A Decade of Government Growth – Shadow Spending
Introduction Texas politicians are not keen on having Texans understand how much of their money is being spent and what it is being spent on. The politicians have developed multiple mechanisms to make it difficult for Texans—and especially the voters who elect...
Seize the Moment: Texas’ March Primary Elections
Right now, early voting is underway for the March 3, 2026, Primary Elections, running from February 17 through February 27. This is your chance to help shape the future of our state by selecting party nominees for key offices, from state representatives and senators,...
The Most Valuable Political Currency in America? A Texas Republican Primary Vote.
The Texas primaries run February 17-27, Republicans must decide “Which Kind” of Republicans they want. Guest article by Mr. Adam Kazmierski. What happens when you combine the nation’s second largest state budget with one of its lowest primary voter turnouts? The...
Double Dipping Stan? Why Is a Sitting State Lawmaker Acting as a Drainage District “General Manager” for a Taxpayer Funded Entity?
Texas House members are not allowed to hold another paid public office. Yet, State Rep. Stan Kitzman1 (R-Brookshire) appears to be doing exactly that. Stan Kitzman the General Manager? Documents obtained by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility show that Kitzman,...
Ken King: Failing Texas Taxpayers for over a Decade
Texas State Representative Ken King, a Republican from Canadian, Texas, has represented House District 88 since 2013. Over seven regular legislative sessions, King has positioned himself as a conservative representing Panhandle and South Plains values. However, a...
A Decade of Government Growth: State Budget Surpluses
Over the last decade, the state of Texas has experienced unprecedented budget surpluses. These budget surpluses are state tax revenue that exceeds the normal needs of the state. Put another way, the people were “over-taxed.” Covering six legislative sessions since...
A Decade of Government Growth: Corporate Welfare
In a previous paper1 examining the growth of Texas government over the last 10 years, we’ve seen that appropriations of Texas taxpayer funds increased by $110 billion, or 78%, during that time. Have you ever wondered what the Legislature did with all that money it...
A Decade of Government Growth: Public School Spending
One of the most persistent lies in Texas politics is that Texas schools are “underfunded.”1 This lie takes many different forms. We’ll examine some of those below. First, though, let’s take a look at the growth in Texas spending on public schools over the last...
Bray Campaigning on Lower Property Taxes, But Voted to Raise Them Six Months Ago
In the communities of Northeast Texas, political races often hinge on promises of fiscal responsibility, limited government and conservative values. Enter Josh Bray, a candidate vying for the open Texas State House seat in District 1, which covers communities from...