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Felicia Harris, Randy Weber vie for GOP nod to succeed Ron Paul in Congress
Playing to anti-Washington sentiment, the two candidates in the GOP primary runoff to succeed Ron Paul in Congress have each staked their claim to being more Texan, and unlike Washington, than the...
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Garcia, Veasey seek Democratic nod in new Dallas-Fort Worth congressional...
Texas’ District 33 was created to provide minority representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. That will be a step closer to reality when voters decide the Democratic party’s nomination in...
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Compelling runoffs in Texas Congressional primaries, but will the voters come?
Three of the most compelling elections in the last decade in Texas are likely to be decided on July 31 by a relative handful of voters. Having commanded arguably the most powerful political office in...
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Weaknesses in pension plans amplified by GASB, Moody’s rule changes
Imagine Houston or Fort Worth cutting police and firefighters. Or Harris and Tarrant counties having less money for construction or to repair roads or to maintain parks. Or any number of Texas...
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As Metro pushes referendum for more money, some promises from last public...
Houston-area residents don’t have the public transit system they voted for in 2003. Nor do they have the transit system Metro officials back then promised would exist by the end of this year. Transit...
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Texas members of Congress dip once, twice, three times at the public trough
Of the state’s 34-member U.S. congressional delegation, 12 are taking a pension from a public retirement plan, according to financial disclosures filed by the politicians. Among the best compensated...
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Revenue projections for Houston-area Metro called optimistic by outside...
When the federal government provides $900 million in grants, it’s a big deal. And if that award represents the first-ever funding of its kind for Houston light rail, the requisite celebration includes...
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Influence from behind the scenes: State Sen. Tommy Williams aided lawyers...
State Sen. Tommy Williams played a key role as attorneys tied to the Woodland Road Utility District pushed for voter fraud charges against seven Woodlands residents who sought to usurp the sitting...
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Government finished the job yet continued to tax North Texas residents
Even though its debts were paid, a municipal utility district in Corinth in North Texas kept taxing residents, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars. The district had retired its bonds in September...
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Tornillo ISD should beef up financial controls, guard against more ‘reckless’...
The superintendent of the Tornillo Independent School District, Paul Vranish, benefitted by using his position to approve purchase of items that were not sanctioned by his contract, spent public money...
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Overweight? Smoke? Uncle Sam wants to help. Wellness programs started under...
Months after the grant that brought it to life ran out, Live Tobacco-Free Austin lives on. Like many of the wellness programs started with $372.8 million in stimulus funding, Live Tobacco-Free Austin...
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Texas' screwy election laws: Voters in Texas claim unconventional residences;...
In early 2010, Alan John Lesselyong moved from his Dallas apartment to a FEMA trailer in the middle of 1,000 undeveloped acres in Denton County. He did so at the behest of a group of developers to...
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Real estate insiders on board approving $37 million in development tax breaks...
The Houston management district board that approves $37 million in property development tax breaks is packed with insiders from the local real estate community, including two people connected to major...
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Special districts, special favors: An insider network of favors surrounds...
For decades, Texans have relied on special districts for services that local municipalities can’t provide. Water to an isolated settlement. Crime prevention in a region that can’t afford full-service...
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Texas couple fit to be tied in red tape, stimulus weatherization cash more...
Viewed in one very particular way, carefully following the bureaucratic contours of a $327 million stimulus energy efficiency program, the weatherization of Brandi and Byron Hockaday’s south Austin...
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Texas props up wind, solar with hundreds of millions of dollars per year,...
With a nearly $1 billion federal renewable energy tax credit in doubt, Texas Rep. Mark Strama delivered what to another audience would have been an odd message.Strama, an Austin Democrat, is an energy...
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Austin Energy customers foot bill – $2 a month per customer for 19 years –...
Around the clock, seven days a week, in a plant 233 miles away, a full complement of energy professionals stands at the ready to provide wood-fired power to Austin Energy customers.The staff isn’t sure...
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Publicly-funded gondolas a ‘viable transportation alternative’ for Round...
When one of the most innovative cities in America takes its first crack at mass transit you can bet it won’t be buses, trains or streetcars.No, Round Rock, Texas, elevation 709 feet, is thinking about...
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Thank you for reading and for your support. We will miss you.
Regular readers to Texas Watchdog may have noticed there hasn't been much posted to the site over the past several months. The reason is simple: We've run out of money to keep delivering our...
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Government finished the job yet continued to tax North Texas residents
Even though its debts were paid, a municipal utility district inCorinth in North Texas kept taxing residents, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars.The district had retired its bonds in September...
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