News and Commentary

NewsFederal

Updated CPI Numbers Show Inflation Is Sticking Around

On Thursday, new Consumer Price Index (CPI) data was released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, ultimately indicating that the current historic inflation is not going away any time soon and continues to reduce the purchasing power of…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 17: Red Ripples in Midterm Elections & Implications

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we briefly discuss the 2022 midterm election results and what they mean in our estimation for fiscal conservatives and Texas taxpayers. We also preview our recent interview with Vance Ginn, Ph.D.,…

NewsState

Recent Report Shows Texas’ Abysmal Record on Property Taxes

Recently, the Huffines Liberty Foundation released a report entitled “Texas Property Taxes: A State-to-State Comparison.” As the first in a three-part series, the report itself claims to be a road map to abolish property taxes in Texas, something the majority…

NewsState

Taxpayer Champion Announces Candidacy for Texas Speaker of the House

On Friday, Republican State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (Arlington) officially filed as a candidate for speaker of the Texas House, challenging incumbent Speaker Dade Phelan (Beaumont).Β  Tinderholt was first elected to the Texas House in 2015 and is a taxpayer champion…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 16: BONUS EPISODE: Thomas McNutt

Episode Description πŸ’° In this bonus episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we talk with a business owner, conservative activist, and former candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, Thomas McNutt on seeking fiscal sanity at the local government level among several…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 15: Thomas McNutt, Fiscal Issues Facing State & Election Impacts

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we briefly discuss our recent interview with Thomas McNutt and his thoughts on impacting local governments. We also discuss property tax, corporate welfare, school choice, and the upcoming elections.   Articles…

NewsState

Texas Given a ‘D’ Rating on Fiscal Health

Recently, Truth in Accounting released its 2022 Financial State of the States Report analyzing the financial health of all 50 states in the United States. They have released this annual report for the past 13 years. According to the report,…

Commentary

A Texas-sized History of Corporate Handouts

Texas elected officials like to point out the economic success the state has found in the last few decades. It is true the state has an economic climate that many businesses and individuals across the world and the United States…

Commentary

Should We Have Secret, Nonpartisan Local Elections in Texas?

As we find ourselves in the midst of election season, it is a great time to talk about how elections are conducted in Texas. In my time traveling the state and speaking to taxpayers about a myriad of issues related…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 14: BONUS EPISODE: State Representative Kyle Biedermann

Episode Description πŸ’° In this bonus episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we talk with outgoing Republican Texas State Representative Kyle Biedermann about fiscal issues facing Texas including the property tax and the appetite in the Texas Legislature to address them, the…

NewsState

Appropriations Committee Member Seems to Not Understand Basic Market Economics

The Texas House Appropriations Committee met Wednesday in what is likely to be the last public hearing they have before the next legislative session, which is set to begin in January of 2023. One of the items discussed was an…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 13: Kyle Biedermann & Texas House Appropriations Committee

Episode Description πŸ’° In this episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we highlight some of the more interesting points to come out of our recent interview with Texas Republican State Representative Kyle Biedermann, as well as the recent Texas House Appropriations Committee…

Commentary

Slowing the Growth Is a Losing Strategy for Taxpayers

For all of Texas’ economic successes, the ever-increasing property tax burden on Texas taxpayers casts a long and dark shadow. In 2021, the Tax Foundation reported that Texas had the sixth most burdensome property tax in the United States. Just…

NewsState

No… We Don’t Need More Corporate Welfare in Texas

It never seems to amaze me how often “conservative” politicians are willing to give your money over to corrupt corporations in the form of corporate welfare. Recently, disgraced former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dennis Bonnen (then-state representative…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 12: BONUS EPISODE: Texas State Representative Jeff Cason

Episode Description πŸ’° In this bonus episode of π—§π—”π—«π—£π—”π—¬π—˜π—₯ π—§π—”π—Ÿπ—žπ—¦, we talk with outgoing Republican Texas State Representative Jeff Cason about fiscal issues facing Texas including the property tax and the appetite in the Texas Legislature to address them, his…