The Joint Select Committee on School Finance met this week and reviewed alternative sources of funding for public education. Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, proposed consideration of a statewide property tax to fund public schools. Talmadge Heflin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative ... Keep Reading

Speaker Joe Straus has shed more light on his priorities for the upcoming session – to increase manufacturing jobs in Texas by addressing critical water problems and increasing technical training programs in schools. Education funding is on his short list as well. The Texas Supreme Court could ... Keep Reading

The first official discussion this week between Texas Education Agency officials and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) about the proposed budget for education in 2014-2015 did not include any conversation about restoring cuts from last legislative session. The first draft of the education budget ... Keep Reading

New Education Commissioner Michael Williams joined PTA and supporters of education on the south steps of the Capitol to honor and to recognize educators. KVUE has a preview of today's rally. On Wednesday morning as lawmakers host a public hearing regarding new higher education regulations inside ... Keep Reading

The San Antonio city council will soon consider new regulations on payday and auto title lenders. See more... ... Keep Reading

June 8, 2012 NEWS OF THE WEEK Texas’ business tax exceeding expectations Texas businesses have paid almost $4.3 billion in franchise taxes this year, a figure that exceeds expectations and provides yet another signal of the improving health of the state budget. ARTICLE State leaders tell ... Keep Reading

May 25, 2012 NEWS OF THE WEEK   Booming business: Jobs increase, towns thrive as result of oil, gas spike The energy business is booming in the eastern Texas Panhandle, and the impact is hard to miss, from constant convoys of oil and gas trucks rumbling through Canadian to apartment buildings ... Keep Reading

WEEKLY REPORT May 11, 2012 Texas sales tax revenue up 10.9 percent in April, comptroller says Texas registered another month of strong sales tax collections in April, with revenue increasing to $2.07 billion, a 10.9 percent increase over the same month last year, the state comptroller's office ... Keep Reading

Texas PTA has entered into a partnership with Belo-owned TV stations around the state to run 30 second TV ads SBOE 30 to educate voters about the candidates for the State Board of Education (SBOE). Voters can go to Belo websites to get information about the candidates and in most cities to see ... Keep Reading

WEEKLY REPORT May 4, 2012   BP to begin restoration in Gulf, but Texas holding out About $60 million worth of coastal restoration projects to be paid for by British petroleum giant BP PLC are about to begin in every Gulf Coast state except Texas.  (View complete article here.)   With $12 ... Keep Reading