Smaller Government What to know: The Washington Post reveals that the Trump administration is intent on reducing the size and scope of government. The TPPF take: That’s exactly what the American people voted for. “This week, Trump won at the Supreme Court again when the high court ruled he could fire 1,300 employees at the...
School Supplies What to know: Cell phones won’t be on any Texas public school’s list of school supplies for the upcoming year. The Legislature has banned them in classrooms. The TPPF take: This move will have positive effects for Texas education—and Texas kids. “While technology plays an essential role in education, personal devices often serve...
Let’s See the Results What to know: A Texas appeals court has ruled the Texas Education Association can release the state’s A-F ratings for schools throughout the state. Some school districts had sued to keep those ratings hidden from the public. The TPPF take: This is an important victory for parents. “Giving every school a...
Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying What to know: Among the items on Governor Abbott’s special session call is a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, “including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature.” The TPPF take: Banning taxpayer-funded lobbying is one of the most important items on...
More Tax Cuts What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has set the agenda for the First Called Special Session of the 89th Texas Legislature and one prominent item on the call is “further property tax cuts,” which would come in addition to the $10 billion approved during the Regular Session. The TPPF take: A...
A Change in the Wind What to know: A Maryland congressman is taking on the offshore wind industry. His state relies on tourism and fisheries, he notes. The TPPF take: Even before President Donald Trump took office, the offshore wind industry was in trouble. “Costs keep going up, and embarrassing public failures, such as the...
ESG: Return of the Living Dead What to know: Investors are rethinking environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies that put political objectives above return-on-investment for their clients. The TPPF take: The real problem with ESG is that it is used to force companies to adopt political agendas that are bad for their shareholders and society...
American Pride What to know: Pride in being American has slipped to an all-time low, with Democrats leading the way, new polls show. The TPPF take: Only 36% of Democrats say they are extremely or very proud to be Americans. “Did these folks miss the news last week when America’s B-2 Bombers ended a decades-old...
Your Right to Repair What to know: Texas’ “Right to Repair” bill has been signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. The TPPF take: The new law establishes a Right to Repair for consumers who purchase personal electronic equipment across the state. “When Texans buy a product, they should truly own it, including the...
Nobel Peace Prize? What to know: Two countries, Pakistan and Congo, have now nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after he helped negotiate ends to their wars. The TPPF take: Don’t expect the leftist Nobel committee to take the nomination seriously. “President Barack Obama received the Peace Prize in 2009, but...
The Fully Funded Fallacy What to know: Houston ISD’s superintendent “will be among the state’s top-earning superintendents after his recent $82,000 raise raised his base pay to $462,000.” But even with that huge pay hike, he’s still paid less than the school superintendents in Lake Travis ($468,296), Tomball ($469,638), Barbers Hill ($489,143), and Victoria ($565,047)...
Accountability Counts What to know: Texas students have improved their reading scores, but lost ground with math, new STAAR results show. The TPPF take: While no test is perfect, we must continue to monitor our students’ progress. “’What gets measured, gets fixed’ is the foundation of a strong accountability system, and it’s exactly why Texas...