Texas renters got unprecedented help during the pandemic. The Legislature is unlikely to extend it.
Lawmakers will decide whether to keep protections that shielded tenants from eviction — or to ban them. Full Story
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![A leasing sign outside Garden Court Apartments in north Midland, where rent for a one-bedroom can run as high as $850 per month. Leasing signs were an uncommon sight in Midland as recently as 2014, when apartment occupancy nearly hit 100 percent. It's fallen to about 80 percent now, according to the Permian Basin Apartment Association.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune -
A storied Texas Panhandle newspaper halts publication after 130 years
The end of The Canadian Record’s print edition — even if temporary — is another indication of how perilous the news business is for local publishers and the communities they’re a part of. Full Story
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![Canadian Record editor Laurie Ezzell Brown talks about the current state of small Texas newspapers. Her newspaper has ceased its print publication leaving only the online version to serve the community’s needs.]()
Credit: Mark Rogers for 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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![An illustration of people gathered.]()
Credit: Alex Ford/The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers propose historic investments to broadband and water infrastructure — but voters will have the last word
If passed during this legislative session, this would be the state’s biggest investment in broadband, but some local officials question whether it would make the service more affordable in areas with few providers. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin on Oct. 19, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: How will Texas lawmakers cut property taxes?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Texas Tribune reporters Joshua Fechter and Patrick Svitek about the different proposals to reduce Texans’ property tax burdens. Full Story
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![A recently sold new home at a Longview subdivision on Dec. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House’s property tax bill calls for $17 billion in cuts, tighter appraisal cap
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan’s proposal reveals the different roads the Texas House and Senate want to take on property taxes — and the fight that might emerge between the two chambers this session. Full Story
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![Construction workers build houses in the new Teravista neighborhood in Georgetown on May 18, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott vows to exclude renewable energy from any revived economic incentive program
In 2021, the Texas Senate declined to consider a bill extending the program, which discounted local property taxes to lure big companies to the state. It had become plagued with bipartisan accusations of “corporate welfare.” Full Story
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![Wind turbines spin in Central Texas on March 25, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Business and legislative leaders push to replace expired tax break with a new one
Business groups warned lawmakers that Texas could lose business to other states without something to replace the so-called Chapter 313 tax break, which gave some companies big breaks on school taxes. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin on Oct. 19, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Google contractors on strike in Austin hope to rally support among tech workers
The several dozen contractors for YouTube Music are fighting a push to return to in-person work. Their strike has gained the support of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin. Full Story
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![A Google sign at one of the company's office complexes in Irvine, California on July 27, 2020.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas will revamp economic development program after property tax incentive expires
Abbott told business leaders in Arlington on Wednesday that Texas is already suffering from the end of the tax-break program, recently losing a “massive” computer chip factory to New York. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a Site Selection’s Governor’s Cup award announcement at the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin on March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Houston wanted to lead the nation in long-term affordable housing. Now it’s backpedaling.
Houston’s community land trust was once touted as an innovative way to address its housing crisis. But city leaders slashed its funding by half as bureaucracy bogged down the program and enthusiasm dwindled. Full Story
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![A home purchased through the Community Land Trust, a nonprofit organization that aims to make homeownership affordable for low-income households, sits in Acres Homes in Houston, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022. Despite its goal of creating more than 1,000 permanently affordable homes in five years, the Community Land Trust has only 100 homes in its trust and the city of Houston may cut its funding significantly.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
As Texas booms, local governments — especially in small towns — struggle to find workers
A cascade of issues including inflation and growing distrust in government aren’t helping local governments hire for critical positions in public safety and utilities. Full Story
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![Public works Director, Thomas Bailey, arrives at City of Zavalla’s Water Well #2 in Zavalla, Texas on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Will Texas avoid a recession?
In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Pia Orrenius, vice president and senior economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, about the 2023 outlook for the Texas economy. Full Story
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![Interstate 35 in downtown Austin on March 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas veterans vow to protect the state’s hemp market as one state lawmaker hopes to crack down
The new delta-8 hemp products, which are widely available, can produce a high similar to marijuana’s. State Sen. Charles Perry said he and his peers never intended for such products to reach the market. Full Story
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![Dave Walden, wearing a Veterans of Foreign Wars cap demonstrates how the CBD vending machine works by purchasing a product, in Leander on Nov. 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
Gambling proponents have a new plan to ask Texas voters to legalize casinos
If state lawmakers agree, Texas voters will have the final say on whether the state will expand gambling and casinos this November. Full Story
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![A woman is seen reflected wearing a protective face mask, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak, outside a closed poker room in a casino in New Orleans on Aug. 30, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton -
Texas is well-positioned to weather a potential national recession, Dallas Fed economist says
Despite worries of a national recession, Texas’ robust labor force and strong energy sector could help it fare relatively well in a potential 2023 slowdown. Full Story
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![Construction in downtown Austin's warehouse district on May 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Austin makes progress restoring power, but tens of thousands still without
The city originally said it would restore all power by 6 p.m. Friday. But more than 57,000 customers are still without electricity Saturday night. Full Story
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![Icicles hang from telephone poles and power lines after an ice storm in North Austin on Feb. 1, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas cities debate costly infrastructure investments in age of extreme weather
Experts say local governments should prioritize extreme weather preparedness. Cost can be a deterring factor. Full Story
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![Holly Phillips, an employee at 7-Eleven, finally waits for a bus to get home after she was stuck in the store for two nights as the roads iced over and other employees were not able to come in to take over her shift as winter weather moved through Dallas on Feb. 2, 2023.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texans urged to avoid travel in icy weather; power grid is expected to meet demand
School closures and hazardous road conditions are expected throughout a large portion of Texas, according to forecasts. State officials caution Texans about local power outages but expect the grid to stay up. Full Story
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![Icy trees in Austin on Feb. 3, 2022.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune -
Texans pessimistic about the national economy and losing faith in democracy, poll says
More than 60% of Texans polled by Texas Lyceum said the country is on the wrong course, and the poll found steep drops in the number of people who think democracy is the best form of government. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on Feb. 1, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune