School openings, government hearings, going to bars, voting, shopping, even the doings at the Texas Capitol hinge on the same issues: whether it’s safe to gather, and how to go about it. Full Story
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Local governments in Texas finish their spending plans and set their tax rates in August, an annual exercise that includes some hot topics in this pandemic year, like police spending, public schools and property taxes. Full Story
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Moving local elections because of the pandemic might seem unremarkable. But it gives voters a rare chance to instantly grade elected officials' handling of a pandemic and a bad economy, as well as their response to cases of police brutality. Full Story
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Many Texas property owners are sweating potential increases in their taxes, which are based on property values that don't reflect a pandemic, an oil price collapse or a slumping economy. Full Story
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This week's drop in crude oil prices signals trouble for state and local government budgets. Energy isn't the biggest source of tax money in Texas, but the big one — the sales tax — is already falling. Full Story
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The coronavirus disaster could have a side effect in a seemingly unrelated area: New limits on increases in local property taxes can be suspended when disasters strike. And epidemics, under state law, are disasters. Full Story
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"We're dealing with something ... that is not just statewide in scope, not just nationwide in scope, but is worldwide in scope," Abbott said. Full Story
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It's not a new contradiction, but it's persistent: Texas voters think that property taxes are too high and that school spending is too low, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers, convinced that 2018’s voters were telling them to get some serious work done, steered (mostly) away from social and cultural issues to concentrate on “meat and potatoes” items voters demanded, starting with schools and property taxes. Full Story
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State officials say local governments shouldn't use taxpayer funds for things some taxpayers don't support. That describes just about everything government does. Full Story
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Texas voters approved nine amendments to the state constitution, including a proposal making it harder to enact a personal income tax. One amendment was rejected. Full Story
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Lawmakers want voters to replace the current constitutional hurdle to a personal income tax in Texas with a marginally higher one. Think of it as insurance against something that isn't likely to happen anyway. Full Story
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A new state law limits the ability of local governments to raise property taxes without voter approval — but not yet. And some are rushing to get one last big increase. Full Story
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Texans like the Legislature better now. They're worried about elections. And they have mixed feelings about the country's most prominent politician. Some notes on the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers are boasting about ambitious education and property tax legislation they passed this year, but voters don't appear to be completely sold, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Lawmakers are finished with the regular session and now enter the political season, figuring out how to discuss their work in a narrative voters will find appealing in next year's elections. Full Story
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An attempt to raise the sales tax to pay for state leaders' ambitious goals failed, raising questions about long-term effects of the property tax limitations in the school finance bill. Full Story
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Dennis Bonnen gaveled out on Monday with much of the same widespread support in the Texas House that accompanied his unanimous election to the speaker’s gavel in January. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature did a lot in the 86th regular session, especially if you judge by their spending. Full Story
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In the past, personalities got in the way of policy at the Texas Capitol. This year, state leaders refused to let that happen. Full Story
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