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

Blown Away

What to Know: Some families in Cooke County have convinced their school board to not give big tax breaks to a proposed wind farm.

The TPPF Take: Those tax breaks, known as Chapter 313 abatement agreements, are bad business.

“When the government picks winners, it also picks losers,” says TPPF’s Bill Peacock. “Business leaders should seek an even, low-tax environment rather than rent-seeking at the expense of taxpayers.”

Rising Higher

What to Know: The city of Amarillo, like so many other cities and counties in Texas, plans to raise taxes and grow government.

The TPPF Take: Tax hikes like this—in the months before Senate Bill 2’s taxpayer protections go into effect—are a cash grab by elected officials.

“Amarillo wants to raise your taxes—again," says TPPF's James Quintero. "Following last year's tax increase, city council wants to adopt a higher tax rate this year. If it does, then Amarillo will join a long list of city governments pushing property taxes higher before the new taxpayer protections take effect in January 2020."

Going for the Green

What to Know: Costly environmental rules enacted by cities and states have very little real effect—beyond driving up the cost of living.

The TPPF Take: In just one example, the city of Berkeley recent banned the installation of natural gas lines in new homes (mandating that everyone to go electric).

“Forcing people to purchase electric stoves instead of gas stoves is pointless,” says TPPF’s Jason Isaac. “California still gets 41 percent of its electricity from natural gas, so you’re cooking with gas anyway. And this green push will result in higher costs and less reliability for everyone.”