Yesterday, Governor Greg Abbott announced a multi-part plan to overhaul Texas’ property tax system with an eye toward affordability, ownership, sustainability, and local control. This plan signals a renewed focus on local fiscal matters moving into the 2027 Texas Legislature. “Even with the progress made by previous legislatures to provide tax relief, property taxes continue...
Press Release November 10, 2025DALLAS – Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) filed a petition suing the City of Dallas to void and bar enforcement of 83 separate city ordinances that are not consistent with state law. In July, TPPF submitted a requisite notice to the City Attorney on behalf of local taxpayers, which includes a list of...
Press Release October 29, 2025In promising news for the off-road community, the Bureau of Land Management has today proposed re-opening approximately half of the 317 miles of Jeep trails near Moab, UT, that were previously closed by the Biden Administration. The closures are the subject of an ongoing legal challenge in federal court, brought by TPPF on behalf of...
Press Release September 24, 2025DALLAS – On Thursday, the city of Dallas approved an amendment to the 2025-26 budget (Amendment #16) that eliminates a $339,000 appropriation for contract lobbying and redirects those monies to reducing the property tax rate by $0.015 per $100 of value. The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) praised the Dallas City Council for its decision...
Press Release September 18, 2025AUSTIN – Texas Public Policy Foundation attorneys filed a petition for review urging the Texas Supreme Court to overturn In re City of Georgetown and eliminate the blanket attorney-client privilege exception to TPIA requests. This case asks whether a governmental body can hide an investigative accounting report concerning alleged financial malfeasance at a public school...
Press Release September 3, 2025TPPF Supports New Power Plant Reliability Standards but Warns Penalty Structure Won’t be Enough to Improve Grid Reliability AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) recently submitted comments on new reliability requirements for power plants starting in 2027. TPPF applauds the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for starting the rulemaking process early, allowing plenty...
Press Release September 3, 2025NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is set to hear arguments in a case challenging the City of New Braunfels’ unconstitutional ban on short-term rentals (i.e., homes rented for less than thirty days). Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) attorneys representing the plaintiff filed their opening brief in March. The...
Press Release September 2, 2025House Bill 17, is a measure proposing to enhance transparency and accountability in the tax rate-setting process through improved public notice and hearing processes. The good government changes proposed by this bill will improve the current tax environment in at least 3 ways, including: Increased Transparency. By requiring taxing units to notify property owners of key...
Press Release September 2, 2025Senate Bill 10, would lower the voter-approval tax rate for certain taxing units from 3.5% to 2.5%. This critical taxpayer protection promises to tap the brakes on excessive tax increases and provide for greater public participation in the tax rate-setting process. This type of reform is sorely needed too, as evidenced by fiscal and demographic...
Press Release September 2, 2025AUSTIN – Today, the Texas Senate fully passed Senate Bill 9, a bill to reduce the voter-approval tax rate limit from 3.5% to 2.5%. The proposed change would affect cities and counties of a certain size, and protect Texas taxpayers from large tax hikes not approved by voters. “Texans overwhelmingly want their property taxes cut—and to stay...
Press Release August 6, 2025AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for the American Future recently submitted detailed comments strongly supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, calling the rescission a necessary correction of legal violations and regulatory overreach that has imposed massive costs on American families and businesses. The comments, filed on behalf...
Press Release August 4, 2025Today, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 12 on second reading, a bill to stop local governments from using public dollars to hire contract lobbyists to advocate for increased spending, higher taxes, and more government. “TPPF applauds Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Mayes Middleton for the quick passage of SB 12,” said James Quintero, Policy Director for...
Press Release July 30, 2025