Taking a look at the budget and Texas’ $80 billion budget surplus Executive Summary Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) biennium projects a budget surplus of $23.76 billion in state funds for the current 2024-25 fiscal biennium.  But…

The saga of Housing Finance Corporations (HFCs) in Texas, a system ripe with cronyism, tax exemptions, and insider deals, has taken another troubling turn. Following our last report, the legislative maneuvering has continued with new developments exposing the entrenched interests…

In a story that blends real estate interests, taxpayer dollars, political intrigue, and legislative sleight-of-hand, recent developments in the Texas House have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the state’s political process—particularly the blurred lines between public service, private…

Texans to Receive Only $6 Billion in Property Tax Relief New Spending Reduces Potential Tax Cuts Now and in the Future When the Texas Senate meets this week to debate and adopt the 2026-27 budget for the state of Texas,…

Texas’ state government has a $24 billion surplus and a $28.5 billion Rainy Day Fund. Instead of using this overcollected taxpayer money to substantially cut taxes, government spending, and regulations, the 89th Texas Legislature is often advancing legislation in this…

Texas taxpayers have an urgent need for property tax relief, which should include a clear path to eliminating school district maintenance and operations (M&O) property taxes—the largest portion of Texans’ property tax bills. Despite claims of historic tax cuts, Texans…

The failure of property tax relief efforts over the last six years is a perfect example of how local governments are using taxpayer money to lobby against the interests of Texans.  Most local governments have abandoned any semblance of fiscal…

Texas must take advantage of this moment to rein in its bloated government workforce and put taxpayers first. The resignation of 77,000 federal employees out of 2.2 million—and nearly 3 million including contractors—proves what we already knew: government is too…

The Texas House sells HB 2 and HB 3 as a package deal for education reform, calling them the “Texas Two-Step.” But this so-called two-step is a misstep.  The package prioritizes billions more taxpayer money for a broken public education…

On Thursday, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), the Senate’s initially proposed property tax relief legislation, which raises the homestead exemption for school property taxes. SB 4, along with it’s accompanying constitutional amendment SJR 2, will utilize…

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for February 11th, 2025  Texas House of Representatives None Texas Senate Subject: Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) –  Property Tax Relief, Raising the Homestead Exemption Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to…

A sentiment making its way around the Texas Legislature is that providing tax relief for property owners is “too big of a commitment.” An element of this sentiment was expressed several times in a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing where…

A Step Toward Fiscal Reform, But More Is Needed Governor Greg Abbott’s recent “State of the State” address highlighted several important priorities for Texas. While Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) commends the Governor’s efforts to address property tax relief and…

Texans Will Get Less Than $4 Billion Out of the $24 Billion Budget Surplus Executive Summary Though it is difficult to discern from recent statements made by Texas’ legislative leaders, the Texas Senate has budgeted only $3 billion for new…

AUSTIN, TX – On Wednesday, the Texas House and Texas Senate both introduced their proposed appropriation bills for the 2026-2027 biennium.  The House version, HB 1, was introduced by State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), while the Senate version, SB 1,…