School Choice in the Lone Star State What to know: Families in Texas will soon be able to apply for the Texas Educational Freedom Accounts school choice program. The TPPF take: School choice is finally coming to Texas. “Eligible Texas children can receive public funds deposited into a personalized account to be used for approved education expenses,” says...
Stealing the Show What to know: President Donald Trump “stole the show” in Davos for the World Economic Forum last week, the Associated Press reports. The TPPF take: The highlight of Davos was Trump’s announcement on a deal with Greenland. “In the end, Trump gets the ‘W,’” says TPPF’s Sherry Sylvester. “He controlled the entire narrative and came away...
Where Does the Money Go? What to know: In Texas, public school education foundations are nonprofits that are supposed “to use extra funds in support of our school programs.” And they’re big business. The TPPF take: Too often, education foundations are opaque. “Current estimates suggest that EFs across Texas boast an estimated $9 billion in assets, employ 1,841 people...
Try, Try Again What to know: Efforts to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying failed in the last legislative special session. The TPPF take: TPPF is forming a coalition with other groups to renew efforts to ban this practice. “Cities, counties, school districts, and taxpayer-funded associations across Texas spend millions of public dollars hiring lobbyists and political operatives to influence...
A Bold Step Toward Lower Health Care Costs What to know: Yesterday, President Trump called on Congress to enact “The Great Healthcare Plan.” The TPPF take: President Trump’s proposed plan is a bold leap to restore agency and control to patients when it comes to their healthcare. “This plan represents a significant moment in the effort to...
Rising Electricity Prices? What to know: Experts say Texas electricity costs will continue to climb, in part due to higher transmission costs. The TPPF take: Transmission costs make up a larger and larger part of those rising price tags. “The average Texas household has seen transmission and distribution grow from 30% of their electric bill to 40%...
A Martyr for the Left What to know: The left is now treating Renee Good, who was killed attempting to ram an ICE agent with her vehicle, as a martyr. The TPPF take: The left seeks martyrs to fuel anti-Trump uprising. “Why the drive for martyrs?” asks TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “It stems from a deep understanding of revolutionary...
Pushing the Message on the Public Dime What to know: Social justice activists serving on the San Antonio city council want to spend $170,000 to install rainbow-colored sidewalks, raising legitimate concerns about waste and abuse. But a few councilmembers are fighting back, arguing that: “Tax dollars should not fund individual viewpoints.” The TPPF take: Pushing politics is...
No More Escaping Consequences What to know: Captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is unlikely to beat the charges he now faces in the U.S., legal experts say. The TPPF take: The era of escaping consequences is over. “Venezuela’s corrupt leaders got away with it for too long,” says TPPF’s Joshua Treviño. “They sent forth millions of their own citizenry...
Eyes on Local Debt What to know: Thanks to a new state law (HB 103), the Texas Comptroller’s office recently unveiled the Local Government Bond, Tax, and Project Transparency Database, enabling Texans to “see exactly how much debt their local governments carry, what bonds voters approved, and how those dollars are being used.” The TPPF take: Texas’ new...
A Just Action What to know: Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ran a corrupt narco-state. He was first indicted on narcotics trafficking in 2020. The TPPF take: The Trump administration’s actions in capturing Maduro were just and appropriate. “The United States has set itself against not just a particular regime in Venezuela, but against a particular class of regime that...
Obamacare What to know: The Affordable Care Act subsidies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic have now expired. The TPPF take: Those subsidies have helped drive up health care costs. “Subsidies are often sold as help for working families, but in practice they are a major reason health care costs keep rising,” says TPPF’s Brian Phillips. “They prop up a...