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 on property taxpayers grows.
The TPPF take: Special purpose districts need greater oversight, fewer numbers, and stricter fiscal rules.
“Texans suffer from too much local government, as evidenced by everyone’s sky-high tax bills,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “To make headway, we must grapple with special purpose districts and advance commonsense reforms, like periodically reviewing each one to determine if it’s still necessary, eliminating those that no longer serve a legitimate purpose, and bringing the entire class under the 3.5% property tax revenue limit. Those changes will put us on a much better course.”
For more on local spending, click here.
Right on Crime
What to know: Zohran Mamdani has won the mayor’s race in New York City.
The TPPF take: Conservatives can still champion “smart on crime” policies, even in New York City.
“Voters deserve and want safe communities, but they also want a justice system that is fair, efficient, and effective,” says TPPF’s Rachel Wright. “As conservatives, we are uniquely positioned to deliver on both fronts. By continuing to champion data-driven reforms, emphasizing personal responsibility and redemption, and upholding the rule of law, we can ensure that our criminal justice system truly serves the American people.”
For more on being Right on Crime, click here.
Rising From the Grave
What to know: Mamdani’s win in NYC as a socialist comes 36 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The TPPF take: Zohran Mamdani’s election is the rotten fruit of the rotten tree.
“The Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact fell apart in the twilight decades of the 20th century,” says TPPF’s Austin Prochko. “But long before that happened, communism, socialism, and Marxism had already taken root in America—in our institutions and, most importantly, in our colleges. That’s why so many young people are unversed in economics, because the serious study of economics is an antidote to socialist and communist propaganda.”
For more on communism and NYC, click here.