State Spends $2,200 Per Second With New Budget Spend-O-Meter Shows How Fast State Government Spends Money AUSTIN, Texas – Just one minute into the new budget, which begins at midnight on September 1, 2005, state government will have already spent $132,003. Every 24 hours, state government will spend in excess of $190 million. Texans wanting...
Press Release September 1, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – Governor Rick Perry signed into law Senate Bill 7, passed during the recent special session in response to the U.S. Supreme Court giving local governments broad powers to take land for economic development. But according to an analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, more work is needed to protect property rights....
Press Release August 31, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – Texas’ children, parents and teachers deserve real reform, said the president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation at a Capitol press conference on Tuesday. “Texans deserve stronger academic and financial accountability, more money directed into the classroom, and cash rewards for the best teachers in our schools,” said Rollins. “Texans expect policy...
Press Release August 2, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – With the crafting of a comprehensive education reform package, the Texas Legislature has ensured taxpayers, parents, teachers and children will see stronger, more efficient schools, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s president, Brooke Rollins. “This is the most comprehensive reform of education in two decades,” said Rollins. “By driving more money...
Press Release July 19, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – With no agreement likely to be reached before the end of the First Called Session of the Texas Legislature on a tax bill, the following statement was issued by the vice president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation: “It’s unfortunate that an agreement hasn’t been reached on property tax relief, but the...
Press Release July 19, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – With the early morning passage of CSHB3, the Texas Senate set the right direction for conference committee negotiations with the state house, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s chief economist. “Taken on the whole, the Senate’s tax bill represents a good policy direction for the state. It’s not perfect, but it...
Press Release July 11, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – With Texas Senate Finance Committee Chairman Steve Ogden’s refusal to use fiscal analysis from the Legislative Budget Board coming under attack, the chief economist for the Texas Public Policy Foundation said the senator is right to be suspicious. “Too many people in and around the legislative process have taken to using the...
Press Release July 10, 2005AUSTIN, Texas — Governor Rick Perry expanded the Call of the Special Session to include private property rights protection in response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Kelo v New London. “The Supreme Court’s decision exposed significant weaknesses in Texas law when it comes to protecting Texans’ private property rights,” said Bill Peacock, the...
Press Release July 10, 2005AUSTIN, Texas — With passage by the Texas Senate today of the education reform package, the director of research at the Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement: “The senate’s education reform measure brings some real strengths to the conference committee, complimenting the work the house did earlier in the week,” said Chris Patterson....
Press Release June 30, 2005AUSTIN, Texas — The House Ways & Means Committee on Wednesday adopted a tax plan offered by State Rep. John Smithee that reduces property taxes without creating new classes of taxes. The vice president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement: “The committee has chosen a plan that reflects good economic policy,”...
Press Release June 29, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas House passed House Bill 2 late Tuesday night, and was praised for its “forward-thinking approach” to improving public education by the research director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “House Bill 2 brings together key reforms that will improve our public schools by raising academic standards and increasing financial accountability,”...
Press Release June 28, 2005AUSTIN, Texas – At a press conference today, the president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation praised the reforms found in House Bill 2 as “good for all Texans.” “These reforms mean a lot to me, as I consider their impact on my son,” said Brooke Rollins. “All Texas children deserve to be educated in...
Press Release June 24, 2005