As lawmakers consider ways to fund Texas government, some are advocating an expansion of state-run gambling to include video lottery terminals, or VLTs. With some projecting a $2 billion windfall, VLTs are an attractive source of income, but studies indicate the costs may outweigh the benefits. Two background papers are also available; one summarizes the economic impacts of gambling, the other provides the calculations used to identify the additional fiscal cost of VLTs.
Local Government
Exploring The Texas Housing Market: Conditions, Constraints and Capacity for Development
Texas’s housing market is challenged by supply-side constraints, rooted in restrictive zoning, large-lot mandates, escalating regulatory fees, and runaway property taxation. Key Points: Texas’s housing affordability crisis is supply-driven: a 306,000-home shortfall, falling permits, and a $321,000 median price reflect regulatory barriers blocking construction needed to meet population growth. Government regulation accounts for 23.8% of...
October 28, 2026