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Forging Texas

What to Know: On Friday’s anniversary of the Battle of Gonzalez, TPPF released the first episode in the “Forging Texas” video series, “Season of Revolution,” focusing on Texas’ storied history.

“The story of the Texas Revolution is the story of ourselves—who we are, how we came to be, and what it means to truly be Texan,” says TPPF’s Kevin Roberts. “Texas is the extension of America’s founding, based on the principles of ordered liberty, self-government, and equality. Texas’ story is a reflection of our national identity and we continue to fight for the same ideals.”

The Rent is Too Damn High!

What to Know: Austin officials want voters to approve a 25% city tax increase to fund a $7.1 billion transportation plan. Asking the public to support a huge tax hike today has drawn ire from grassroots progressive leaders who say: “CapMetro’s plan would make owning a home or renting even more unaffordable for low-income and minority Austinites.”

The TPPF Take: Austin is suffering through an affordability crisis caused by big government. Raising taxes further will make things worse, not better.

“Austin progressives and conservatives agree: Now is not the time for a massive tax increase. Those at the bottom of the economic scale cannot afford it,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “If local officials truly want to help low-income and minority Austinites, then cut taxes, lower spending, and get government out of the housing market.”

You Don’t Say

What to Know: As the Great Disruption (caused by the pandemic and lockdowns) continues, more and more young people say their college educations simply weren’t worth the student debt load they now have.

The TPPF Take: They’re not wrong; data shows that the earnings of many degree programs (even at top-tier universities) don’t justify the expense of obtaining them.

“Fortunately, U.S. Department of Education data allow students, parents, and taxpayers to learn which programs at Texas public universities provide students with a meaningful return on their educational investments and which programs lead to excessive student loan debt,” says TPPF’s Andrew Gillen. “Policymakers should start using debt-to-earnings tests to ensure that taxpayer funds are not used to support programs where the typical graduate cannot afford to repay their student loans.”