SpaceX’s Offers to Buy Up a Tiny Texas Town Raise Concerns
By Jef Rouner SpaceX is offering to buy all the homes in Boca Chica Village, a tiny Texas town. Elon Musk’s vision of a privately owned launchpad for vessels headed to the International Space Station and other off-planet destinations is an addictive one, particularly
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Voting Technology in Texas is Unsecure and Outdated
With the primaries imminent and the general election looming in November, it’s time to take stock of the mechanics of Texas voting. Literally, the mechanics. How do we vote, who runs the machines, are they secure, and is it time for a change?
IDEA Plans to Grow its Texas Charter Schools as Critics Call for More Spending Oversight
By Isobella Harkrider The IDEA charter chain has its eyes set on immense growth, with goals to gain an enrollment of 100,000 students nationwide in the next two years. But
Despite Conflicts of Interest, Todd Hunter Appointed to Windstorm Insurer Oversight Board
Last month, Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) made appointments for two boards tasked with oversight of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the insurer of last resort for hail and windstorm
T-Mobile and Sprint Are Merging, but 5G May Further Divide Texans
Coverage map courtesy of T-Mobile By Isobella Harkrider Verizon’s Super Bowl commercial was about humanity, empathy and compassion holding more importance than 5G networks, and it ended by saying “5G’s
How Rodeos Go Big in Texas
By Christopher Adams Rodeos are well-tethered to Texas, unabashedly and proudly reflecting its identity, heritage, historical economic viability and steadfast resolve. Rodeo in general serves as a cultural bond in
Our government is broken. Help us fix it.
Reform Austin is dedicated to demanding accountability from those we elect and to increasing transparency in how the public’s business is done and how our money is spent.
Abbott’s Refugee Freeze Will Not Help Texas Homelessness
By Jef Rouner In a recent announcement that Texas would not accept new refugees in 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott made Texas the first state to
A Look at School Lunch Debt in Texas
By Isobella Harkrider In 2017, when State Rep. Helen Giddings (D-Desoto) held up a piece of yellow cheese as an example of lunch given or
How Rodeos Go Big in Texas
By Christopher Adams Rodeos are well-tethered to Texas, unabashedly and proudly reflecting its identity, heritage, historical economic viability and steadfast resolve. Rodeo in general serves
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Texas Has a Serious Food Insecurity Problem, but Texans Have Solutions
By Isobella Harkrider When H-E-B opened its MacGregor grocery store in Houston in December, it changed lives. The storefront is a new beginning for area residents who previously had limited
Women Raise Money for Texas Campaigns, but Not Always in the Usual Ways
By Andrea Greer Everyone bemoans the influence of money in politics, but candidates face a brutal truth: If you don’t raise enough money to run a campaign, you risk voters
Three New State Representatives Sworn In Today
On Tuesday, the three winners of the Jan. 28 special election runoffs are being sworn in to the Texas House as state representatives filling out unexpired terms. Katy real estate
Texas needs to tackle water scarcity before it gets worse
Texas is no stranger to water scarcity. In every decade of the twentieth century, Texas has experienced a serious drought. However, Texas’ ability to outmaneuver its water crisis has a
Three Ways the Census Helps Texans
By Jef Rouner It’s not like states are trying to stay under occupancy so the rave doesn’t get broken up by a fire marshal, so why is the census important? Well,