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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.
Gov. Greg Abbott is working to defeat three incumbent Republican House members who crossed him on ethics legislation during the regular session last year. If he doesn't win, they'll be back — with scores to settle. Full Story
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It might deflate your confidence in the state of Texas to find that the people protecting your access to government information have their thumbs on the scale. That they’re playing favorites. That they put requests from their enemies on the slow track. Or that they advise the agencies who come to them for advice to act that way. Full Story
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Rising property taxes are a legitimate political issue, driven by what elected officials and aspiring officeholders hear from their angry constituents. Local governments are on the other side of this, however, hearing from those same voters about deficiencies in schools and roads, crime protection and whatnot. Full Story
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It's not enough to join a political party as a candidate. They have to believe you're one of them. Full Story
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Texas Republicans are enjoying a historic majority and fighting an escalating factional war at the same time. The state's majority party can't seem to agree on who's a true Republican and who isn't. Full Story
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The blue wave some Democrats hope for has to be big enough to top the red seawall that protects Republicans. The Democrats don’t need a wave in 2018 — they need a tsunami. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers have shown time and again that their preference is for maps that protect incumbents and the political parties in charge. To get different results, you’d have to change the rules of redistricting. Full Story
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You wouldn’t be out of line wondering why Texas school finance didn’t get fixed in 2017. Or 2015. Or 2013. But it’s because this is a hard policy problem and a harder political one. The prompt now is that property taxes have gotten so far out of hand that lawmakers have no choice but to act. Full Story
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You think politicians don’t listen? One might argue that they listen too closely. “I’ll consider every alternative,” sounds reasonable, except in politics. In politics, some things are simply not to be talked about. Full Story
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Guns, taxes, capital punishment, sanctuary cities and minimum wages play well with some audiences. What Lupe Valdez is talking about on her way to the Texas Democratic primaries could be risky if she makes it to the general election. Full Story
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