Months ago when the Big Three first unveiled this session’s signature property tax “relief” bill, and remember it was introduced as the “Property Tax Reform and Relief Act of 2019,” they were flanked at a news conference by Senate Property Tax Committee Chairman Paul Bettencourt and Ways and Means Chair Dustin Burrows. Without those chairmen […]
Doubling down on sales tax swap, Abbott puts Texas Republicans in a box
by Scott on May 5, 2019 in Dan Patrick, Greg Abbott, Texas, Uncategorized
Patrick meets Straus on the Speaker’s preferred battlefield
by Scott on July 22, 2017 in Dan Patrick, Joe Straus, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
Throughout his ascendancy at the Texas Capitol, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has proven time and again the ability to adapt to the political environment. Unlike many in the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party from which he derives his support, Patrick comes to government to govern, not to protest. As Patrick rolled out his […]
Flashback: TPPF revised estimate in Texas budget growth down to 9% from nearly 30%
by Scott on June 30, 2016 in Economy, Joe Straus, Politics, Religion, Tea Party
Note: This story originally appeared in The Quorum Report in 2014 after the Texas Public Policy Foundation dramatically revised its analysis of the budget passed by the Legislature in 2013. The information here is worth considering after TPPF this week released its “Conservative Texas Budget.” Bottom line: Once the GOP primaries were concluded in 2014, […]
Heavily amended ethics reform bill passes the Texas Senate
by Scott on April 29, 2015 in Dan Patrick, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
After a lengthy and sometimes heated debate, the Texas Senate on Tuesday passed an “ethics reform” bill that had been watered down in committee and was then loaded up with amendments on the floor. As announced by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick from the dais, the vote on final passage of Senate Bill 19 by Sen. […]
Texas House and Senate in a Budget Showdown
by Scott on April 19, 2015 in Dan Patrick, Economy, Joe Straus, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
Facing criticism from Texas House Republican leadership and despite the concerns of one key GOP senator about certain tax cuts, the Texas Senate this past week passed its version of the state’s two-year spending plan on a vote of 30 to 1. Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, cast the lone “no” vote. The $211 billion budget, […]
Harvey Kronberg: I’m Not Slowing Down
by Scott on January 23, 2015 in Politics, Texas
On Thursday, the owner and publisher of The Quorum Report, Harvey Kronberg, announced that I have been promoted to editor of the publication. I could not be more honored and humbled to know that he has the confidence to put me in a position of such responsibility. Something does need to be clarified, though: Harvey […]
Some in Business Join With Labor to Call for Mandatory Workers’ Comp in Texas
by Scott on April 25, 2014 in Construction, Economy, Politics, Texas, Workforce
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. The Texas House Business and Industry Committee on Tuesday got down to work this week on an extensive review of whether workers’ comp insurance should continue to be voluntary. Texas, as you may know, is […]
Texas House Committee Hearing This Week on Worker Misclassification
by Scott on April 20, 2014 in Construction, Economy, Politics, Texas, Workforce
A Texas House Committee has scheduled a hearing on the issue of worker misclassification and what more the state may need to do to combat the problem that is particularly rampant in the construction industry. The House Business and Industry Committee will take testimony on the implementation of a limited crackdown that was signed into […]
Thrown Away People
by Scott on June 10, 2013 in Dallas, Economy, Houston, Immigration, Politics, Rick Perry, Texas
“If a piece of the building falls to the ground and breaks, they have insurance for that,” said a middle aged man in a wheelchair in Houston. Tweet Share
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Scott Braddock is a journalist and political analyst based in Austin.
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