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.
The state of Texas used to cover half of the costs of higher education at state colleges and universities. Now it's around 13 percent at the University of Texas at Austin and 22 percent at Texas A&M University in College Station. Full Story
The latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll probes the elections, the mood of the state and voters’ views on issues. Aguilar on a pugilistic Democratic leader in the Texas House. Rocha on John Carona’s evolving views on same-sex unions. E. Smith interviews state health czar Kyle Janek. KUT’s Philpott on the choices in the U.S. Senate race. Grissom, Murphy and Seger with a look at the 250 executions during Gov. Rick Perry’s tenure. Galbraith on educating students about water. Aaronson on the turbulence around the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. The best of our best from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, 2012. Full Story
Early voting is underway as of this week. The presidential and U.S. Senate debates are over as of this week and last, respectively. All that's left is getting out the votes and then counting them. That said, here is our second-to-last Hot List of the year. Full Story
Ask Texans if they have more confidence in the scientists or the policymakers and their answers depend on the issue at hand, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
Most people don't know all of the judicial candidates on the ballot, so they vote for the party, even when there is other information that might sway them. Full Story
News flash: Texans aren't big fans of the state government in Austin, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. But if you really want to get their dander up, ask about the government in Washington. Full Story
A new commercial from Democrat Pete Gallego, currently a state representative from Alpine, attacks immigration and border security quotes and votes from U.S. Rep. Francisco Canseco, R-San Antonio, in the heated Congressional District 23 race. Full Story
For this week's nonscientific survey of political and governmental insiders, we asked about the top statewide races on the ballot next month, and some that might be on the ballot in 2014. Full Story
Speaker Joe Straus defended the House's redistricting work and said they'll continue their legal fight after a second Republican — Bill Zedler of Arlington — joined Democratic inquiries about how Straus' staff handled those political maps in 2011. Full Story