Lawmakers likely to wage in-state tuition policy fight again this year
Will Texas legislators repeal in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants? One Republican lawmaker is determined to make it happen. Full Story
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![Former and current lawmakers gather at the Texas Capitol showing their support for HB 1403 which passed in 2001 ensuring that all Texas would have access to in-state college tuition regardless of immigration status.]()
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Analysis: Legislators start with a $5.3 billion difference of opinion
In their first-day numbers, the Texas Legislature's two chambers didn’t even agree on the size of the current budget. The House baked in some supplemental expenses that the Senate left that out. Full Story
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In dueling budget proposals, Texas House and Senate billions apart
Texas House and Senate leaders are starting out the legislative session nearly $8 billion apart according in dueling budget proposals released Tuesday. Among the sticking points: spending on public education and border security. Full Story
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Analysis: Texas budget writers treasure that school tax you hate
In the midst of all the gloomy state budget news, this stuck out like a gold nugget in a cow patty: Rising property values in the state’s school districts translate into higher local tax revenue, cutting the state's obligation to education. Full Story
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Lawmakers draw battle lines on border security, sanctuary cities
On the same day that Texas House Republicans doubled down on border security efforts and announced plans to send an invoice to the federal government, Senate Democrats said they were committed to fighting bills to eliminate sanctuary cities. Full Story
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![Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, on the House floor on May 7, 2015.]()
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Dan Patrick on the budget, school choice and the bathroom bill (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 1/11 conversation with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Full Story
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Hegar gives lawmakers dour revenue estimate for 2017 session
Facing sluggish economic forecasts, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday that lawmakers will have $104.87 billion in state funds at their disposal in crafting the next two-year budget, a 2.7 percent decrease from the last session two years ago. Full Story
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![Ahead of the start of the 85th Legislature, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar offers lawmakers the revenue estimate for the biennial budget.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas loses tax lawsuit, but not the way officials feared
The state of Texas lost a lawsuit over business franchise taxes on Friday, but lost the way officials had hoped — without a significant change in an arcane accounting definition that could have cost billions. Full Story
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![Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is interviewed by Texas Tribune CEO and Editor-in-Chief Evan Smith on Jan. 21, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles/ Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Expect some clouds in Monday’s Texas budget forecast
The Legislature goes to Austin on Tuesday, but lawmakers will find out a day before that what kind of budget they're going to write. Spoiler alert: Money is tight. Full Story
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![Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Appeals court panel taking up provision in Texas border security law
On Wednesday the U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals will hear arguments over whether an immigrant harboring provision lawmakers passed nearly two years ago should be implemented. Full Story
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![Undocumented youth and allies showed signs to protest the Supreme Court's decision in 2016, which blocked President Obama's DAPA program.]()
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Analysis: Why rising property values don’t lower school taxes
Rising property values in Texas should have lowered school property tax rates. But they didn't, and you can thank the folks who write the state budget for that. Full Story
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Analysis: Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C., literally out of sync
Changes in federal policy during the coming Trump administration could mean big changes in state policy in Texas. But it's probably going to take some time. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers set a spending cap they likely won't reach
The Legislative Budget Board picked 8 percent as the growth rate in the state’s two-year budget, capping how much lawmakers can spend in next year's legislative session. Lawmakers say the state doesn't have enough money to reach that cap. Full Story
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Analysis: Cutting the Texas Budget, But Only Hypothetically
It’s routine for top state leaders to ask government agencies to tighten their belts, but don’t get the kooky idea that the state budget will shrink. This is just an exercise. Full Story
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State Leaders Ask Agencies to Cut Budgets by 4 Percent
Texas' top elected officials are asking state agencies to scale back their budget requests by 4 percent, seeking to further rein in state spending for the 2018-2019 cycle. Full Story
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![From left: Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are shown on May 21, 2015.]()
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Analysis: No Political Benefit if Voters Can't Feel Property Tax Relief
Texas lawmakers want to get a leash on property taxes, which requires them to restrain local governments. The local governments point to expensive state government mandates that drive up their costs. It's hard to fix blame, or credit. Full Story
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![Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.]()
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Court OKs Limits on Hazlewood Tuition Program
Texas universities can deny free tuition to veterans who gained state residency only after enlisting in the military, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, a decision that could ease concerns about a prominent benefit program’s spiraling costs. Full Story
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![The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals building in New Orleans.]()
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Analysis: What the Numbers in the Texas Budget Really Mean
Numbers can give you a full accounting of something without telling you what’s really going on, like when lawmakers talk about trimming budgets and saving money while diverting attention from whatever fell on the cutting room floor. Full Story
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![Lauretta Jackson, a physical therapist from Any Baby Can, works with Sara weekly to improve her body strength. Nonprofit therapy providers are worried budget cuts made by lawmakers will put them out of business.]()
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Analysis: An Expense to Texas Taxpayers That Carries No Explanation
Should taxpayers pay severance to state employees to take the sting out of unexpected job losses or to protect the uncovered tails of the elected officeholders who fire them? Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a press conference in Austin on Jan. 13, 2016.]()
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Video: A Conversation about the State Budget
At our 4/29 symposium on the Texas economy, Ross Ramsey talked about the state budget and spending with state Sens. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, and state Reps. John Otto, R-Dayton, and Donna Howard, D-Austin. Full Story
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