Total property taxes paid by Texans actually rose from 20.3 billion in 2005 to 22 billion in 2007, despite the 2005 school property tax rate cuts, according to a new study. Thus, property tax collections have increased 8.4%, more than the 4.4% increase in state's population during this period, and now we have the new business margins tax. Read More»

An apologist for the failing school system called today, furious we've been picking on the tax-increasing, budget-busting ways of schools that aren't producing results. The caller, an aide to a Republican state representative, said that "Dallas ISD is doing great things." The front page headline of the Morning News confirms it: "DISD plan to ease grading standards..." Great things for slackers. Read More»

A new poll from the University of Texas' Government Department and the Texas Politics project finds Texans are underwhelmed by their public schools. The pollsters asked what Texans thought of the "quality of K-12 public school education." Result: 49 percent said "not very good" or "terrible," 44 percent said "good" or "excellent," and -- remarkably -- 5% didn't know. Read More»

It might seem like every school district in the state is reaching deeper and deeper into their taxpayers wallets, but some are behaving responsibly. Wichita Falls Independent School District has announced they're going to live with the existing tax rate. Read More»

Not only is Collin County one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, it's now leading the nation in full fiscal transparency. Located north of Dallas and encompassing Plano, McKinney and Frisco, taxpayers there now have unprecedented access to the county's spending in almost real time. The first county in the nation to do so, we'll see if Texas' 253 other counties voluntarily follow suit. Read More»

It'll take more than Astroturf to cover-up the problems at Abilene's Wylie Independent School District. Passing rates have fallen like a brick since 2000, according to the state education agency, while per pupil revenues have grown like a weed. But never mind the academics, they're on a football stadium spending spree! Read More»

Our governor certainly isn't perfect, but he's hit the nail squarely on the head the last few weeks in battling the federal ethanol mandate. Writing in the Wall Street Journal this morning, Gov. Rick Perry correctly notes that "artificially propping up an industry... is bad policy." Read More»

Asbestos lawsuit trial lawyer Fred Baron of Dallas might wish he has some of that magic material, given the heat he's getting for paying hush-money, er "assistance" to liberal former senator/presidential candidate John Edwards' mistress. It's unclear how much he paid out, but he has been on the chief underwriters of the left in Texas -- spending $1.82 million in this election season alone. Read More»

What a surprise, the superfluous "children’s" hospital in El Paso is going to add an additional burden on already overwhelmed taxpayers. And it isn't even built yet. Read More»

Don't think taxpayer pressure matters? Don't tell the people in Stephenville. Just hours after school district officials implemented a tax hike, the school board decided to meet in special session and cancel the plans. Why? Read More»