Striking It Rich

What to know: Some city workers are striking it rich. A new Austin American-Statesman analysis reveals more than 85 city workers’ total pay exceeded $250,000 last year, with the top paid employee (i.e., city manager) earning a whopping $538,608. This sky-high amount “makes him among the highest-paid city managers in the country.”

The TPPF take: No one should get rich from public service.

“Public service is supposed to be about serving others, not living a life of luxury at others’ expense. That simple point seems lost on far too many local government officials—and their lack of restraint is leading to a lot of taxpayer misery,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “It’s long past time that the Texas Legislature took action to protect taxpayers from runaway salaries and gold-plated benefits at the local level.”

For more on city manager salaries, click here.

More Money

What to know: Texas education “advocates” are demanding more money for Texas public schools—and less accountability.

The TPPF take: The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government Reform and Oversight Coalition (GROC) has unveiled its full policy agenda for the 2027 90th Texas Legislature.

“This coalition will advocate for policies to combat the forces that are driving runaway local spending,” says TPPF’s Mandy Drogin. “Bad actors have developed a sophisticated system that relies on apathy, waste and corruption to funnel taxpayer dollars into entities that do not have taxpayers’ best interests in mind. This education cartel has helped local governments waste billions of taxpayer dollars on expensive facilities, high-priced consulting and lobbying contracts, and preferred ideological and political projects.”

For more on local spending, click here.

Walkout

What to know: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating Austin ISD policies after hundreds of schoolkids were allowed to walk out in protest of ICE.

The TPPF take: The walkouts are what indoctrination—rather than education—looks like.

“In an email to parents, Austin ISD denied that the walkout was ‘sponsored or endorsed’ by the district,” says TPPF’s Cameron Abrams. “However, videos from the protest across social media appeared to show badged staff walking alongside the students. And while the notice opined about the ‘desire’ to keep kids in the classroom and how the ISD takes on the responsibility for the safety of kids ‘regardless if they are on our campus,’ it readily admits that administrators and police remained with them during the anti-ICE protest.”