Press

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Texas Public Policy Foundation policy experts available to discuss today’s Wall Street Journal front-page report on criminal-justice reform.

TPPF’s Mario Loyola authors piece in The American Interest

TPPF statement on HB 3509

Is Federal Disability the New Long-Term Unemployment?

There are now 10,978,040 people in America collecting disability checks—this at a time when labor force participation has been steadily declining as unemployed workers get discouraged and stop looking for work.   Of the almost 11 million people on disability, 8,877,921 are workers. There were 116,053,000 people working full-time in May 2013. This means that 13 workers support every one person on disability. Back in 1968, the ratio was 51 to 1, meaning that we’ve seen a fourfold increase in the ranks of the working disabled since 1968.   With all the advances in automation of dangerous work, workplace safety and ergonomic workplace innovations, does anyone really think that the American worker is four times more likely to become disabled on the job than in 1968? Or, is something else happening here?

TPPF statement on HB 500

AUSTIN – Today, the Texas House of Representative and the Texas Senate passed House Bill 500, a bill that offers over $700 million in business tax relief and makes permanent the $1 million small business tax exemption. “HB 500 will go far to improve Texas’ business tax climate and job creation, and it is heartening to see it passed by the Legislature,” said Chuck DeVore, Vice President for Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, “With businesses and entrepreneurs shouldering almost two-thirds of our state and local tax burden, what HB 500 accomplishes is nothing less than a direct boost to Texas jobs and prosperity. In making permanent the $1 million small-business tax exemption, HB 500 frees up our smallest job creators to focus on growing their businesses instead of worrying about the Texas Tax Code.  “We commend the Legislature for providing this much-needed tax relief for those who drive the economy that sustains or communities and homes.”   The Honorable Chuck DeVore is the Vice President for Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He served six years in the California Assembly and is the author of “The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America.” The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.   Primary website: www.TexasPolicy.com Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/TexasPublicPolicyFoundation Twitter feed: www.Twitter.com/TPPF

TPPF statement on HB 500

AUSTIN – Today, the Texas House of Representative and the Texas Senate passed House Bill 500, a bill that offers over $700 million in business tax relief and makes permanent the $1 million small business tax exemption. “HB 500 will go far to improve Texas’ business tax climate and job creation, and it is heartening to see it passed by the Legislature,” said Chuck DeVore, Vice President for Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, “With businesses and entrepreneurs shouldering almost two-thirds of our state and local tax burden, what HB 500 accomplishes is nothing less than a direct boost to Texas jobs and prosperity. In making permanent the $1 million small-business tax exemption, HB 500 frees up our smallest job creators to focus on growing their businesses instead of worrying about the Texas Tax Code.  “We commend the Legislature for providing this much-needed tax relief for those who drive the economy that sustains or communities and homes.”   The Honorable Chuck DeVore is the Vice President for Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He served six years in the California Assembly and is the author of “The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America.” The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.   Primary website: www.TexasPolicy.com Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/TexasPublicPolicyFoundation Twitter feed: www.Twitter.com/TPPF

Statement on SB 1

"While the Senate's proposed budget would spend $2.3 billion more in All Funds than the House's version, the budget put forth today demonstrates commendable fiscal restraint on the part of the Senate's budget writers. It is encouraging to see that the budget writers in both chambers have come to the conclusion that there are no...

TPPF on the impending vote on HB 500

AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on the passage of Senate Bill 1: “The passage of SB 1 marks an unwelcome departure from the guiding principles of fiscal responsibility,” said Executive Director Arlene Wohlgemuth, “The Lone Star State’s pressing needs in the coming biennium were – and remain – affordable...

TPPF statement on SB 1

AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement on the Texas Legislature’s passage of Senate Joint Resolution 1: “SJR 1 puts in motion a plan to raid the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) for billions to pay for water infrastructure projects, an expense that should have been paid for within the existing General...

TPPF statement on SJR 1

AUSTIN – Today, House Bill 1025, the second supplemental spending bill of the 83rd Regular Session, was passed by the 83rd Texas Legislature. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk for signature or veto. “HB 1025 raises spending beyond the already considerable level of $197 billion in the proposed 2014-2015 budget,” said Talmadge Heflin,...

TPPF statement on HB 1025

AUSTIN – James Golsan, scholar at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Education Policy, issued this statement on the 83rd Texas Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 2: “In passing SB 2, the Texas Legislature took a real and much-needed step forward toward the student-centered education reforms that the Lone Star State so desperately needs....

TPPF statement on passage of SB 2

AUSTIN – James Golsan, scholar at the Texas Public Policy Foundation's Center for Education Policy, issued this statement on the forthcoming vote on Senate Bill 2: "Sometime in the coming 36 hours, the 83rd Texas Legislature is likely to take a final vote on Senate Bill 2. This crucial piece of legislation is one of the...