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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.
In his first special session as governor of Texas, Greg Abbott is watching his hopes for 20 wins on 20 agenda items fall victim to the same legislative discord that marred the regular session earlier this year. Full Story
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Mark White, who served as the governor of Texas from 1983 to 1987, has died at 77. Among his notable achievements was the legislation he signed that included the famous "no-pass, no play" law. Full Story
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An eye-opening proposal to kill the local school property tax in order to force Texas lawmakers to build a new school finance system won unanimous approval Thursday from the House's tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. Full Story
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Texas legislators would love to lower your property taxes, but none of the proposals they're considering in the special session would do that. Full Story
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Measuring the progress of legislation is easy: This one passed, that one didn't. Political success in a legislative session is different: A mediocre legislative record can be a victory for all sides. Full Story
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The governor put a number of public education proposals on the Legislature's plate for the current special session. Getting more than one or two into law would defy the odds. Full Story
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The rift over the bathroom bill in the Texas Legislature won't end with the special session; it's a prelude to the March 2018 primary elections. Full Story
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This summer's special session is a little like this spring's regular session, only in miniature. The Senate has big plans and is in a hurry. The House? Not so much. Full Story
A Texas governor can tell lawmakers what subjects to work on in a special session but can't tell them exactly what to do. The session that started this week is now in the hands of the Texas Legislature — not the governor. Full Story
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The governor has identified the issues he wants lawmakers to work on during the special session. He says he'll keep score to track friends and foes. But he hasn't publicly made his positions clear — so how do they know how to vote? Full Story
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