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Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need.

Meriting a Pay Raise

What to Know: The Frisco school district is moving to merit-based pay for its teachers. And that’s a good thing.

The TPPF Take: Merit pay for teachers is an important part of improving education.

“As Dallas and other districts have learned, it’s important to look at how we’re spending our education dollars, not just how much we’re spending,” says TPPF’s Austin Griesinger. “One way to improve failing campuses is to set clear, public goals and provide merit pay to reward and retain our best teachers.”

Worse Than Bears

What to Know: A woman who was mauled by a bear revealed recently that the worst part of the experience was dealing with her insurance company.

The TPPF Take: That her insurance company was more of a nightmare than the bear shows that our health care system is broken. A good first step is to make it more transparent.

“The lack of transparency in health care means that virtually no one is sure what he or she owes, or why, until long after services are rendered,” says TPPF’s David Balat. “We need to restore the relationship between doctors and patients — the entirety of the relationship, which includes allowing patients to make good, well-informed decisions about their own care.” 

Austin Affordability

What to Know: Home prices in Austin continue to skyrocket.

The TPPF Take: Even as home prices rise, so do tax rates—increasing government revenue even more.

“The market is on the move—big time,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “And it’s against this backdrop that Austin-area governments are raising their tax rates, when they should be lowering them. That’s not good news for current or prospective homeowners.”