Tag Archives: Texas Taxpayers and Research Association

When might we get a Supreme Court ruling on school finance?

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

When they’re damn good and ready is the usual answer for Supreme Court rulings, but in the case of school finance lawsuits they usually act with some measure of speed. Given past rulings and politics — three justices on the … Continue reading →

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Trouble in tax cut paradise

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

What if you propose a tax cut but the beneficiaries of it say they’d rather the money went to something else? Major business groups pushed back Friday against a multi­billion-dollar package of tax cuts advancing in the Texas Senate, calling … Continue reading →

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Aycock files school finance reform bill

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A key House Republican said Texas lawmakers should not wait for the outcome of a sprawling school finance lawsuit to discuss changes to the state’s current public education funding system. “While we do not know the final outcome of … Continue reading →

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Hegar’s first revenue estimate is in

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it holds up. Amid concerns that tumbling oil prices could push the Texas economy into a recession, Comptroller Glenn Hegar offered a cautiously optimistic tone on the future of the Texas economy Monday, announcing that lawmakers will … Continue reading →

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Once more with the margins tax and the Supreme Court

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. The Texas Supreme Court could blow a hole in the state’s budget if it finds the business tax unconstitutional, as pressed Tuesday in a lawsuit led by food giant Nestlé USA. “The Legislature can’t violate the … Continue reading →

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State revenues inching up

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of good news. State coffers will be bit plumper than previously expected, Comptroller Susan Combs announced Monday, but her outlook for the Texas economy is less optimistic. Texas is estimated to collect $1.6 billion more than was … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court upholds margins tax

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The days of the much-unloved business margins tax may be numbered, but it won’t be the Supreme Court that is responsible for its demise. The Texas Supreme Court turned back a challenge to the state’s primary business tax, saying it … Continue reading →

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Margins tax lawsuit goes to Supreme Court

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Oral arguments for the lawsuit that claims the business margins tax is an unconstitutional income tax are being heard by the State Supreme Court this week. In a lawsuit filed in July, Allcat Claims Service LP , a Boerne insurance … Continue reading →

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The biennial budget shuffle

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to billions of stimulus dollars, the budget this year relied on some old tricks to get certified as balanced. Nearly $3.7 billion in levies collected for everything from fighting air pollution to helping low-income people with their electric … Continue reading →

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