Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said if the private sector wants the rail line, it should cover planning costs.
Joshua Fechter
Joshua Fechter is the Dallas-based urban affairs reporter for The Texas Tribune, covering policy — including housing affordability, housing and property taxes, evictions, policing and transportation — and politics in Texas' major metropolitan areas. Before joining the Tribune in August 2021, Joshua covered City Hall for the San Antonio Express-News. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas plans to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts. It may not be sustainable.
State budget watchers — and some Republicans — worry Texas is spending too much on property tax cuts.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas Republicans take aim at public transit in two major cities
The Texas Legislature is considering bills that transit officials warn could hamper public transportation in the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth regions.
Posted in
Politics
Texas Senate advances bill to allow smaller homes on smaller lots
Lawmakers, who are preempting locals on lot sizes in new subdivisions, have been eyeing ways to allow more homes to be built as the state faces a shortage.
Posted in
Demographics
These four Texas counties are among the fastest growing in the country
Texas’ population growth has slowed, but the state’s major urban areas are still adding hundreds of thousands of residents.
Posted in
Politics
Texas House bill would weaken renters’ rights, advocates say
The proposal is part of a push by Republican legislators aimed at helping property owners deal with squatters.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
The Texas Senate wants more — and smaller — starter homes in new neighborhoods
The goal of the new legislation is to help drive down the cost of housing so that more Texans can afford homes.
Posted in
State Government
High housing costs, inflation bite into Texas sales tax growth
Officials said the state’s higher cost of living means less state sales tax revenue, which makes up more than half of the state budget.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas House unveils plan to cut property taxes, setting up fight with Senate
Lawmakers will debate how to spend $3.5 billion in proposed tax cuts, a legislative priority for Republican leaders.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Texas lawmakers want to make it easier to convert office space into apartments and condos
Supporters hope easing zoning rules will entice landlords to renovate and ease the state’s housing crisis.
