Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Texas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents.
Get hurricane-ready by purchasing supplies tax-free during Texasโ sales tax holiday
Certain items can be purchased tax-free during the state of Texasโ sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies.
Texas GOP lawmakersโ border and education wishlist would expand state budget by $2.7 billion โ and counting
If bills now being considered pass, lawmakers will be left with $3.3 billion to take care of unforeseen costs over the next two years. Some experts worry that Texas canโt sustain its massive spending on the border and public education.
Texas will have an $18.6 billion surplus and avoid a recession, comptroller projects
The updated comptrollerโs report raises the amount of revenue available to the state over the 2024-25 cycle to $194.6 billion.
Ken Paxtonโs deputy demands back pay for months the attorney general was suspended
Comptroller Glenn Hegar said he disagreed with Paxtonโs interpretation of the law and suggested he seek a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court.
Texas lawmakers will have new money going into special session on education, comptroller says
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar says the state has collected more from insurance premiums that he had previously predicted. He suggested lawmakers invest more in teacher pay raises.
Texas Sales Tax Holiday is August 11-13: What you need to know to save money on school clothes, supplies
You can save money on clothes and school supplies during the stateโs sales tax holiday from Aug. 11-13 this year.
Texas will spend billions to connect the state with broadband. But is it clear which neighborhoods need help?
On the eve of a historic investment in connecting the Lone Star State, advocates worry maps that will help establish which communities get funding have bad information.
Texas comptroller certifies new $321.3 billion state spending plan, sends to Abbottโs desk
Before Abbott can review the budget that will direct the stateโs spending for the next two years, the comptroller has to certify that it doesnโt spend more money than the state expects to bring in.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will not receive his $153,750 salary during suspension
Following Paxtonโs impeachment on Saturday, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed former Texas Secretary of State John Scott to serve as the stateโs top attorney.
Sales tax holidays for certain water, energy-efficient products set for May 27-29: See what items qualify
Families and businesses in Texas can save money when purchasing certain water and energy-efficient products soon.
Texas House OKs $5 billion for broadband, if voters give thumbs up
The legislation โ which falls short of the $10 billion needed to ensure all Texans have reliable internet access โ must still win approval in the state Senate.
Texas drops effort to punish Harris County over its law enforcement spending
The fight is the latest skirmish between Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar and Harris County leaders over whether they โdefundedโ law enforcement.
How could Texas spend its record $32.7 billion surplus?
If Texasโ budget surplus were distributed directly to Texans, it could pay for 12 years of school lunches, seven months of rent or 11,000 miles of travel. Hereโs how to put the big number into perspective.
Harris County set to file lawsuit against Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar over โdefunding the policeโ allegations
Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced Thursday that the county is set to file a lawsuit against Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar over โdefunding the policeโ allegations, according to a release.
Texas Legislatureโs state budget proposals leave more than $50 billion in state funds up for grabs
The preliminary budgets by House and Senate call for $130.1 billion in state spending over two years, even though tens of billions more are available to them. The bills do not bust state or constitutional spending limits.
Texas lawmakers will have $188.2 billion available for the next budget after record-breaking revenue growth
Itโs far more money than legislators have ever had at their disposal, with an increase in available funds that dwarfs any previous jumps between cycles. Itโs also more money than lawmakers can constitutionally spend.
Texas Supreme Court says it canโt force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this year
The program, known as Chapter 313, provides companies with billions of dollars in property tax breaks. The court said it is up to the Legislature to make the call on what to do as the program is set to expire and the state is swamped with applications.
Companies say theyโre being denied Texas tax breaks as a state agency is overwhelmed with applications
Hundreds of businesses have sought tax savings from the state before the Chapter 313 program expires. Two companies say they are missing out despite being eligible.
With billions for broadband on the line, Texas asks federal government for more time to improve access maps
Local officials, echoing Glenn Hegar, say the current maps are flawed and the process to lodge complaints is cumbersome.
Republican Glenn Hegar defeats Janet Dudding to keep his state comptroller job for third term
During the campaign, Hegar touted his work on lowering taxes and expanding broadband in Texas, reforming the tax code, reducing regulations on agriculture and pushing for government transparency.
Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding voters heโs a Republican ahead of his November election
Hegar, who is running for his third term as Texas comptroller of public accounts, has made increasingly provocative moves in recent weeks, challenging financial companies he says are anti-oil and gas and threatening budget sanctions against Harris County over police funding.
Judge Hidalgo taking legal action against state officialsโ โfalse claimsโ of defunding law enforcement in Harris County
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo called for a special meeting of the commissionersโ court Wednesday to authorize outside counsel to take legal action against state officials, including Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, in response to the comptrollerโs recent claims regarding Harris Countyโs budgeting decisions under Chapter 120 of the Texas Local Government Code.
Texas bans local, state government entities from doing business with firms that โboycottโ fossil fuels
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar singled out financial firms under a 2021 state law that prohibits most state entities from contracting with companies that have reduced or cut investments in the oil and gas industry.
Texas officials accuse Harris County of slashing constablesโ budgets โ but theyโre actually going up
Comptroller Glenn Hegar said the state could block the approval of Harris Countyโs budget because itโs not allowing constables to roll $3 million in unspent funds into next yearโs budget โ even though the constablesโ total funding will go up next year.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joins other key Republicans in supporting repealing the โtampon taxโ
Advocates have previously called for repealing the sales tax on products like tampons, sanitary pads and pantyliners. Menstrual products are already tax-free in 24 states.
TribCast: Are there signs of life for Beto OโRourkeโs campaign?
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Mitchell and Patrick about the power grid, the race for governor and the extra money the Texas Legislature will have on hand to spend next year.
Inflation, high energy prices mean the Texas Legislature will have unprecedented funds to allocate next year
The state will have an extra $27 billion in its coffers in 2023 โ money that could help pay for property tax cuts and other legislative priorities.
Claim your missing money, Fort Bend County; Hereโs what you need to know to claim your cash
Residents of Fort Bend County are now eligible to receive funds from the Texas Unclaimed Property program.
Analysis: Texans without high-speed internet are getting closer, slowly
Like other states, Texas found out during the pandemic how critical high-speed broadband is for school, work and medicine. And the state is working to expand it โ but itโs going to be at least a year before Texans start to see results.
Texas warns firms they could lose state contracts for divesting from fossil fuels
A new law prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that divest from oil, natural gas and coal companies.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to return $2 billion in unclaimed property to Texans. Hereโs how to claim your money
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts announced they plan to return $2 billion in unclaimed property to Texas residents.
Analysis: A swelling Texas treasury gives 2022 hopefuls room for big ideas
As the political season starts, the contestants got an unexpected bit of good news: The state comptroller says the next Legislature will start with almost $25 billion in the state treasury. Expensive campaign promises just got a lot easier to make.
Texas lawmaker defends new permitless carry law against criticism from gun control advocate
The law that went into effect Sept. 1 allows anyone 21 years or older to carry a handgun in public without need for a permit or training.
Watch Comptroller Glenn Hegar discuss the stateโs economy and more at 10:30 a.m. at The Texas Tribune Festival
Hegar will also talk about how to keep Texas business-friendly and what another wave of COVID-19 could mean for the state budget.
More than $6 billion in cash, valuables unclaimed in Texas. Hereโs how to claim your property
The Texas Comptrollerโs Office announced Thursday they have more than $6 billion in unclaimed property, and they are ready to give it back to Texans.
Texas sales tax holiday mash-up: Save on on water, energy-efficient products Memorial Day weekend
Saturday through Monday, two sales tax holidays โ the Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday and the Water Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday -- will run concurrently. Throughout the weekend, Texas shoppers can save money on certain energy- and water-efficient products.
Texas sales tax holiday events: How families, businesses can save on water, energy-efficient products
Families and businesses can save on the purchase of certain water and energy-efficient products from May 29 through May 31.
Texasโ pandemic budget shortfall disappears, as latest forecast shows a surplus
Medicaid expansion, federal coronavirus aid could spur legislative fights as Texas House debates $246 billion state budget
Texas Senate approves a $250 billion state budget โ but questions remain about how federal aid will be used
The Texas Senate unanimously signed off on a two-year, $250 billion state budget Tuesday, though there are still questions about how tens of billions of dollars in expected federal aid will be used โ and whether it will arrive in time for lawmakers to use this legislative session.
Analysis: Government budgets looked terrible when COVID-19 started. A federal windfall has flipped the outlook.
The Texas Legislatureโs budget worries have lightened considerably since the grim forecasts of last spring and summer. And most of their current budget problems are over. AdBy midsummer of last year, Hegar had seen enough to say that the current budget, which runs through the end of August 2021, appeared to be $4.6 billion out of balance. The economic trends are different now, but youโll probably hear the cautionary history again โ especially when someone gets too excited about spending that federal money. But state lawmakers still have a list of things to fret over, starting with COVID-19, an energy grid that came to pieces when the state needed it most and high-profile debates over elections, voting, police brutality and funding.
Will Texas lawmakers finally heed the power grid warnings from 10 years ago?
The crush of proposed legislation follows what many consider to be the numerous failings of our stateโs power grid uncovered by Februaryโs winter storm. AdโThey failed us, miserably,โ Bossette said of state lawmakers. 2011Ten years ago, lawmakers were lamenting how another winter storm knocked out power to millions of Texans. Just as they are now, ERCOT officials face withering criticism for not making sure our grid was better prepared. Even then, ERCOT officials said they have no authority to force power generators to follow through with these plans.
Winter storm could cost Texas more money than any disaster in state history
The winter storm that left dozens of Texans dead, millions without power and nearly 15 million with water issues could be the costliest disaster in state history, potentially exceeding the $125 billion in damage from Hurricane Harvey. Last weekโs winter storm impacted every region of the state, a reason why experts and officials are discussing the possibility of damage and cost exceeding those from Hurricane Harvey. Kidd said he expects the state to be reimbursed for 75% of its expenses by the federal government. Back then, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar told lawmakers how much money theyโd have to spend on a state budget for the next two years. And he announced his support for legislation that โprohibits cities and counties from banning natural gas appliances.โAdThen last weekโs winter storm hit.
The late Sheldon Adelson's gambling empire pushes forward with goal to bring casinos to Texas
Officials for Las Vegas Sands are still pushing to allow casinos in Texas, even after momentum for the idea seemed to slow in recent weeks. Then came the death of Adelson, the famous chairman, founder and CEO of Las Vegas Sands. Andy Abboud, Las Vegas Sands' senior vice president of government affairs, indicated in a statement for this story that the company was undeterred. Sure enough, Las Vegas Sands' Texas lobby team has kept growing at a brisk pace, ballooning to 51 members, according to registrations with the Texas Ethics Commission as of Tuesday. While not exactly a ringing endorsement of casino gambling, Phelan's view may not be too out of whack with Las Vegas Sands' pitch.
Texas House and Senate propose similar spending amounts in preliminary budgets
This year, the proposals fully fund Texas public schools under a school finance system they overhauled in 2019 to boost funding and slow the growth of local property taxes. When providing an update in January, Hegar projected a nearly $1 billion deficit for the current state budget that runs through August 2021. Dan Patrick and former House Speaker Dennis Bonnen ordered this summer, or any supplemental changes to the budget lawmakers will have to make. Vance Ginn, chief economist with the conservative group Texas Public Policy Foundation, was optimistic about the legislatureโs priorities despite a tumultuous pandemic year. Disclosure: Every Texan and Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Analysis: The odds for legal pot and casinos in Texas just got worse
If and when you go looking for the killer of legislation to bring marijuana or casinos to the state of Texas in 2021, consider the evidence against Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. Reexamining current spending and cutting the easy stuff comes first, but it doesnโt produce much money. Polishing up the accounting tricks that balance a budget without spending money or raising taxes. An example: Delaying a $1 billion payment from the last day of the current budget reduces spending by that amount โ for this budget. They have to find $1 billion to trim from the current budget, but thatโs not really much in the face of a $250 billion budget.
Analysis: Make government boring again
Security for the opening day of the Texas Legislature's session was been ramped up after violence in Washington D.C. last week. The Texas Legislature is back, and on their opening day Tuesday, state lawmakers gave you no reason to stop what youโre doing and pay attention. His early warnings that the current state budget could have a shortfall of $4.6 billion shrunk to slightly less than $1 billion โ relative pocket change in a $250 billion state budget. Those are some of the battles ahead in the Texas Capitol โ a building designed, after all, for debating and settling fierce differences in opinion. But Tuesdayโs beginning, especially in light of what happened last week in Washington, D.C., was just what youโd hope for: Boring.
Recession cuts how much lawmakers can spend with the next state budget, but decrease isnโt as bad as feared
But he acknowledged that Texas' economic future remains "clouded in uncertainty" and that numbers could change in the coming months. Hegar also announced a nearly $1 billion deficit for the current state budget that lawmakers must make up, a significantly smaller shortfall than Hegar expected over the summer. That number, however, doesn't account for 5% cuts to state agencies' budgets that Gov. Dan Patrick ordered this summer or any supplemental changes to the budget lawmakers will have to make. โHurricanes pose a persistent threat in counties that contribute a third of Texasโ gross state product.
Join The Texas Tribune for a live interview with Comptroller Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar sits down with The Texas Tribune for a live interview on Jan. 14. Join The Texas Tribune at 8 a.m. Central Jan. 14 for an interview with Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar conducted by Tribune Executive Editor Ross Ramsey. Hegar, who was elected comptroller in 2014, serves as Texasโ treasurer, check writer, tax collector, procurement officer and revenue estimator. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
September sales tax revenue in Texas down 6.1% from a year ago
Texas collected about $2.6 billion in state sales tax revenue in September, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Thursday. "The COVID-19 pandemic and low price of crude oil continue to weigh on the Texas economy and sales tax revenue," Hegar said in a news release. State sales tax revenue is the state's single largest source of funding. Other sources of state revenue are still being impacted by economic shutdowns related to the coronavirus pandemic. Another major tax, the hotel occupancy tax, is also down about 37% in revenue from the same month last year.
Texans spent less going out to eat and drink, but more on home improvement as coronavirus cases peaked this summer
Texas collected about $2.8 billion in state sales tax revenue in August 5.6% less than in the same month last year, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Tuesday. That revenue was based mainly on purchases made in July, when the number of coronavirus cases were peaking. State sales tax collections from major sectors except retail trade declined compared to the same period in 2019, Hegar said. "Consequently," he said in a news release, "further declines in sales tax revenue may ensue in the coming months." Since the pandemic hit the state several months ago, sales tax revenue has been mainly on the decline.
Texas sales tax collections went up in July and were higher than one year ago
Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneFor the first time in months, Texas state sales tax revenue increased when compared to the same period last year despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Monday. Texas collected $2.98 billion in sales tax revenue in July 4.3% more than in July 2019. That revenue, which mainly reflects purchases made in June, was better than expected, despite the high unemployment due to the pandemic, Hegar said in a statement. State sales tax revenue is the state's single largest source of funding. The state's total sales tax revenue for May, June and July this year was down 5.3% compared to the same period last year, Hegar said Monday.
Analysis: Texas in a state of financial uncertainty
We're going to have to continue to learn how to live with the pandemic and be able to keep the economy open, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in an interview with The Texas Tribune. Allie Goulding/The Texas TribuneEditor's note: If you'd like an email notice whenever we publish Ross Ramsey's column, click here. It will be a miracle if Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar and his team of financial prognosticators are right about the arc of the states economy over the next few months. Like the one about businesses and consumers resuming something like their normal economic lives around the first of next year, he said in a livestreamed interview with the Texas Tribune this week. Disclosure: The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Analysis: Coronavirus spreads to the Texas state budget
Texas lawmakers will return to the Capitol in January just six months from now to revise the current budget and write the next one. The latest news from the Texas comptroller that the state will have $11.6 billion less to spend in its current budget than lawmakers expected leads straight to a conversation about which programs and services in the state budget are expendable. The Legislature will be in session in January just six months from now to revise the current budget and write the next one. What comes after the current budget is the hard part. If big cuts are in order, education and health and human services are the biggest spending categories in the Texas budget.
Texas faces a looming $4.6 billion deficit, comptroller projects
On Monday, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic had created a large shortfall in the budget. That puts the state on track to end the biennium, which runs through August 2021, with a deficit of nearly $4.6 billion, Hegar said. The state, Hegar said, will now have roughly $110 billion to work with for the current budget. Hegar's projected $4.6 billion deficit for the state, he said, does not include expected additional appropriations for Medicaid and other programs that were underfunded in the current budget. Lawmakers will need to reckon with those shortfalls in addition to that projected $4.6 billion budget hole next session, which will increase the spending total and the ending deficit number.
Texas sales tax revenue declined 6.5% vs last June as state reopened for business
Callie Richmond for The Texas TribuneTexas collected $2.67 billion in state sales tax revenue in June a 6.5% drop compared to what the state brought in the same month last year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Wednesday. Junes sales tax revenue, which mainly reflects purchases made in May, suggests that the states phased reopening and relaxing of social distancing measures over the past month led to some increases in economic activity. Still, Hegar said, sales tax revenue totaled over April, May and June was down 9.7% compared to the same period a year ago. While collections from restaurants were depressed, Hegar said that take-out and delivery sales, along with online purchases, helped buoy revenue in the restaurant and retail sectors. Later this month, Hegar is expected to announce his revised revenue estimate for the current state budget, which ends in August 2021.
Texas sales tax revenue dips 13.2% in May, the largest year-over-year decline in a decade
Texas collected about $2.6 billion in state sales tax revenue in May, leading to the steepest year-over-year decline in over a decade, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday. "Significant declines in sales tax receipts were evident in all major economic sectors, with the exception of telecommunications services," Hegar said in a news release. Monday's announcement is the latest reminder of the economic devastation facing the state and how recovering from it could last months if not years even as businesses begin reopening their operations, which feed into the sales tax revenue. Last month, for example, Hegar announced that the sales tax revenue collections for purchases in March dropped roughly 9% which at the time was the steepest decline since January 2010. Some Republicans have pushed for double-digit budget reductions, arguing the economic fallout merits such an action.
Tough decision for some small business owners in Texas: Pay sales tax or pay employees?
HOUSTON โ In Texas, sales tax collected by businesses is due to the state every month on the 20th. Houston Jewelry has been in the area for generations, surviving hurricanes, recessions and other crisis. In disasters like Hurricane Harvey, the state has delayed sales tax payments for business owners like them as part of a disaster declaration. โWeโre actually quite surprised that the comptroller, that this was not anticipated in the disaster declaration,โ Houston Jewelry owner Rex Solomon said. Solomon will forgo his pay on Friday in order to pay the state more than $10,000 in sales tax and the employees.