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.
Texas Senate
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: The challenge of reining in property taxes at no cost to schools
A Texas Senate committee is moving rapidly to require voter approval for local property tax increases over 2.5 percent. But some want to see the Legislature’s school finance bill before they vote on property taxes.
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Graphics and data reporting
Texas’ savings account is poised to hit $15 billion. How much will lawmakers spend?
As lawmakers debate costly investments in property tax reduction and public schools, they’re eyeing the state savings account for a sizable withdrawal.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Point of Order: Everybody hates property taxes
In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks with state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, the chairman of the Senate Property Tax Committee, about off-the-charts appraisals and off-the-leash local officials — and whether his reform plan has the votes to pass.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Secretary of State David Whitley defends releasing flawed data about voter citizenship review
At his confirmation hearing, Whitley faced tough questioning from Democrats over his decision to erroneously question the citizenship status of tens of thousands of voters.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Needing Democratic support, Texas’ secretary of state faces a rocky path to confirmation
Republican David Whitley faces questions from Democrats about how he handled an attempt to review the citizenship of 95,000 registered Texas voters.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking more power this session to prosecute voter fraud and abortion-related crimes
Paxton’s office has asked lawmakers for millions more in funding and expanded jurisdiction to go after certain crimes. Critics say the requests are aimed at political gains.
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TribCast
TribCast: Texas voter citizenship review, Empower Texans’ Senate media pass, the 2020 congressional battlefield
On this week’s Texas Tribune TribCast, Patrick talks to Evan, Alexa and Emma about the secretary of state questioning the citizenship of thousands of voters, the conservative group Empower Texans receiving a state Senate media credential and the early contours of the 2020 congressional battlefield in Texas.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: A Texas senator’s reputation, in a word
What began as a lieutenant governor’s unusual admonishment of a state senator has turned into something else: a smear campaign.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: Dan Patrick sends a message to Kel Seliger — and 30 other Texas senators
A Republican senator criticized by an aide to the lieutenant governor came back with a rebuke — a jab that cost him his best committee assignment. There’s a lesson in that for the other 30 senators, and a new landscape in the Senate.
