The Heartland Institute

The relatively low-tax and limited-regulation policies adopted by the state of Texas have provided it with many economic and commercial advantages over other states, but policymakers and elected officials must be careful not to overlook potential problems in those areas where the state has failed to restrain the size and scope ...

Ballooning costs in recent years indicate that there is significant room for increased efficiencies in Texas schools that would free up funds to improve educational instruction without the tax increases sought in the recent lawsuits filed by school districts against the state, writes James Golsan in a policy brief for the Texas ...

In 2006, the Texas Legislature—under pressure from a Texas Supreme Court ruling declaring the state’s school finance system unconstitutional—sought changes to the Tax Code that would broaden the base of taxpayers paying into the system and generate additional revenue for the state that could be used to reduce Texas’ local property ...

Last weekend, the Texas House of Representatives passed an amended version of Senate Bill 1811, a fi scal matters bill that is expected to generate billions in “non-tax” revenue to help fund the state’s 2012-13 budget. While the bill itself was somewhat controversial, much of the debate surrounding SB 1811 centered on the ...

Many people still remember Wimpy, from the popular Popeye cartoon, who was always willing topay next Tuesday for a hamburger consumed today. Unfortunately, this humorous cartoon line too aptlydescribes the situation of most state and local pension systems today. Most state and local pension systems are not fully funded. The problems ...