AUSTIN – A report released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation underscores how important it is that the Texas Legislature cut taxes on telecommunications services this session. “A Texas consumer that has a home telephone, a cell phone, and cable television service pays an average of $26.51 per month – just for taxes,” said...
Press Release April 19, 2007AUSTIN – The Senate has taken an important step toward rationalizing our criminal justice system by passing SB 1909 by Senators Rodney Ellis, John Carona, and Robert Deuell, according to Marc Levin, Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “This legislation will save taxpayers $493 million by diverting low-level,...
Press Release April 17, 2007AUSTIN – The Texas House’s vote last night to punish its best teachers will undermine the state’s objectives to improve teacher quality and student performance, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “The House’s action last night was shameful,” said Jamie Story, education policy analyst for the Foundation. “They slashed the pay of our best...
Press Release March 30, 2007AUSTIN – “Competition has brought substantial benefits to Texas in only a few years, both in absolute terms and relative to other states,” according to a study on the Texas electric market released today by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The paper, “Competition in Texas Electric Markets: What Texas Did Right & What’s Left to...
Press Release March 27, 2007"Today's action illustrates the superiority of privatization over government provision of services. If a private vendor fails to meet the agency's expectations, the state can hold that vendor accountable. Government employees never face such scrutiny for similar failures. "We are glad to hear Commissioner Albert Hawkins' continued commitment to making service delivery more modern, efficient,...
Press Release March 13, 2007AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation announced today that Kevin Holtsberry has joined its staff as a policy analyst in the Foundation’s Center for Economic Freedom. Prior to joining the Foundation, Holtsberry was an aide to Commissioner Judy Jones at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, where he worked on a wide variety of...
Press Release March 12, 2007“While conservatives are naturally hesitant to broach a constitutional spending limit that has been in place for 30 years, the goal of property tax relief justifies such a vote tomorrow. “Nine months ago, the legislature passed a truly historic property tax relief measure. Since property taxes are only levied at the local level, property tax...
Press Release February 19, 2007AUSTIN – The signing of the first statewide universal school choice law in Utah sends a strong signal to Texas legislators that they should act now to provide educational freedom and opportunity to Texas families, according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. signed the “Parent Choice in Education Act” last...
Press Release February 13, 2007AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation praised Governor Rick Perry for the budget reform package he laid out today, saying that the measures – when adopted – would produce a state budget that is both leaner and cleaner. “One of the most important tasks facing this Legislature will be to close the gaping loophole...
Press Release January 31, 2007AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation commends Senate Criminal Justice Chairman John Whitmire (D-Houston) and House Corrections Chairman Jerry Madden (R-Plano) for presenting an alternative vision for criminal justice that would not require the construction of new prisons. "The plan presented today by Chairmen Whitmire and Madden incorporates many of our recommendations and those...
Press Release January 30, 2007"The report provides a framework to achieve true taxpayer protection. Property taxes are too high and have gone up too fast. "The most important change the Legislature can approve is the new Truth-in-Taxation language. Lowering the cap on revenue growth to 5 percent per year will rein in the runaway spending of city and county...
Press Release January 23, 2007The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauded Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Speaker Tom Craddick, and the members of the Legislative Budget Board for introducing a 2008-09 state budget that restrains spending increases well within population growth plus inflation. “As we have said before, Texas state government is as big as it needs to be,” said TPPF...
Press Release January 23, 2007