Jennifer Ransom Rice

Analysis: Property taxes in Texas are high. Don’t expect the Legislature to change that

Texas leaders are promising property tax relief during this year’s legislative session. It’s unlikely that will lower your taxes, but it might slow future increases.  The Texas Tribune’s Ross Ramsey’s column looks at the ongoing battle over property taxes in Texas.   Restrain, reform, rein in, restrict and limit are not synonyms for the word

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Charlotte homebuilders suing city for millions

From the Charlotte Observer: A dozen of the largest homebuilders in Charlotte have filed a class-action lawsuit against the city of Charlotte, seeking the return of millions of dollars worth of fees for sewer and water connections they claim were unlawfully charged. The federal lawsuit was filed last week in Charlotte, and alleges the city

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State Budgets Filed – Let the Negotiating Begin

Texas House proposes massive increase for public school funding The proposed budget would increase state funds for education by about 17 percent but cut funding for health and human services by about 3 percent. The lower chamber wants to pump roughly $7 billion more state funds into public schools, the Texas Tribune’s Edgar Walters reports,

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One on One with Speaker Bonnen

Join our media partners at the Texas Tribune for lunch and a conversation with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, moderated by Tribune co-founder and CEO Evan Smith. Friday, Jan. 18, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Conversation and livestream begin at noon. The Dow Academic Center at Brazosport College 500 College Dr., Lake Jackson, TX 77566 Click here to attend,

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Dennis Bonnen Takes the Speaker’s Gavel

Bonnen’s unanimous election marks a new era of Texas House leadership for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, the leader of the Texas Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, was conspicuously absent on opening day.  The Texas Tribune recaps the swearing in and first day of the 86th Legislature.   Photo credit: Bob Daemmrich for The

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Biennial Revenue Estimate Released

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday that the state will have $119.1 billion for lawmakers to use in putting together the state’s 2020-21 budget. As the Texas Tribune reports, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Monday offered a cautiously optimistic outlook for the Texas economy, telling lawmakers they will have about 8.1 percent more state funds available

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5 Trends to Look for in Real Estate Investing in 2019

Rebecca McLean, the Executive Director of the National Real Estate Investors Association shared her research into the state of the real estate industry during her keynote presentation at Equity Trust’s recent Wealth Building Summit. She shared that individual investors continue to make up a large share of the real estate investment market, and that number

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