In celebration of Constitution Day, the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) will host a discussion on the historical significance of America’s most treasured document on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. CDT in the Joe B. Hogsett Theater at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Press Release September 15, 2016Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Local Governance Director James Quintero issued the following statement on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s announced intervention into a property tax lawsuit, stating that local school districts violated the Texas Constitution and state law when they reduced or repealed their Local Option Homestead Exemptions (LOHE).
Press Release September 15, 2016Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Local Governance Director James Quintero issued the following statement on the $3.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2016-2017 adopted yesterday by the Austin City Council. The new budget is up from $3.5 billion in the prior fiscal year. Under the terms of the new city budget, the average Austinite will pay an additional $7.21 per month or $87 per year in new taxes and fees.
Press Release September 15, 2016El registro para la prensa ya está disponible para el evento: 15th Annual Policy Orientation (PO). PO es una conferencia sobre la orientación política para la legislatura de Tejas, alojado por la fundación, Texas Public Policy Foundation. El evento se llevará a cabo del 11-13 de Enero 2017 en el hotel Sheraton Austin en el Capitolio.
Press Release September 15, 2016Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Local Governance Director James Quintero issued the following statement on Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s tentative pension reform agreement with officials from the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System (HMEPS), the Houston Police Officers Pension System (HPOPS), and the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund (HFRRF) announced today. According to the Houston Chronicle, the Mayor’s proposal would “eliminate Houston’s pension under-funding within 30 years, avoid more than $2.5 billion in future costs through benefit reductions and include the issuance of at least $1 billion in bonds.”
Press Release September 14, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation will host a discussion on the eve of oral arguments before the D.C. Circuit Court in State of West Virginia, et al. v. EPA. The discussion will preview the key legal arguments to be addressed before the en banc panel regarding EPA’s authority to regulate the nation’s power generating industry under the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Issues include constitutional challenges striking at the heart of the CPP, focusing on EPA’s usurpation of state powers to regulate the use of in-state natural resources, and its attempt to rewrite the Clean Air Act to suit its overarching goal of regulating CO2 emissions.
Press Release September 13, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s (TPPF) Distinguished Senior Fellow-in-Residence and Director of the Armstrong Center for Energy & the Environment Kathleen Hartnett White will deliver the keynote presentation, “The Great Energy Enrichment,” at the Energy Conference Network’s 2nd annual Internet of Things (IoT) conference this week. Ms. White will speak at 9:45 am on Wednesday, September 14 at the Whitehall Hotel in Houston, Texas. She is coauthor of the recently released Fueling Freedom: Exposing the Mad War on Energy (Regnery Publishing).
Press Release September 12, 2016Media registration is now open for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 15th Annual Policy Orientation for the Texas Legislature. The Policy Orientation will take place on January 11-13, 2017 at the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol.
Press Release September 12, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation today unveiled the 2017-18 “Legislator’s Guide to the Issues,” a series of recommendations to the 85th Texas Legislature that will keep Texas at the forefront of liberty, prosperity, and economic growth.
Press Release September 8, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Director of the Center for Fiscal Policy the Honorable Talmadge Heflin issued the following statement on the state revenue data for fiscal 2016 that ended in August released yesterday by the Texas Comptroller:
Press Release September 8, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) and Goldwater Institute filed a lawsuit in Travis County District Court today against the City of Austin and the Austin Firefighters Association, Local 975 challenging the City’s labor agreement with Austin Firefighters Association, Local 975. The lawsuit, Pulliam, et. al. v. City of Austin, et. al., seeks to halt the practice of “release time” also known as “association business leave,” and “union leave,” which assigns city employees to work for the union at taxpayer expense. The agreement violates the Texas Constitution “gift clause” provision that prohibits government from giving taxpayer funds to private entities without a public purpose.
Press Release September 7, 2016The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) and the Goldwater Institute will host a media conference call briefing TODAY, Wednesday, September 7, at 10:00 a.m. CDT to discuss a lawsuit to be filed to against the City of Austin challenging the Austin Fire Department's labor agreement with Austin Firefighters Association, Local 975. The labor agreement allows for “release time,” also known as “association business leave,” and “union leave,” which allows city employees to be assigned to work for the union at taxpayer expense. The agreement violates the Texas Constitution “gift clause” provision that prohibits government from giving taxpayer funds to private entities without a public purpose.
Press Release September 7, 2016