AUSTIN – The best solution for the problems associated with Texas’ margin tax is to phase out the tax over the next five years, according to a paper released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “A lack of revenue is not the problem with the margin tax,” said Talmadge Heflin, director of the Center...
Press Release October 30, 2012AUSTIN – The school finance trial beginning Monday in Travis County State District Court will have major implications for the education of Texas public school students, according to experts from the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Given the number of districts asserting inequities in our current system of funding public schools through local property taxes, this...
Press Release October 22, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission’s (TWC) recent unemployment report once again illustrates that the Texas Model of doing business is alive and well in the Lone Star State, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The TWC reported that September 2012 saw the addition of 21,000 net new jobs, the largest month-over-month increase in...
Press Release October 19, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Supreme Court ruled today that the state’s margin tax does not violate the constitution, which puts the responsibility for reforming this complex tax squarely with the Legislature, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “Despite the documented harm caused by the margin tax, Texas remains an economic leader and the number...
Press Release October 19, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation has published a new education report, Pre-Kindergarten Effectiveness and the San Antonio Initiative, that finds the city of San Antonio’s pre-kindergarten initiative to be a poor investment of taxpayer funds. In November, San Antonio residents will vote on an initiative that would increase local sales tax by 1/8...
Press Release October 18, 2012AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation unveiled “Keeping Texas Competitive 2013,” a series of recommendations to the 83rd Texas Legislature that will keep Texas at the forefront of prosperity, job creation, and economic growth. “Texas’ economy has dominated the last decade because of wise decisions by our state’s policymakers, but other states are...
Press Release October 17, 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2012 ...
Press Release October 9, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation commends House Speaker Joe Straus for his creation today of a House Interim Committee on General Revenue Dedicated Accounts. “We applaud Speaker Joe Straus for creating this special committee to move Texas closer to an honest and transparent budget,” said Talmadge Heflin, director of TPPF’s Center for Fiscal...
Press Release October 9, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation issued this statement today on the latest Texas economic statistics from the Texas Workforce Commission. The TWC reported that August 2012 saw the addition of 38,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs, and a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7 percent. “These results are yet another indicator that the Texas...
Press Release September 21, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds Sul Ross State University, Southwest Texas Junior College, and the Texas State University System for their announcement today of another set of $10,000 bachelor's degree programs. "The $10,000 degree is an innovation that combines quality with affordability," said Dr. Thomas Lindsay, director of the Center for Higher...
Press Release September 18, 2012AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation's Policy Primer, "Addressing the College Affordability Crisis: The Rise of the $10,000 Degree," takes place on Tuesday, September 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Foundation's Austin office. In his 2011 State of the State address, Governor Rick Perry challenged the Texas public higher-education community to...
Press Release September 18, 2012AUSTIN – Thomas Lindsay, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Higher Education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, today released a new report "Anatomy of a Revolution? The Rise of the $10,000 Bachelor's Degree." Last year, Governor Rick Perry took on the issue of rising tuition costs by challenging Texas' public colleges and universities to...
Press Release September 18, 2012