research
When Government Lobbies Itself: Why Texas Should Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Texas local governments use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to influence state legislation—creating conflicts of interest, distorting democratic accountability, and undermining the interests of Texas taxpayers. Key points:…
Just the Facts: Property Taxes in Texas’ Most Populous Cities, Counties, and School Districts 4th Edition
Property taxes imposed by local governments have, in many instances, outpaced population growth and inflation. As a result, Texans pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. Key points: Property taxes are assessed…
Womb & Board – Texas Public Policy Foundation
Rising housing costs are delaying marriage and childbearing by preventing young adults from forming independent households, thereby making housing affordability a central driver of declining family formation and demographic…
Consolidating Elections to Increase Turnout and Save Taxpayer Dollars
Uniform election dates produce four main benefits: 1) higher voter turnout, 2) election administration cost savings, 3) decreased likelihood of special interests dominating a low-turnout election, and 4) reduced election…
Examining Local Government Spending Trends From 2014 to 2023
City and county spending has outpaced growth in population and inflation, leading to an increase in the tax burden on Texan taxpayers. Key points: Local government spending continues to outstrip increases in both population…
Supermajority Solutions for Texas Taxpayers
Texas bond elections often pass with low voter turnout and simple majorities, driving up local debt as a result. Raising voter approval thresholds could protect taxpayers and ensure a stronger consensus for public spending.…
Fool Me Twice: Why the Texas Grid is Still Vulnerable to Winter Storms | Part 2: Projecting Winter Outage Risk Through 2030
Part 2: Projecting Winter Outage Risk Through 2030 As Texas approaches the five-year anniversary of Winter Storm Uri, the ERCOT grid faces growing vulnerability to winter power outages. This analysis projects that by 2030,…
The Explosion of Transmission Costs in ERCOT: Causes, Forecasts, and Policy Solutions
KEY POINTS • Transmission costs in ERCOT rose from $1.5 billion in 2010 to over $5 billion in 2024 and could increase to over $12 billion per year by 2033.• After adjusting for inflation and overall rising electricity demand,…
Fool Me Twice: Why the Texas Grid is Still Vulnerable to Winter Storms
As the five-year anniversary of Winter Storm Uri approaches, this analysis by Dr. Brent Bennett examines whether the ERCOT grid is truly prepared for the next major winter storm. Despite widespread perception that the grid…
Serving Country & Serving Time
Our attitude should remain one of gratitude when our veterans commit crimes as a result of psychological and physical wounds they received during their time of service. Key Points: Far too many of our nation’s veterans…
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