Good Fences Make Good Neighbors 

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors 

What to know: Texas lawmakers are pushing back on a Mexican politician who is lecturing them on border policy, noting his attempt to “inject the political priorities of a foreign government into the domestic affairs of the State of Texas.”

The TPPF take: Corrupt Mexican political figures have no business weighing in on Texas and U.S. policy.

“Mexico’s government faces serious difficulties,” says TPPF’s Joshua Treviño. “The country’s economy is steadily deteriorating. The Trump administration’s aggressive focus on Western Hemisphere security has deprived Morena of its narco allies in Venezuela and Bolivia, and Cuba may join that list. Mexican officialdom is well aware that the Mexican economy is kept afloat by a combination of migrant remittances and North American market access.”

For more on Mexico, click here.

Undone      

What to know: State lawmakers are investigating whether cities are frustrating efforts to increase housing supply. Mounting evidence suggests local government activists are blocking new development by pushing “ordinances that mandate yoga rooms, pet washing stations, public contributions and other costly amenities.”

The TPPF take: Local government activism is making the affordability crisis worse, not better.

“The Texas Legislature’s efforts to increase supply and bring down the cost of housing are being undone at the local level. In some cases, these officials have become openly adversarial,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “The result of these local actions is that Texans have fewer choices, higher rents, and a tougher time making things work. That’s not right.”

For more on housing policy, click here.