House Envisions a Historic Tax Cut
The proposal from House Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, to cut the state sales tax rate by 0.3 percent is nothing short of historic. Full Story
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John Reynolds
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John Reynolds was the newsletters editor for the Tribune from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a reporter for Quorum Report, a non-partisan online political newsletter focusing on the ins and outs under the Dome, for more than seven years – covering the waterfront from health and human services and redistricting to pensions and elections. A native of Atlanta, Ga., he started his journalistic career one day after the attacks of Sept. 11 in Lubbock, Texas, where he rotated through a slew of beats at The Avalanche-Journal. He received his undergraduate degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and studied at the University of Georgia's graduate school in journalism. When not at work, he actively attempts to convince himself he is adept at tennis with varying levels of success. And he has adopted the Austin custom of appreciating smoked meats and listening to music in grassy/muddy fields.
Past Contributions
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![Ways and Means chair State Rep.Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, while debating State Rep. Sylvester Turner on HB11 border security bill March 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
At a Glance: Sizing Up Tax Relief, Lege Productivity
Also getting our attention this week were a couple of size-ups on where lawmakers are on the competing tax relief packages and on comparing legislative productivity between this session and last session. Full Story
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![Gov. Rick Perry delivers a farewell speech to a joint session of the Texas House and Senate on Jan. 15, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Inside Intelligence: About Those Dueling Tax Cuts...
For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about the dueling proposals for tax relief in the Lege and we included some handicapping of the prospects for some hot-button bills. Full Story
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The Brief: April 9, 2015
Republicans leery of granting more eminent domain authority acted to fast-track to nowhere a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. Full Story
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New in Trib+Water: California Cuts Back on Water
In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: California cuts back on water use in face of prolonged drought, more on the Central Texas water fights and an interview with Sharlene Leurig, hydrologist and producer of “Our Desired Future.” Full Story
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The Brief: April 8, 2015
Lawmakers are talking about giving taxpayers billions in tax relief this session. But in a state with 27 million residents, it turns out that even $4.5 billion doesn't stretch as far as the politicians would like it to. Full Story
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The Brief: April 7, 2015
A Senate subcommittee hearing legislation that would repeal the state's 2001 law offering in-state tuition to certain undocumented Texas high school graduates lasted well past the midnight hour as dozens of witnesses testified against the bill. Full Story
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![Dreamer Jesus Trevino, waits his turn to testify during the Senate committee hearing on April 6th, 2015]()
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The Brief: April 6, 2015
The House's chief tax writer is dropping some clues on how his chamber's approach to tax relief this session will differ from their counterparts in the Senate. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, confers with State Rep. John Otto, R-Dayton, during a point of order called on House Bill 11 on March 18, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
New in Texas Weekly: The House Adopts a Budget
The House takes almost 18 hours but it has a budget, Ted Cruz has a good first week as presidential candidate and a deal is struck on contentious urban drilling legislation — all that and more in the latest issue of our subscriber-only newsletter for political insiders ($). Full Story
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The Brief: April 3, 2015
A state auditor's report that looked into the controversial no-bid fraud detection software contract awarded to the technology firm 21CT revealed "operational defects" in how the state's health and human services agency awards contracts. Full Story
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![Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek asks questions during the first public hearing of the Texas Task Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 23, 2014.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera