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Press Releases

Foundation sharply criticizes U.S. Senate passage of federal health care takeoverDecember 24, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation sharply criticized the U.S. Senate’s approval earlier today of H.R. 3590, saying that the proposed federal government takeover of our health care system would do considerable harm to Texas patients and the Texas state budget.
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Waiting list for Texas charter schools more than doubled last yearDecember 09, 2009
Foundation: Statewide waiting list now stands at nearly 41,000 students
  The number of Texas children on a waiting list to attend a public charter school more than doubled last year, according to new data released this afternoon by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Former state representative Arlene Wohlgemuth to join Foundation’s permanent staff as executive director November 03, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation announced today that former five-term state representative Arlene Wohlgemuth will join the Foundation’s permanent staff on January 1, 2010, in the newly created role of executive director.
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TPPF: Senate Finance Committee health care proposal would harm TexasOctober 13, 2009
  The health care reform proposal approved this afternoon by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee would harm Texas’ economy and state budget, increase taxes and health care costs of Texas families, and make health care less accessible and lower quality, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Foundation announces plans for Michael S. Stevens BuildingSeptember 14, 2009
Capital campaign will renovate historic Congress Avenue storefront into state-of-the-art permanent headquarters
  At its 20th Anniversary Gala on Friday evening, the Texas Public Policy Foundation announced a fundraising campaign that would establish a permanent headquarters for the Foundation within walking distance of the Texas State Capitol.
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New TPPF report documents dangers of government-run health careSeptember 11, 2009
American health care system has higher cancer survival rates, shorter wait times, and superior medical equipment compared to countries with government-run health care
  AUSTIN – Texas patients face the prospect of longer wait times for medical procedures, inadequate and outdated medical equipment, and markedly higher mortality rates if the U.S. Congress follows through on its plans for a government-run health care system, according to a new report released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Foundation report: Bilingual education in Texas does not workSeptember 03, 2009
Noted Boston University researcher documents high costs and poor results of Texas bilingual education programs, urges replacement with “structured English immersion”
  AUSTIN – Texas’ bilingual education programs have produced poor results for both students and taxpayers, and should be replaced with an immersion-based approach to English-language instruction, according to new research released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Foundation: Federal health care proposals would weaken Texas economy, increase costs on Texas familiesAugust 18, 2009
Texas could be forced to cut other services or raise taxes to pay for expanded Medicaid benefits
  AUSTIN – The health care reform plans pending in the U.S. Congress would cause more harm than good—weakening the Texas economy and increasing health care costs on Texas families. The path to true health care reform is through patient-centered solutions, according to a new Texas-specific report released today by the Foundation.
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Laffer: Current health care proposals increase costs, medical price inflation, and leave 30 million uninsuredAugust 04, 2009
Renowned economist emphasizes need for patient-centered reforms that provide incentives to consumers and medical providers
  AUSTIN – The health care reform plans pending in the U.S. Congress would cause more harm than good, according to a study released today by internationally renowned economist Dr. Arthur Laffer.
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U.S. Senate races to enact failed health-care reformsJuly 15, 2009
Wohlgemuth: Expansion of Medicaid “would hijack Texas’ state budget”
  AUSTIN – Today’s U.S. Senate committee approval of health-care reform legislation is a major step toward bankrupting states across the country, including Texas, according to health care expert and former state Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth.
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Foundation: Cap-and-trade would devastate Texas economyJune 26, 2009
White: Legislation would “single Texans out for disproportionate punishment”
  Approval of HR 2454, the “American Clean Energy and Security Act” scheduled for debate today in the U.S. House of Representatives, would be a major step toward dismantling America’s economic engine, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Foundation supports Gov. Perry’s veto of additional and unnecessary government pre-kindergarten programJune 19, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation supports Gov. Rick Perry’s decision to veto House Bill 130, which would have inappropriately expanded government-funded pre-kindergarten programs in Texas.
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Foundation: Texas economy will benefit from business tax reliefJune 16, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the leadership of Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Dan Patrick, Rep. Rene Oliveira, and all of the legislators whose efforts led to today’s signing of House Bill 4765, which increases the exemption for the state’s gross margins tax.
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Foundation: Taxpayers fared well in 2009 legislative sessionJune 02, 2009
Key wins are adoption of conservative budget and defeat of higher taxes
  Taxpayers fared well this legislative session, according to the post-session assessment of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Statement on Texas Department of Transportation sunset billMay 30, 2009
Statement by Justin Keener, Vice President of Policy and Communications
  “Earlier this week, the House spoke loud and clear that it did not support the inclusion of new taxes and fees in the bill. The bipartisan opposition included 51 Republicans, 33 Democrats, the leaders of both party caucuses, and cut across regional lines.”
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Legislature should reject local governments’ demand for new taxesMay 29, 2009
Statement by Justin Keener, Vice President of Policy and Communications
  “In these tough economic times, local governments need to prioritize their spending the same way that Texas families and businesses are. This is not the time – and House Bill 300 is not the way – to create an even greater tax burden on Texas motorists, especially when the current state budget continues to divert well over $1 billion of our gas taxes to non-transportation purposes.”
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Texas Public Policy Foundation launches Anne & Tobin Armstrong Center for Energy & the EnvironmentMay 29, 2009
Center for Natural Resources renamed to honor Armstrong family’s impact on environmental policy
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation announced today that its Center for Natural Resources would be renamed the Anne & Tobin Armstrong Center for Energy & the Environment. The announcement was made at a Houston tribute to the Armstrong family keynoted by former White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove and attended by U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Comptroller Susan Combs, and other dignitaries.
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Foundation: TxDOT sunset bill should focus on reform, not new taxesMay 25, 2009
Transparency and lobbying provisions stripped from bill; Reducing traffic congestion not required for billions in local option taxes and fees
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation criticized the Texas Senate’s decision today to tie the future of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to the establishment of new local option taxes and fees in several Texas metropolitan areas.
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Foundation: Keep traditional American values in Texas’ social studies curriculumMay 20, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation urges the State Board of Education (SBOE) to give considerable scrutiny to the proposed changes to Texas’ social studies curriculum during its meeting tomorrow.
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Statement on House passage of HB 2962, expanding CHIP and Medicaid eligibilityMay 14, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of TPPF’s Center for Fiscal Policy
  “Today’s House vote is a harmful step toward a big government health care system. If Texas extends CHIP to families making more than $66,000 per year, what was originally a health insurance program for the working poor will morph into an expensive entitlement for the middle class.”
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Groups oppose bills permitting 125% gas tax hikeMay 12, 2009
Flawed approach could permit gas tax to skyrocket from 20 cents to 45 cents per gallon
  The new transportation tax proposals passed by the House Transportation Committee were met with significant opposition from several research and taxpayer groups, including the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Eagle Forum, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Americans for Prosperity, and the Free Market Foundation.
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Legislature should maintain current Medicaid eligibility periodMay 11, 2009
Extending eligibility to 12 months would cost taxpayers now, magnify budget problems later
  The Texas Legislature should resist calls to expand the Medicaid program by extending the continuous eligibility period from six months to 12, the Texas Public Policy Foundation said today.
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Statement on Senate approval of SB 841, expanding Texas’ Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)May 06, 2009
Statement by Andrea Whitman, Foundation health care policy analyst
  "CHIP was created to provide health insurance to children of the working poor. But the Texas Senate's vote today to extend CHIP to families making up to $66,000 per year morphs the program into an expensive entitlement for the middle class. Why would we consider expanding CHIP when we still aren’t enrolling more than 170,000 children already eligible under the current guidelines?"
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Groups urge fiscal restraint in budget conference negotiationsApril 29, 2009
Conference committee should limit budget growth, reject UI stimulus funds, restore incentive pay, undo transportation diversions, and preserve Economic Stabilization Fund for the future
  Several research, business, and taxpayer groups joined today to urge House and Senate conferees on the 2010-11 state budget to keep fiscal restraint at the forefront of their discussions.
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Research: Texas economy would benefit by abolishing property taxApril 28, 2009
Foundation report provides options to replace property tax with revised sales tax
  Texas families would see higher personal incomes and the Texas economy would gain hundreds of thousands of new jobs if the Texas Legislature abolished the property tax and replaced it dollar-for-dollar with a revised sales tax, according to a report issued today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Statement on House vote against teacher incentive payApril 20, 2009
Statement by Brooke Terry, Foundation education policy analyst
  "We are deeply disappointed at the House's vote to defund the state teacher incentive pay programs. The House vote puts successful incentive pay programs – such as Houston ISD's ASPIRE program – in jeopardy by altering the method of funding and distributing it through the formulas to all school districts regardless of their interest in incentive pay."
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Senate gives green light to new taxes on Texas driversApril 14, 2009
Foundation: SB 855 will create “stiff headwind” to Texas’ economic recovery
  “Two weeks ago, the Texas Senate approved a budget that continued the diversion of $1.3 billion of our gasoline taxes to non-transportation purposes. Rather than doing the hard work of setting better priorities so that these taxes could be spent on transportation, the Senate decided instead to create six new taxes on drivers.”
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Foundation rebukes Senate vote to allow transportation double-taxationApril 08, 2009
New tax scheme approved while budget diverts $1.3 billion of transportation funding; mechanism lacks transparency and taxpayer protections
  The Texas Senate opened the door to billions of dollars in new taxes and fees in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Waco, Fort Hood, Corpus Christi, and Brownsville regions through its preliminary passage today of Senate Bill 855. The bill faces a final vote next Tuesday.
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Foundation study: Federal stimulus will cost Texas additional jobsApril 06, 2009
Research shows temporary federal funds for unemployment insurance lead to permanent higher taxes on employers and lower economic output
  The recently passed federal stimulus package increases overall government spending to a level that will hinder Texas’ private sector growth and cost the state at least 131,400 jobs, according to research findings released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
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Statement on Senate approval of proposed 2010-11 Texas state budgetApril 01, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of the Foundation’s Center for Fiscal Policy
  "The Texas Senate has set a good benchmark for the 2010-11 state budget negotiations. Our senators deserve credit for keeping the state’s budget growth within a reasonable limit and not tapping the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund."
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Research and taxpayer organizations urge Legislature to preserve Economic Stabilization FundMarch 31, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation joined several research and taxpayer organizations today to urge legislators not to tap the Economic Stabilization Fund during the 81st Texas Legislature.
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Foundation criticizes Senate vote on regional transportation billMarch 25, 2009
Massive tax bill lacks transparency
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation expressed disappointment over today’s committee approval of Senate Bill 855, which opens the door to significant new taxes and fees in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and El Paso regions.
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Texas House recognizes TPPFMarch 24, 2009
  The Texas House of Representatives recognized the accomplishments of the Texas Public Policy Foundation on the occasion of its 20th anniversary with its passage of HR 943 this morning.

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Foundation praises Gov. Perry’s decision to decline stimulus fundsMarch 12, 2009
Taking federal unemployment insurance money would mean higher taxes on Texas employers
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation praised Gov. Rick Perry’s announcement today that he would formally reject the $555 million offered by the federal government in exchange for Texas loosening its eligibility requirements and increasing payments for unemployment benefits.
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Dewhurst, Straus asked to stop tax increasesMarch 06, 2009
Foundation: Mounting and projected job losses among reasons not to hike Texans’ financial burdens
  AUSTIN – On the heels of gloomy employment reports and forecasts, the Texas Public Policy Foundation asked Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus to stop further consideration of tax increases that could weaken an already shaky state economy.
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Statement on use of federal stimulus funding for toll roadsMarch 05, 2009
Statement by Justin Keener, Vice President of Policy and Communications
  "The federal stimulus spending plan takes America in the wrong direction, but if the funds are going to be used, they must not fund programs that create future financial obligations for Texas."
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Statement on this morning’s press conference on the federal stimulus packageMarch 03, 2009
Response by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of TPPF’s Center for Fiscal Policy, to calls by legislators to accept and spend all available federal stimulus funds
  "The federal stimulus package takes Texas and America down the wrong path. States like California and Michigan have shown us that getting hooked on federal funds is the path to economic destruction. Texas must learn from their examples and resist the federal government’s bait to use one-time money to expand social programs because there won’t be money to sustain them in the future."
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Statement on proposed legislation regarding the state spending limitFebruary 18, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of TPPF’s Center for Fiscal Policy
  "Sen. Dan Patrick and Rep. Ken Paxton deserve praise for taking this bold step to protect Texas' economic future. The tax and expenditure limit proposed in Senate Bill 928 and House Bill 994 is a great improvement over the current provision.
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TPPF’s Guenthner honored with 2009 Texas Social Media AwardFebruary 18, 2009
Austin American-Statesman selects Guenthner as one of the top 25 social media users in Texas
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation is pleased to announce that David Guenthner, its Director of Media and Government Relations, has been selected as one of the inaugural recipients of the Texas Social Media Awards.
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Foundation joins research, business, and taxpayer groups to deliver "Blueprint for an Effective Budget"February 11, 2009
Guidelines on using Rainy Day Fund, improving performance measures, setting funding priorities, and increasing transparency will help legislators make responsible budget decisions
  AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation joined several other research, business, and taxpayer groups at the Texas State Capitol today to deliver "Blueprint for an Effective Budget," an agreed-upon set of guidelines for the Legislature to draft an effective state budget.
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Statement on the Legislative Leadership’s Budget Instruction LetterFebruary 02, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of TPPF’s Center for Fiscal Policy
  "We are pleased that Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus are getting out in front of our state’s budget situation by asking agencies for targeted spending reductions. This is a time for state government to prioritize needs and cut some of the least important items, and the letter from Dewhurst and Straus seeks precisely that."
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Statement on Governor Rick Perry’s State of the State AddressJanuary 27, 2009
Statement by Justin Keener, Vice President of Policy and Communications
  "We applaud Gov. Rick Perry’s focus on fiscal responsibility in his remarks today. This is the time for state government to restrain spending, not to increase taxes or expand programs. Texas must continue to lead by example, rather than to follow other large states like California down the path to bankruptcy."
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Legislature must protect Texans from eminent domain abuseJanuary 22, 2009
  The Texas Public Policy Foundation called on the 81st Texas Legislature to enact legislation that would end the abuse by political subdivisions of their eminent domain authority.
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Statement on the Legislative Budget Board’s 2010-11 Budget EstimatesJanuary 20, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy
  "The first draft of the 2010-11 Texas state budget reinforces the message from Comptroller Susan Combs' revenue estimate last week. The Texas Legislature needs to get to work on pruning the next state budget back within the available revenue."
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Statement on Comptroller Susan Combs’ 2010-11 Revenue EstimateJanuary 12, 2009
Statement by The Honorable Talmadge Heflin, Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy
  "The comptroller’s revenue estimate makes clear what we have suspected for several months: while Texas has positioned itself better than just about any other state, we will not be immune to the effects from this national recession."
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Editorial highlights TPPF research on costs of wind energy to Texas taxpayers
- Investor's Business Daily
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Arlene Wohlgemuth: Senate proposals for health care reform "are going to be very expensive, decrease access and lower the quality of care"
- Austin American-Statesman
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Obamacare would deform state medical-liability systems, writes TPPF Senior Fellow Joseph M. Nixon
- National Review Online
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Charter school waiting list shows "strong demand in Texas for more education options," says Brooke Terry
- Tyler Morning Telegraph
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Students are waiting too long in line, writes Brooke Terry
- Amarillo Globe-News
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Too many students on Texas charter school waiting lists, writes Brooke Terry
- Dallas Morning News
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Brooke Terry: Texas charter school waiting list huge
- Texas State Radio Network
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The charter school waiting game
- Texas Tribune
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Your personal health threatened by government-run health care, writes Elizabeth Young
- Weatherford Democrat
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Windstorm insurance woes continue, writes Bill Peacock
- Houston Chronicle
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"The data show emphatically that people want to live and do business in states with low overall taxes and no personal income tax," says Talmadge Heflin
- Dallas Morning News
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Deregulated electricity market "provide(s) the best possible prices based on a customer's preference," says Bill Peacock
- Arizona Daily Star
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