$337 billion, two-year budget gets Texas House approval
The lower chamber’s plan largely aligns with the Senate’s proposal and puts billions toward teacher pay, border security and property tax cuts. Full Story
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![House Parliamentarian Sharon Carter, left, listens as state Reps: Cody Vasut, Richard Hayes, Tom Oliverson and Trey Martinez Fischer, negotiate in the Texas House on April 10, 2025.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas plans to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts. It may not be sustainable.
State budget watchers — and some Republicans — worry Texas is spending too much on property tax cuts. Full Story
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![A row of high-density townhomes in Austin on March 23, 2025.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Sales tax receipts will be closely watched as Texas tracks economic jolt of tariffs
As the Texas House prepares to vote on the budget, officials and other experts monitor national policy and state tax revenue. Full Story
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![A view of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge from The Tower Club on the 48th floor of the Santander Tower in downtown Dallas, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Budget day in the House: Texas lawmakers approve $337 billion spending plan
Among the hundreds of amendments were ones that focused on school vouchers, the attorney general’s office and the Texas Lottery. Full Story
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![Texas House of Representatives Members convene in the House Chamber in Austin on April 10, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
Billions more for tax relief and border security under budget approved by Texas Senate
Next step will be action in the state House, where budget writers have different plans for distributing property tax help. Full Story
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![Senator Joan Huffman, R-Houston, speaks with Senator Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, during a Texas Senate meeting on March 25, 2025.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
High housing costs, inflation bite into Texas sales tax growth
Officials said the state’s higher cost of living means less state sales tax revenue, which makes up more than half of the state budget. Full Story
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![The Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Texas budgets pitch vouchers, teacher raises, border security
Both chambers set aside $1 billion for a voucher-like education savings account program — double what was on the table two years ago — in a sign that supporters are emboldened after recent electoral gains. Full Story
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![The Texas State Capitol on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Austin.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers will have $194.6 billion to spend for the next budget, comptroller projects
The estimate includes $23.8 billion leftover from the current budget cycle. Full Story
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![Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar discusses the biennial revenue estimate with audience members at Texas Tribune’s Studio 919 in Austin on Jan. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang/The Texas Tribune -
Texas GOP lawmakers’ border and education wishlist would expand state budget by $2.7 billion — 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 can’t sustain its massive spending on the border and public education. Full Story
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![A section of the border wall in Mission on Oct. 6, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
With no new funding from the state, Texas schools are breaking the bank to pay for teacher raises
Lawmakers this year didn’t approve extra money to help schools pay for raises despite having an unprecedented $32 billion surplus — even after Gov. Greg Abbott commissioned a task force last year to improve teacher pay and retention. Full Story
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![Fifth graders at Jacob’s Well Elementary School in Wimberley lineup at the door as they prepare to walk back to their classroom from the science lab on Sept. 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on the 2023 regular legislative session
In a live edition of TribCast, the Tribune’s weekly podcast, we discussed the outcomes of the regular session, what’s happening in the current special session and more. Full Story
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Senate budget panel approves $308 billion spending plan with new money for teachers, mental health, juvenile justice
The proposal for the 2024-25 budget cycle includes $142.1 billion in general revenue spending — about $5 billion higher than the proposal approved last week by the Texas House — at a time when lawmakers have a historic $32.7 billion surplus at their disposal this session. Full Story
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![State Capitol in the late afternoon on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House approves $302.6 billion state budget with tax cuts and teacher and state employee raises
After a marathon debate, the bill will head to the Senate, where lawmakers have been crafting their own version of the spending plan. Full Story
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![State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, rushes to the front of the House floor during budget discussions at the state Capitol on April 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Budget day in the House: Texas lawmakers keep anti-DEI proposal
House Bill 1 is being debated on the floor of the lower chamber, where representatives are hammering out details on the next two years of state spending. Full Story
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![Lawmakers gather around House Parliamentarian Sharon Carter during budget discussions on the House floor of the state Capitol in Austin on April 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
House panel advances new Texas budget with property tax cuts, teacher pay raises
The proposal recommends spending billions on programs including property tax cuts, teacher pay raises, mental health services and border security. It leaves out requests for pay raises for retired state employees and funding for rent relief and childcare programs. Full Story
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![State representatives meet on the House floor at the state Capitol in Austin on Jan. 11, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
How could Texas spend its record $32.7 billion surplus?
If Texas’ 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. Here’s how to put the big number into perspective. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott proposes devoting $15 billion to property tax cuts in budget plan
Abbott’s spending proposals also include spending $750 million on school safety and mental health services and expanding postpartum Medicaid to a year. Full Story
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![The state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas higher ed leaders optimistic about funding as new session starts
Community colleges want a funding overhaul this legislative session, and four-year universities are hoping for a boost in research funds. Meanwhile, faculty are bracing for a potential threat to tenure and limits to conversations about race. Full Story
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![Texas State University campus in San Marcos in 2018.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Texas universities propose two-year tuition freeze in exchange for nearly $1 billion in additional state funding
The leaders of the state’s six biggest university systems are seeking the money to fund instruction, university operations and employee health insurance and to cover a free tuition program for veterans and their children. Full Story
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![Students walking around the Texas A&M University campus in College Station.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
The Texas Legislative session begins today. Here are 6 things we’re watching.
Lawmakers begin work today for their biennial legislative session. They’ll debate over the state budget, school issues, border security and property taxes, among other issues. Full Story
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![A legislator fist bumps a House Administration staffer as they entered the House Chamber on Aug. 11, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune