Tag Archives: Susan Combs

State budget situation not quite as awful as feared

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still bad, but could be worse. Despite “historic declines,” state lawmakers will have more money to work with in the upcoming legislative session than Comptroller Glenn Hegar expected over the summer, he said Monday. But Hegar did not outline specifics … Continue reading →

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We have a messed up tax system in this state, part deux

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Sooner or later, it’s going to collapse under its own weight. The state’s highest civil court last week agreed to hear a case hinging on whether metal pipes, tubing and other equipment used in oil and gas production should be … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the Texas-Amazon sales tax deal

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman looks back and concludes it was a pretty good deal all around. In 2012, the state rolled the dice on a controversial deal with e-commerce giant Amazon.com. To end a two-year battle, Texas said it would drop a … Continue reading →

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Hegar’s first revenue estimate is in

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it holds up. Amid concerns that tumbling oil prices could push the Texas economy into a recession, Comptroller Glenn Hegar offered a cautiously optimistic tone on the future of the Texas economy Monday, announcing that lawmakers will … Continue reading →

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Interview with Mike Collier

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Given that we are guaranteed to have an entirely new set of statewide officeholders after this election no matter who wins, there are a lot of candidates with current or past experience as elected officials, or at least as candidates. … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron for Collier

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Add the Houston Chronicle to the list of papers endorsing Mike Collier for Comptroller. [Sen. Glenn] Hegar knows politics; Collier knows the numbers. In our view the choice is clear: Texas needs the numbers man, not a politician who wants … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Statesman for Collier

Posted on September 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman continues its early work on endorsements with a solid recommendation for Democratic Comptroller candidate Mike Collier. The deplorable revenue forecast issued ahead of the 2011 legislative session by the current comptroller, Republican Susan Combs, who’s retiring from politics, … Continue reading →

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Collier keeps up the attack

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I really like the way he’s running his campaign. Democratic comptroller nominee Mike Collier says his Republican opponent Glenn Hegar bragged to a Houston-area tea party interviewer last year that he was proud of the Legislature’s 2011 budget cuts to … Continue reading →

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Great moments in false equivalence

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The headline reads Money from disputed tax bills flowing to candidates for top tax chief, and then the story tells us that more than 99% of that money is going to one of those candidates. Business entities and taxpayers are … Continue reading →

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TM talks to Mike Collier

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a really impressive candidate. What I’ve been surprised by in the past two years is how much farther right the state has gotten, even compared to someone like Rick Perry, who has, I think, been conservative by any normal … Continue reading →

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It was a bad week for the strip clubs

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another adverse court ruling. A state appeals court on Friday upheld the legality of the state’s so-called “pole tax” on nude entertainment clubs, the latest decision in a six-year battle by Texas officials to collect the $5-per-customer fee from more … Continue reading →

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Combs tells strip clubs to pay up

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is pressing the state’s strip clubs to cough up millions of dollars she says they owe under a new “pole tax” even though the $5-a-patron fee still faces a court challenge. “Any claim that ongoing … Continue reading →

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First day of early voting

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the Day One primary early voting totals, which was reasonably heavy and which went according to prediction, with most of the votes on the Republican side. The Chron preview story lays it out. Early voting for the March … Continue reading →

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Here are the Texas Monthly Ten Best and Ten Worst lists for 2013

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This came out Wednesday, but the full story will not be published till next week. BEST: Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen) Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth) Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock) Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) … Continue reading →

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Combs not running for re-election

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And a domino falls. Comptroller Susan Combs opened up the logjam that has been statewide office in Texas by announcing Wednesday that she will not seek election in 2014. Announcements were immediately flying with state Rep. Harvey Hildebran, R-Kerrville, throwing … Continue reading →

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Senate officially taps the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Texas senators hammered out a sweeping deal to increase state funding for water and transportation projects and schools on Tuesday, tackling some of the thorniest issues of the legislative session all at once. The senators voted 31-0 for … Continue reading →

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More details on the House budget

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Consider this to be written in pencil, because it’s going to change. More than $1.6 billion and disagreements on how much Texas should spend on public education and Medicaid separate the budgets proposed by the House and Senate. The Senate … Continue reading →

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Supplement this!

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Time for the Lege to pay a few past-due bills from 2011. That’s where a supplemental budget comes in. It is literally a second budget added to the original one lawmakers approved in 2011. It’s not an unusual course for … Continue reading →

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School districts are still a long way from getting relief

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

School districts may have gotten a favorable ruling in the latest school finance lawsuit, and if it survives appeal it could have far-reaching effects on the current system, but that doesn’t mean that things will get better for them now. … Continue reading →

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Amazon fulfills its end of the deal with Texas

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Nine months after it struck a deal with the state to bring thousands of jobs and invest millions of dollars in Texas, online retail giant Amazon.com on Wednesday unveiled the first steps toward keeping its end of … Continue reading →

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The revenue estimate is in

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And under normal circumstances it would be very good news. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, laying out the parameters for state spending on the eve of the legislative session, said Monday that the rebounding Texas economy gives lawmakers $8.8 billion unallocated … Continue reading →

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So how’s public education doing under the Republicans?

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Well, for starters, there’s larger class sizes. Northside’s predicament mirrors that of several other local districts with expanding enrollments. It’s part of the argument hundreds of Texas districts are making in an ongoing school finance lawsuit against the state, blaming … Continue reading →

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What kind of debt is it?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Comptroller Susan Combs is real worried about city and county debt, y’all. Local governments are loading down Texas taxpayers with debt without providing them enough information about the amount already owed for roads, schools and other public projects, State Comptroller … Continue reading →

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Dewhurst says he’s running for re-election in 2014

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Peggy Fikac was first to report that David Dewhurst is not planning to fade away just yet. The last time we asked Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst what he plans to do in 2014, it was soon after he lost the … Continue reading →

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What will The Dew do next?

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

So Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst isn’t going anywhere next January. I’m going to put aside the questions of what happened for now and ask instead what happens in 2014? As we know, there are three people running for what they … Continue reading →

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What will the excuse for austerity be now?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’re in the money, as it were. Comptroller Susan Combs on Wednesday released updated details of how much money Texas is expected to collect in taxes and fees in fiscal year 2013, which begins on Sept. 1. The report, prepared … Continue reading →

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We better hope Amazon sticks to its deal with Texas

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that deal Amazon made with the state to start charging sales tax here and to commit to creating 2,500 jobs in return for having back taxes forgiven? Apparently, there’s not much in the deal to make them regret it … Continue reading →

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Waiting for Rick (and Greg, and David)

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ross Ramsey breaks out his crystal ball and looks ahead to the 2014 election. Remember this: In his long history in state politics — closing in on three decades — [Rick] Perry has run for everything he said he was … Continue reading →

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Amazon starts collecting sales tax today

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We are in a new era. Beginning Sunday, Texans will see state and local sales taxes show up on their taxable Amazon purchases — the result of a deal with the state comptroller’s office that resolved the e-commerce giant’s past … Continue reading →

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Is the Amazon deal with the state legal?

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman raises a great question about the settlement deal between Amazon and the state of Texas that will get the online retailer to start collecting sales taxes in Texas while forgiving back taxes the state says it owes. But … Continue reading →

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Amazon settles up with Texas

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Amazon.com will start collecting sales taxes from Texas customers this summer and agreed to make capital investments of $200 million and create 2,500 jobs in the state over the next four years, Comptroller Susan Combs announced this morning. In … Continue reading →

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Fighting identity theft

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The U of Texas is studying it. Identity theft is a cradle-to-grave problem that costs U.S. businesses $50 billion and affects at least 10 million consumers each year. At least 1 million children’s identities are stolen over the course of … Continue reading →

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Our long Amazonian nightmare may finally be over

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Negotiations are in progress to get Amazon to pay something like its fair share. Amazon.com is negotiating with the state to start paying Texas sales taxes on online sales and to create some jobs in the state, reviving talks that … Continue reading →

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All the “news” that fits, we print

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve heard of slow news days before, but this is ridiculous. State Comptroller Susan Combs trumpeted a survey Tuesday showing – as she wrote in the forward to a 15-page report – that a mere 3.4 percent of employers surveyed … Continue reading →

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