"We support the Commissioner's decision to rescue children from a school that has consistently performed below even the state's minimum expectations. Closing Johnston High School reflects the state's commitment to hold schools accountable for unacceptable performance, and to give students the chance to move into another educational setting that can prepare them for a successful...
Press Release June 4, 2008The Texas Public Policy Foundation extends its condolences to the family of longtime board member Michael Stevens, who passed away on Saturday. Stevens was a Houston-based real-estate developer in his professional life, but Stevens also left a significant mark in the Texas public policy arena. Besides his involvement with the Foundation, he was vice chair...
Press Release May 28, 2008AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the State Board of Education for its vote today to raise the rigor of the state’s academic standards in English and language arts. “It is obvious that too many Texas public school students aren’t learning the basics with our current curriculum,” said Foundation education policy analyst Brooke...
Press Release May 23, 2008AUSTIN – The regents of Texas’ major state university systems met today to consider a set of common goals and specific reforms that will establish Texas as the outright leader in 21st century higher education. “Today, we started a conversation that will move us toward a frank assessment of those approaches that can improve our...
Press Release May 21, 2008AUSTIN – The signing of a universal school choice law in Georgia should encourage Texas lawmakers to provide parents and students with more educational choices here, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Yesterday, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation that creates both individual and corporate tax credits for contributions to “Student Scholarship Organizations,” which are...
Press Release May 15, 2008"The recent estimates of a $10.7 billion to $15 billion state budget surplus vindicate the limited government policies Texas has pursued during the last five years. By holding the line on spending, we have been able to keep taxes low, encouraging businesses to locate and expand here. While other states hemorrhage jobs and red ink,...
Press Release May 8, 2008"The new 75-part-per-billion ozone standard announced tonight by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency relies on flawed science to stymie the Texas economy. Many leading scientists and medical doctors have testified and submitted formal comments that this new standard will not provide any health benefits beyond today's 85-part-per-billion standard. "With today's decision, the Austin, San Antonio,...
Press Release April 25, 2008"The Governor is correct to call for at least a partial waiver of the federal mandate for grain-based ethanol. Our federal government's policies to subsidize and mandate the ever-expanding supply of ethanol are causing massive distortions in our economy, multi-billion dollar losses to our livestock producers, and severe hardships for Texas families. "It takes 21...
Press Release March 12, 2008“The decision by Gov. Perry and the Texas Workforce Commission represents government transparency at its best – collect a tax for a particular purpose, and return to the taxpayers any excess funds that are not needed for that purpose. Texas employers have paid more money into the Unemployment Insurance trust fund than necessary, and Gov....
Press Release March 12, 2008AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation announced today that former House Appropriations Chairman Talmadge Heflin will become Director of the Foundation’s Center for Fiscal Policy, effective March 15, 2008. “There are few people in Austin with Talmadge’s knowledge of the state budget and a reputation as a committed fiscal conservative and leader,” said Foundation...
Press Release March 10, 2008AUSTIN – Revised projections from the Legislative Budget Board confirm that legislative proposals reflecting research and recommendations from the Texas Public Policy Foundation have postponed the need for new prisons by at least two years. “Our extensive research convinced us that Texas did not need to add prison capacity right now,” said Marc Levin, Director...
Press Release February 5, 2008AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation formally released “Violate at Your Own Risk: The Immutability of Economic Laws,” the first paper in the Foundation’s Thinking Economically project. “Just like the laws of physics, economics laws are simply descriptions of reality. Scarcity can be no more ignored than gravity,” Dr. Arthur Laffer wrote in...
Press Release January 18, 2008