reduce the number of...
Won’t Back Down What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says now is not the time to back down at the southern U.S. border. Even after the Trump administration is gone, Texas must stand its ground. The TPPF take: Texas will continue to play a big role in securing our nation’s border. “Amid the greatest national security...
Cutting Waste is Very Popular What to know: Harvard polling shows that Americans like President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and the way it’s cutting out waste, fraud and abuse. The TPPF take: Americans like what they’re seeing so far. “Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy like doing tough things and there is nothing more difficult than...
Shut It Down What to know: The Trump administration has shut down a smartphone app used by the Biden administration to allow millions of unvetted migrants into this country illegally. It will only work if they choose to self-deport. The TPPF take: The Trump administration isn’t compromising on border security or illegal immigration. “If we’re going to...
Property Taxes on the Block What to know: At TPPF’s annual Texas Policy Summit, Gov. Greg Abbott pledged to deliver property tax relief to Texans in the new legislative session. The TPPF take: It’s time to get a handle on our oversized property taxes. “Despite all previous efforts to reverse course, property taxes remain the largest tax...
School Choice is Near What to know: At TPPF’s yearly Texas Policy Summit, the big three-Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows, all committed to passing a universal school choice bill to empower Texas parents. The TPPF take: The time for school choice is now, and all eyes are on the...
More Relief What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says more property tax relief is on the way. The TPPF take: It’s not just about the tax cuts. “While the governor’s call for massive tax relief was well-received, it was his push for tax reform that was especially noteworthy,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “Those comments were, of course, colored by...
Food, Flight, Four-Star Hotels What to know: A bombshell new report from the Beeville Bee-Picayune reveals waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant in Beeville ISD. According to the outlet, from February and May 2024: “Significant portions of the $459,259.95 in credit card charges were spent on 4-star hotel rooms, flights, out-of-town trips, fast food/restaurant chains and...
Nuclear Power What to know: The Texas A&M University system has chosen four companies to develop small, modular nuclear reactors on its research campus in Bryan. The TPPF take: AI and data centers are creating a huge demand for new power sources. “Wind, solar, and batteries cannot be built in sufficient quantities to meet this growth over...
Guard the Gains What to know: During his recent State of the State address, Governor Abbott called for another round of massive tax relief but cautioned that it will only last “if local authorities cannot use loopholes to jack up your property taxes.” The TPPF take: Tax relief is critical to achieve this session, but tax reform...