Press

Foundation: Taxpayers fared well in 2009 legislative session

Taxpayers fared well this legislative session, according to the post-session assessment of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “The Legislature adopted a relatively conservative budget, needed eminent domain reform, and improved public school accountability, while cutting taxes for small businesses,” said Justin Keener, the Foundation’s vice president of policy and communications. “To taxpayers’ relief, they defeated...

Press Release June 2, 2009

Statement on Texas Department of Transportation sunset bill

“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.” The record vote taken by the House to instruct members of the...

Press Release May 30, 2009

Legislature should reject local governments’ demand for new taxes

“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...

Press Release May 29, 2009

Texas Public Policy Foundation launches Anne & Tobin Armstrong Center for Energy & the Environment

AUSTIN – 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...

Press Release May 29, 2009

Foundation: TxDOT sunset bill should focus on reform, not new taxes

AUSTIN – 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. The Senate tacked key elements of its failed local-option transportation bill, SB 855, onto the TxDOT...

Press Release May 25, 2009

Foundation: Keep traditional American values in Texas’ social studies curriculum

AUSTIN – 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. “We are concerned that important pieces of history are being removed or changed,” said Foundation education policy analyst Brooke Terry. “In addition, we see...

Press Release May 20, 2009

Statement on House passage of HB 2962, expanding CHIP and Medicaid eligibility

"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. "Exempting a family's primary vehicle from the asset...

Press Release May 14, 2009

Groups oppose bills permitting 125% gas tax hike

AUSTIN – 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. Legislation approved by the committee during the past 24 hours-House...

Press Release May 12, 2009

Legislature should maintain current Medicaid eligibility period

AUSTIN – 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. “Medicaid was intended to provide health care to our poorest citizens,” said Andrea Whitman, health care policy analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation....

Press Release May 11, 2009

Statement on Senate approval of SB 841, expanding Texas’ Children’s Health…

"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...

Press Release May 6, 2009

Groups urge fiscal restraint in budget conference negotiations

AUSTIN – 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. “The House leadership and members are to be complimented on adopting a good sound budget for the next two years to carry into conference,”...

Press Release April 29, 2009

Research: Texas economy would benefit by abolishing property tax

AUSTIN – 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. “The property tax is an...

Press Release April 28, 2009