Analysis: A $5.5 billion shift in who pays for public education in Texas
It's an old and bittersweet story in Texas: Property values rise, local property tax revenue rises and the state government spends less on public education. Full Story
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![Students walk with their desk barriers to their next class on the first day of in-person classes at Highland Village Element…]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The opening line in every Texas political debate
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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![Voters, wearing masks and spread six feet apart, line up outside the Metropolitan Multiservice Center in Houston to vote in …]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: August agenda for local government includes schools, police spending, property taxes and a pandemic
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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![A general view of Dallas on March 31, 2020.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A surprise accountability test for local politicians
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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![Protesters marched against the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers on May 31, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Rising property values — and taxes — during an economic slump
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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Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Energy isn’t the whole Texas economy, but it’s a critical piece
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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![A pump jack and a gas flare in the Eagle Ford oil patch south of San Antonio.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Coronavirus could threaten local property tax limits
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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![An almost empty freeway in Houston on April 1, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott on Texas bars and restaurants: Expect an announcement Thursday
"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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![Gov. Greg Abbott declares a statewide emergency amid new cases of COVID-19 in the state on March 13, 2020 at the state capit…]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Most Texans want lower property taxes and more school spending, UT/TT Poll finds
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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Analyzing 2019: The 86th Texas Legislature
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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![Gov. Greg Abbott addresses state officials at the State of the State address in the House Chambers at the State Capitol on F…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Almost nothing in Texas government has unanimous consent
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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![A massive protest engulfs the Capitol Rotunda as anti-SB 4 protesters rally on May 29, 2017, the last day of the 85th legisl…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Texas 2019 constitutional amendment election results
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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![Voter wait in line at Austin City Hall to cast their ballots on Nov. 5, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas doesn’t have an income tax — and isn’t getting one any time soon
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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![Texas State Capitol, June 12, 2017. State Capitol in the late afternoon on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Property tax relief in Texas, perhaps — but not right away
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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![From left: Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston; Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick; Gov. Greg Abbott; House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: What do Texas voters want? Meat and potatoes, apparently. And cleaner elections.
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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![The State Capitol on May 25, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
As Texas overhauls schools, property taxes, voters wary, UT/TT Poll says
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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Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht/The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The Texas legislative session’s over. Now, all lawmakers have to do is sell it to voters.
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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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen at a press conference on the $11.6 billion school fin…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Are the billions Texas lawmakers committed for schools and lower property taxes sustainable?
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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![Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the Biennial Revenue Estimate for the 2020-21 biennium at the state capitol on Jan. 7, 201…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
“The right man at this point in Texas history”: How Dennis Bonnen led the Texas House
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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![Speaker Dennis Bonnen during the Texas Fallen Heroes ceremony on May 25, 2019]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Do as they say, not as they do
The Texas Legislature did a lot in the 86th regular session, especially if you judge by their spending. Full Story
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![State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, and State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, during a budget conference at the Capitol on…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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