Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 18: Texas Lawmakers Are Feeling the Pressure on Property Tax Relief!

Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss the potential for renewed life when it comes to tangible property tax relief as a result of the nearly concluded 88th Legislative Session. We also talk about the prospects…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 9: Corporate Welfare Revival Moving in Texas House

Episode Description 💰 In our ninth episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, we discuss the legislative priorities that are making their way through the legislative process, including House Bill 5 which seeks to revive the largest corporate welfare program in the…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 7: State Budget Proposal on the Move

Episode Description 💰 In our seventh episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, we are joined by special guest Michael Quinn Sullivan, Publisher at Texas Scorecard and discuss the state budget proposal that is moving through the Texas legislative process as well…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 10: Texas Legislature Takes on Property Tax “Relief,” But Will Taxpayers Feel It?

Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss the dueling property tax relief proposals prioritized by leadership in both legislative chambers. We also cover other pro-taxpayer legislation making its way through the process, including the proposed ban…

News88th TXLege

Legislation Seeking to Ban Taxpayer-funded Lobbying Gets Hearing in Senate

On Monday, the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee considered legislation seeking to ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying statewide. Though the legislation was left pending, it is likely to be passed out of committee and considered by the overall Senate…

Podcast - The Week Ahead

Episode 5: Property Tax “Relief” Legislation Moving in Texas House

Episode Description 💰 In our fifth episode of 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗔𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗, we discuss the Texas Property Tax Relief Act of House Bill 2 being heard in the Texas House Ways & Means Committee as well as the proposed ban on…

News88th TXLege

Amount Spent by Local Governments on Taxpayer-funded Lobbying Increasing

A recent report from the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) indicates that an increasing amount of taxpayer money is being spent by local governments for the purposes of hiring contract lobbyists to go to Austin. The report indicates that upwards…

Commentary

Prepare Yourselves — Session Is Coming

The 88th Legislative Session Is Nearly Here It is that time again. An odd-numbered year has begun, so we are just days away from the 88th Legislative Session beginning. So much has occurred since the last time the Legislature met,…

News88th TXLege

What Does a Successful Legislative Session Look Like?

With the 88th Legislative Session set to begin in January, we are increasingly asked by taxpayers and lawmakers alike what winning looks like to Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. That is what we are going to discuss in this article. As…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 19: Prefiling Begins in Texas Legislature, Taxpayers Beware

Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we briefly discuss the myriad of bills being filed by state lawmakers ahead of the upcoming 88th Legislative Session and our recent interview with Russell Bennett who helps manage an organization…

News88th TXLege

Taxpayer Champion Seeks to Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying for the Third Time

On Monday, the first day by which Texas state lawmakers could prefile legislation ahead of the 88th Legislative Session, newly elected State Senator-elect Mayes Middleton filed legislation seeking to ban the practice of taxpayer-funded lobbying. Middleton, himself a TFR Taxpayer…

NewsState

Senate Committee on Local Government Meets on Important Taxpayer Items

This week, the Senate Committee on Local Government met to deal with a list of issues and charges, some of which involved property taxes, taxpayer-funded lobbying, and appraisal reform. In many ways, this was the Senate version of the charges…

Podcast - Taxpayer Talks

Episode 5: Senate Committee Discusses Issues Important to Texas Taxpayers

Episode Description 💰 In this episode of 𝗧𝗔𝗫𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦, we discuss the Biden administration gaffe on inflation and the Texas Senate Local Government Committee hearings this week where they discussed property tax reform and taxpayer-funded lobbying.   Articles Referenced Senate…

NewsState

Opportunities Grow for Texas Taxpayers Concerned About Property Taxes

As state lawmakers prepare for the 2023 legislative session in the coming weeks, Texas taxpayers have multiple opportunities to address state lawmakers on issues like their ever-increasing property tax burdens.   Texas Senate Local Government Committee The Texas Senate Local…

Explainers

Explainer: What Is Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying?

Recently Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) released its Texas Prosperity Plan focusing on policy goals for the upcoming Texas legislative session set to begin in January of 2023. The plan focuses on three specific issues to reform: 1) Eliminating Property…