Latest Contributions

• Texas restaurants are asking for tax relief from the state. But officials say they need those revenues during the pandemic.

  by Mitchell Ferman and Ross Ramsey March 20, 2020

  Restaurant owners say that delaying sales tax payments could help them ride out the pandemic. State officials, however, say that those revenues help keep hospitals and emergency services running. Full Story 

• Texas regulators contemplating a reduction in oil production amid coronavirus crisis

  by Mitchell Ferman and Cassandra Pollock Updated: March 19, 2020

  A Texas Railroad Commission official said no decision has been made yet and the agency is looking into options. Full Story 

• "It's going to hurt": New coronavirus shocks Texas economy as length of public health crisis remains unknown

  by Mitchell Ferman March 19, 2020

  The novel coronavirus has caught governments unprepared, put people out of work and set businesses on the brink of closure. Congress is working on a federal stimulus package as unemployment claims in Texas are expected to rise. Full Story 

• Social distancing has upended the financial lives of countless Texans. And many don't know what's next.

  by Mitchell Ferman and Carrington Tatum March 17, 2020

  Officials say they have to prioritize public health over economic concerns. Meanwhile, people who can't work from home navigate a public health crisis while facing financial uncertainty. Full Story 

• Texans were already feeling coronavirus' financial squeeze. Then the cases increased and cancellations mounted.

  by Mitchell Ferman March 12, 2020

  The state's oil and gas industry has cratered. Major events have been called off, and tourism across Texas has dipped. It is too soon to tell the statewide economic impact from COVID-19, but Texans are already feeling a pinch. Full Story