Texas sales tax collections went up in July — and were higher than one year ago
Texas collected $2.98 billion in sales tax revenue in July — 4.3% more than in July 2019. Comptroller Glenn Hegar said the number was "better than expected." Full Story
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![A restaurant worker cleans a table at Güeros Taco Bar in South Austin on June 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Houston announces $15 million to assist tenants, but passes on mandatory eviction grace period for people behind on rent
The city's first program, launched in May, received overwhelming demand and ran out of funds in 90 minutes. Full Story
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![Latino workers gather for a car protest to demand economic, rental and health relief outside of Houston City Hall on Tues. July 28, 2020.]()
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Across Texas and the nation, the novel coronavirus is deadlier for people of color
New data on Texas coronavirus fatalities reveals stark racial disparities. Full Story
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![Juan Lopez wheels a stretcher out of the back of his vehicle in the early morning in McAllen. Lopez is picking up the body of a person who recently passed away from COVID-19. July 17, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
This Silicon Valley-based lender sued thousands of Texans during the pandemic. It stopped when we started asking questions.
The company didn’t say exactly how many pending lawsuits it would drop in Texas and elsewhere, but it confirmed that “several thousand cases” would be impacted. Full Story
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![Oportun, located at 3909 North Interstate 35 in Austin.]()
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Texas families now have until Aug. 21 to apply for food aid to make up for school meals
The families of more than 20% of the 3.6 million eligible school children across the state have yet to apply for federal aid under the Pandemic EBT program. Full Story
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![A volunteer loads a box of groceries into a truck for delivery to a nearby community in the the panhandle.]()
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A federal prohibition against some evictions has expired. Here’s what you need to know about unpaid rent in Texas.
Many local governments have implemented their own measures to protect tenants from eviction during the pandemic, and there are groups that help tenants navigate what can be a complicated and traumatic process. Full Story
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![An East Austin neighborhood.]()
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Analysis: Texas in a state of financial uncertainty
The dire financial forecast from the Texas comptroller says a lot about the pandemic's harsh impact on the economy. It's based on uncertain assumptions about what will happen next — and could easily change again. Full Story
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![Mobi, a business located on Congress Avenue in Austin, is boarded up. July 17, 2020.]()
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As Congress feuds over unemployment payments, more than 1.6 million jobless Texans are about to lose a $600 weekly benefit
The CARES Act's $600 weekly unemployment benefit expires in Texas on Saturday, leaving out-of-work Texans in a period of uncertainty as Congress debates what to put in new federal relief legislation. Full Story
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![Marney Mason outside his home on July 21, 2020 in Manor. Mason, a dishwasher at a restaurant, was out of work due to the pandemic.]()
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Undocumented immigrants behind on their rent are self-evicting across Texas
Without money to pay rent, facing pressures from landlords and afraid of courts, people without legal immigration status have limited options. Full Story
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![MarÌa, an undocumented immigrant, had to leave her apartment in Houston in mid-March.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Facing budget shortfalls, nearly 100 Texas mayors plead with Congress for coronavirus relief funding
City leaders are asking for more spending flexibility to address the financial shortfalls caused by the pandemic. Full Story
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![State Rep. Eric Johnson, D-Dallas, holds a press conference at the Capitol to announce his anti-corruption bill on Mar. 4, 2019.]()
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Hidalgo County judge tries slowing coronavirus, but Gov. Greg Abbott has limited his options
Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez issued a new shelter-at-home order Monday night, but it “has no enforcement mechanism” according to Abbott’s office. Full Story
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![Downtown McAllen on July 1, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the state’s $4.6 billion deficit and the next budget cycle
We sat down for an interview with Hegar to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Texas' economy and the challenges the Legislature will face when setting the two-year budget. Full Story
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Texas faces a looming $4.6 billion deficit, comptroller projects
The coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices are driving down projected general revenue in the state's current budget by more than $11 billion. Full Story
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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state capitol. Jan. 7, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly on navigating the company through the pandemic
The Texas Tribune sat down for a virtual conversation with Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly to talk about the coronavirus outbreak’s impact on air travel, the state of the airline industry and the company’s future. Full Story
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Texas' June unemployment rate falls to 8.6%, but experts warn unemployment could worsen next month
Texas' June unemployment rate fell to 8.6% — but experts say the improvement may be short-lived with recent surges in coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths. Full Story
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![COVID-19 related street art on Sixth Street in Austin. June 24, 2020.]()
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says "there is no shutdown coming" as coronavirus cases surge
Abbott said it will take weeks to see whether his recent mask order and decision to close bars are effective in slowing the virus' spread. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott announced a strike force in charge of laying steps to re-open the Texas economy at a press conference in the capitol on Friday.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr/The Texas Tribune -
Distilleries, wineries shuttered by Gov. Greg Abbott's bar shutdown say they should be exempted
Distillery, winery and some restaurant owners say their businesses are different from traditional bars, which Abbott closed after COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations began to climb in June. Full Story
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![William Chris Vineyards on Feb. 22, 2017.]()
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Trump scales back landmark environmental law, saying it will help restart the economy
Activists warn that the changes will sideline communities of color and are concerned about projects’ climate impacts. Full Story
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![Construction on the Permian Highway Pipeline Through Central Texas in Hays County on June 29, 2020.]()
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Julián and Joaquin Castro criticize Gov. Greg Abbott for reopening Texas too soon
Julián Castro said Abbott made three consequential mistakes: reopening the state too early, not pushing hard enough to get adequate testing or contact tracing, and banning local officials from requiring masks in the earlier months of the pandemic. Full Story
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![Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, in Brownsville in 2018.]()
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Analysis: All eyes are on Texas headed into the 2020 presidential election
With Tuesday's midsummer primary runoffs complete, the ballots are set for the November general election — the third major event in a year already reshaped by pandemic and recession. Full Story
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![Voters, wearing masks and spread six feet apart, line up outside the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center in Houston to vote in the delayed primary runoff election on Tuesday.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune