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Ross Ramsey co-founded The Texas Tribune in 2009 and served as its executive editor until his retirement in 2022. He wrote regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he was editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly. He did a 28-month stint in government with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Before that, he reported for the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Times Herald, as a Dallas-based freelancer for regional and national magazines and newspapers, and for radio stations in Denton and Dallas.
Voting against legislation isn't the only way to kill it. Some of the most powerful tools available to Texas legislators are found in the dry pages of their parliamentary rulebooks. Full Story
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The Texas Senate wants to limit growth in the state budget — by adding a fifth spending limit to state law. Full Story
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As the House and Senate continue their "robust discussion" over whether to cut sales or property taxes, Gov. Greg Abbott touted his own preference, along with a way to avoid the fight: business tax cuts, along with whatever legislators decide. Full Story
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Former House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, is lobbying for the Texas Entertainment Association — the euphemistically named trade group for the state’s strip clubs. Full Story
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With a huge pot of extra money to inspire them or tempt them to make grand proposals, Texas lawmakers have opted for thrift over big ideas. That's a little out of character. Full Story
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The best of our best content from April 6 to April 10, 2015. Full Story
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Lawmakers try to do what voters want, but nobody promised consistency. That's why you can get the same legislators to reduce debt and increase it on the same day, or to argue for and against eminent domain in the same hearing. Full Story
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As the House and Senate engage in what state Sen. Kevin Eltife calls "a bidding war" over cuts to sales and property taxes, the Tyler Republican is sticking to his guns: He thinks lawmakers should look at neglected projects before they cut taxes. Full Story
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The House and Senate have some differences over which taxes to cut, but their plans have one thing in common: When they trickle down to average taxpayers, the benefits are small. Full Story
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In this episode of Budgetline, an occasional TribCast series on the Texas Budget, Aman and Ross explore the state's fuzzy limits on how fast the state budget can grow, what counts and what doesn't, and how the politics work. Full Story
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