A Real Disaster
What to know: The Travis County Commissioners’ Court unanimously approved a tax rate that will raise taxes on the average homeowner by 11.6%, or $200 annually. Despite public outcry, commissioners refused to let the public vote on the huge tax hike saying it was needed to fund disaster relief, but as reports noted, “The $42 million in new tax dollars will be used to refill the county’s savings account…”
The TPPF take: Travis County’s tax heist hurts homeowners, deprives voters, and contorts the law.
“Travis County’s huge tax hike is unreasonable, undemocratic, and uncalled for. It will inflict real economic pain on cash-strapped residents that are already struggling,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “The county’s actions demonstrate the need for strict, new fiscal rules to more tightly manage the growth of government.”
For more on local taxes and spending, click here.
Wiped Out
What to know: The Bureau of Labor Statistics has downgraded its previous jobs numbers, now reporting that from March 2024 to March 2025, the nation added 911,000 fewer jobs than reported.
The TPPF take: The media not only misled the public but may have delayed needed policy shifts, like Fed rate cuts.
“This isn’t a minor tweak; it’s proof that the job market was far weaker than the glowing headlines suggested during the Biden administration’s twilight,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore. “Now, with the BLS’s own numbers vindicating those concerns, it’s clear the skepticism was warranted. The job market began softening in Biden’s final months, not as a result of Trump’s policies.”
For more on Bidenomics, click here.
Obamacare
What to know: Insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) are set to skyrocket this year, jumping as high as $1,800 per month.
The TPPF take: What happened to the “affordable” part of the Affordable Care Act?
“The Affordable Care Act has been an American Dream-killer,” says TPPF’s Robert Henneke. “Purchasing options are severely restricted, and the one-size-fits-all nature of the exchange policies just won’t work for too many families. What makes it worse is that the government knows how flawed Obamacare is; yet instead of fixing it they are resorting to limiting more affordable private plans in a naïve attempt to get more healthy Americans to buy into Obamacare plans.”
For more on Obamacare, click here.