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Chris Essig builds data visualizations and news apps at the Texas Tribune. Before joining the team in February 2017, Chris spent almost six years in Iowa, including two and a half years as a developer at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids and three years as an online editor at the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. He is originally from Illinois and will never complain about the winter weather here in Texas.
The Texas Tribune's database of compensation for Texas state employees has been updated to represent employee salaries as of July 1. It includes detailed data for the 113 agencies in state government and positions at each of those agencies. Full Story
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The federal government released the names Monday of 51,250 companies and organizations in Texas that received the loans, which were designed to keep the economy afloat during the coronavirus. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune is excited to launch a new and revamped version of our Government Salaries Explorer. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune's database of compensation for Texas state employees has been revamped. It includes detailed data for all of the 113 agencies in state government and every position at each of those agencies. Full Story
New estimates from University of Texas at Austin researchers show what it would take to spread out hospitalizations in 22 Texas metro areas. Full Story
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There are cases in each of the state’s five largest urban areas, though the virus has now also appeared in counties spanning from East Texas to the Gulf Coast. Officials expect statewide testing capacity to increase soon. Full Story
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A couple of The Texas Tribune's political nerds highlight (their latest version of) the most interesting races up and down the 2020 primary ballot. Full Story
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Houston ISD, the state's largest school district, is among those that could have its school board taken over by the state, due to consecutive low ratings of one of its schools. Full Story
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The U.S. Supreme Court could soon alter the political future of Texas when it decides whether the Trump administration can ask about citizenship on the upcoming census. Full Story
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A Texas Tribune study analyzed 560 cases from four Texas counties to shine a light on how the controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture is used by law enforcement. Full Story
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How would lawmakers' proposals to provide property tax relief affect tax bills? It depends on where you live and what kind of home you own. Full Story
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Proposals in the Texas House would spend $6.6 billion from the state’s savings account; the Senate would spend $4.4 billion. Full Story
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State lawmakers are trying to reform a complicated taxing system where everything from suburban growth to gentrification and a homeowner’s age influence how much Texans pay their local governments. Full Story
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The fight over property tax rates is really about state leaders telling local officials how much their revenues can grow before voters get to step in. Full Story
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Several government entities — from appraisal districts to city councils — play independent roles that collectively determine how much money Texas landowners owe local governments each year. Full Story
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As lawmakers debate costly investments in property tax reduction and public schools, they're eyeing the state savings account for a sizable withdrawal. Full Story
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Four out of every five committee chairs this session are men, and 72 percent of chairs are white. Full Story
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Beto O'Rourke surged to a 15-point edge over Ted Cruz in Hays County during last week's election, even though the Central Texas county hadn't voted for a Democrat at the top of the ticket since 1992. Full Story
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In Williamson, Hays, Collin and Fort Bend counties, Republicans saw their dominance falter on Tuesday. Full Story
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Republicans hoped to keep a majority Texas House seats from Dallas County when they redrew district boundaries in 2011. Seven years later, they've only held onto two of 14. Full Story
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