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Raising the Stakes

What to Know: The city of Houston is set to raise property taxes on Wednesday well above the 3.5 percent limit set by the Legislature for tax hikes without voter approval. The property tax vote will come after a public hearing.

The TPPF Take: The city is using COVID-19 as an excuse to circumvent voters.

“Houston is not exempt from state law. If the city wants to raise taxes in a big way, then it must get voter approval first,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “City officials who ignore the law risk major penalties in future years. The Texas Legislature—and the voters who sent them there—should be respected.”

Shall We Play a Game?

What to Know: TPPF participated in a “wargame” simulating various outcomes of the Nov. 3 election.

The TPPF Take: Our Constitution has robust remedies for the coming challenges we will face as a nation.

“Our system of government is resilient,” says TPPF’s Chuck DeVore, who led and umpired the wargame. “It was crafted by the Founders to withstand crises and to emerge through the turmoil with a government of the people, by the people, for the people, that shall not perish from the earth, but endure to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our children.”

Unaffordable Care

What to Know: Congress need not wait for a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act to start working on a better replacement.

The TPPF Take: States and Congress have an obligation to do better.

“They shouldn’t wait until the Supreme Court rules,” says TPPF’s Robert Henneke, lead counsel before the Supreme Court case for the individual plaintiffs. “Instead, they should get to work today, to make sure that there’s a safety net for people with chronic conditions who aren’t able to be insured and to also make sure that people have the personal freedom to be able to make healthcare decisions for themselves and to restore that doctor-patient relationship.”