Several government entities — from appraisal districts to city councils — play independent roles that collectively determine how much money Texas landowners owe local governments each year.
Brandon Formby
Brandon Formby works with The Texas Tribune’s beat editors and reporters to bring Texans the news, analysis and explanatory journalism they need to put pressing issues into perspective. Previously, as an editor on the news desk, he helped steer coverage of legislative sessions, natural disasters, prolonged power outages, mass shootings and the coronavirus pandemic. As a reporter, he covered urban affairs. Before joining the Tribune in 2016, he reported on transportation, politics and local government for The Dallas Morning News. Brandon grew up in Plano and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Tech University. He is based in Austin.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Days after heated meeting, Texas Senate property tax committee passes 2.5-percent rollback rate bill
The Senate panel’s vote came despite fierce pushback from city and county leaders, who say a lower election threshold on increased property tax revenues could hamstring their budgets.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas leaders want voters to OK property tax revenue growth over 2.5 percent. They couldn’t get 4 percent in 2017.
The leaders of both legislative chambers say they will be united this year — even if cities and counties push back — and that local officials should come to Austin with solutions in hand if they don’t like new proposals.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Domestic abusers can trap their victims with financial debt. This Texas bill seeks to provide a way out.
A bill authored by state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would make it a felony to threaten a romantic partner into taking on debt or financing expensive items like cars.
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Graphics and data reporting
Where Ted Cruz’s close victory over Beto O’Rourke stands among Texas’ historical election results
It was the closest a Democrat came to toppling a Republican incumbent U.S. senator since 1978. And while O’Rourke beat Cruz in some traditional GOP strongholds, it wasn’t enough to overcome rural Texas counties and some suburbs that remain fiercely loyal to Cruz.
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Texas Elections 2018
Battles between firefighters and mayors among several down-ballot issues in Texas cities
Houston and San Antonio firefighters are at odds with their mayors over local ballot measures. Austin is asking residents for $250 million for affordable housing. And in Dallas, voters will replace a city council member facing jail time for corruption.
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State Government
Texas values collide in fight over Houston-Dallas high speed rail
A proposed high-speed rail line between the state’s two largest urban areas represents the collision of two things Texans hold dear: private property rights and an unrestrained free market
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Blocked Out
As Texas grows, an affordable housing crisis looms. Here are six things to know.
Demographics, income and location all play roles in the difficulties Texans face finding an affordable home in a neighborhood they like.
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Blocked Out
How to know if you’re spending too much on housing in Texas
We analyzed housing data in hundreds of Texas ZIP codes to create a searchable tool so readers can see how affordable their neighborhood is.
Posted in
Texas Elections 2018
Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke clash over immigration, Trump, guns during intense debate
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Democratic opponent Beto O’Rourke held a feisty debate Friday evening at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
