https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/joshua-fechter/The latest news by Joshua Fechter.enThu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/18/texas-cities-counties-budget-crunch/Economic uncertainty, inflation, strict state limits on property tax collections and uncertainty around future federal funds have crimped local budgets.By Joshua Fechter, Berenice Garcia, Jess Huff, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Jayme Lozano CarverThu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/18/texas-cities-counties-budget-crunch/The Dallas skyline at sunset on Oct. 14, 2024.The Dallas skyline from the Top o' Texas Tower ride at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, TX on October 14, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/11/texas-census-housing-costs/Despite efforts by Texas lawmakers to ease property tax bills, increases in expenses like insurance and utilities ate into that tax relief.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Carla AstudilloThu, 11 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/11/texas-census-housing-costs/Homes in an East Austin neighborhood on Aug. 24, 2025.Homes in an East Austin neighborhood on Aug. 24, 2025.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/03/texas-city-county-property-tax-cap/The House refused to back a bill that would apply only to the state’s largest cities.By Joshua FechterWed, 03 Sep 2025 12:55:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/03/texas-city-county-property-tax-cap/Texas Republicans have reached an impasse on a bill that would limit cities from raising revenue from property taxes above a certain threshold each year.The Celina water tower among newer housing developments in Celina on November 13, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/03/texas-legislature-apartments-housing-suburbs/Suburban officials in the Dallas-Fort Worth region have enacted rules aimed at curtailing a sweeping new state law to allow more apartments.By Joshua FechterWed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/03/texas-legislature-apartments-housing-suburbs/A family walks through a neighborhood in Irving on Aug. 1, 2024. The North Texas city has put new rules in place that could slow apartment building even as state lawmakers have cleared the way to make it easier.A family walks through a neighborhood in Irving on Aug. 1, 2024.Ben Torres for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/25/texas-property-taxes-cities-counties/Texas cities and counties have already had their budgets compressed by a variety of factors, including the state’s current property tax limits.By Joshua FechterMon, 25 Aug 2025 15:59:27 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/25/texas-property-taxes-cities-counties/Texas cities and counties would face new limits on new tax revenue if a bill debated by the Legislature becomes law.Cars drive on Intersate 35 East with the downtown Dallas skyline looming in the distance on Sunday, July 27, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/20/texas-redistricting-representation-maps/The GOP push to redraw the state’s congressional maps isn’t just a partisan move but one that deeply affects how Texans are represented in Congress.By Joshua Fechter and Berenice Garcia, Graphics by Carla AstudilloWed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/20/texas-redistricting-representation-maps/U.S. Rep Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, testified during a July 28 redistricting committee hearing held at the University of Texas at Arlington. Veasey has represented Fort Worth for more than a decade and would be drawn out of his seat if Texas Republicans move forward with a mid-decade redistricting plan.U.S. Rep Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, testifies during a redistricting committee hearing held at the University of Texas at Arlington on July 28, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-senate-second-special-session-thc-disaster-relief-bathroom-bills/Senators moved fast on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for the second special session. With House Democrats back in Texas, bills can now move through that chamber.By Jayme Lozano Carver, Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Alejandra Martinez, Alex Nguyen, Ayden Runnels, Eleanor Klibanoff, Emily Foxhall, Joshua Fechter and Stephen SimpsonMon, 18 Aug 2025 21:30:46 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-senate-second-special-session-thc-disaster-relief-bathroom-bills/State Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, speaks on the Senate floor at the Capitol on July 21, 2025.State Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, speaks on the Senate floor at the Capitol on July 21, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/06/texas-senate-property-tax-cities-counties/The proposal would put tighter limits on how much property tax revenue cities and counties of a certain size can collect each year.By Joshua FechterWed, 06 Aug 2025 16:35:09 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/06/texas-senate-property-tax-cities-counties/The Texas Senate approved a proposal that would limit how much revenue cities and counties can generate from property taxes without voter approval. The legislation goes to the House.Republican legislators talk amongst themselves during the 89th legislative special session in the Senate Chambers on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 in Austin, Texas.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/republicans-legislature-cities-counties-property-taxes/Republican state lawmakers want to curb property tax bills by further limiting how much can be collected by cities and counties.By Joshua FechterFri, 01 Aug 2025 16:13:55 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/republicans-legislature-cities-counties-property-taxes/Cities across Texas may have new limits on their budgets if the Legislature approves a proposal that advanced through a Senate committee Friday.Cars drive on Intersate 35 East with the downtown Dallas skyline looming in the distance on Sunday, July 27, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/30/texas-taxpayer-funded-lobbying-2025/Critics of the bill say the state’s smallest cities and school districts will be silenced at the Capitol.By Joshua FechterWed, 30 Jul 2025 19:07:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/30/texas-taxpayer-funded-lobbying-2025/The Texas Senate is poised to approve a bill that would put limits on lobbying efforts by local governments. Similar proposals have failed in the state House.Texas state senators take care of business at their desks during floor debate on SB5 the THC regulation bill on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Clockwise from upper left are Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, Sen. Adam Hinojosa, D-Corpus Christi, Sen Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown and Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/23/texas-legislature-housing-crisis-coalition-nicole-nosek/A bipartisan coalition, organized by Nicole Nosek, played a role in getting the Legislature to pass laws tackling the state’s housing affordability woes.By Joshua FechterWed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/23/texas-legislature-housing-crisis-coalition-nicole-nosek/Nicole Nosek, chair of the housing advocacy group Texans for Reasonable Solutions, at the Texas capitol in Austin on June 25, 2025.Nicole Nosek, chair of the housing advocacy group Texans for Reasonable Solutions, at the Texas in Austin on June 25, 2025. Nosek has spent the past four years advocating for laws to control Texas' rising housing costs.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/18/texas-legislature-death-star-law-city-ordinances-limits/The 2023 law, previously ruled unconstitutional by a Travis County judge, prevents cities from enforcing ordinances that don’t align with broad swaths of state law.By Colleen DeGuzman and Joshua FechterFri, 18 Jul 2025 15:46:11 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/18/texas-legislature-death-star-law-city-ordinances-limits/Downtown San Antonio. An appeals court has upheld a 2023 state law that limits cities' ability to pass ordinances that don't align with state laws.Downtown San Antonio on May 25, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/angela-paxton-divorce-texas-attorney-general-ken/In a statement, Angela Paxton said she moved to end her 38-year marriage “on biblical grounds,” citing “recent discoveries.”By Eleanor Klibanoff and Joshua FechterThu, 10 Jul 2025 12:59:29 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/angela-paxton-divorce-texas-attorney-general-ken/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife Senator Angela Paxton wave to conventioneers during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife Senator Angela Paxton wave to conventioneers during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/texas-floods-growth-kerr-county-camp-mystic/Experts suggested that more data and education are needed as Texas and the rest of the country build in known flood plains.By Joshua Fechter and Paul Cobler, Graphics by Carla AstudilloWed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/texas-floods-growth-kerr-county-camp-mystic/Local officials have a limited set of tools to keep people from building in flood-prone areas. And as the state continues to grow, policymakers will have to grapple with how to manage new construction and extreme weather.Damage from the flood around a bridge on Highway 39 in Hunt on July 5, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/census-aging-population-texas/Texas remains younger than other states, but the number of older Texans has outpaced that of any other age group.By Joshua Fechter, Graphics by Edison WuThu, 26 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/26/census-aging-population-texas/Marina Hernandez helps students clean up for center time in her Pre-K 2 classroom at Gingerbread Kids Academy in Richmond, Texas, in 2024. Children outnumber seniors in Texas, according to U.S. Census data.Marina Hernandez helps students clean up for center time in her Pre-K 2 classroom at Gingerbread Kids Academy on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Richmond.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-legislature-housing-bills/The Legislature passed laws allowing smaller homes on smaller lots and making it harder for neighbors to block new housing.By Joshua FechterMon, 16 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-legislature-housing-bills/Texas lawmakers hope changes made this year will spur new home building and lower the cost of housing.Houses in a North Austin neighborhood on Oct. 9, 2020.Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-legislature-property-tax-cuts-2025/Texas is slated to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts over the next two years. Some worry that’s unsustainable.By Joshua FechterWed, 04 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/04/texas-legislature-property-tax-cuts-2025/Voters are expected to vote in November to approve a series of tax cuts for homeowners and businesses.An aerial view of new construction homes in a subdivision next to farmland and an irrigation canal in Edinburg, Texas on May 12, 2025.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/01/texas-legislature-small-lots-compromise-housing/State legislators passed an array of bills this year aimed at reining in the state’s high home prices and rents.By Joshua FechterSun, 01 Jun 2025 17:45:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/01/texas-legislature-small-lots-compromise-housing/Homes under construction in the Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023. Texas lawmakers approved a bill to allow smaller homes on smaller lots across Texas and sent it to the governor's desk.Homes under construction in the Mueller neighborhood in East Austin on Oct. 7, 2023.John Jordan/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/28/89th-legislature-texas-future/Policy experts discussed a new school funding bill, a $20 billion package to keep up with water demand and the state’s energy fund.By Joshua Fechter and Sofia SorochinskaiaWed, 28 May 2025 14:58:27 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/28/89th-legislature-texas-future/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-cities-penalties-progressive-policies/Senate Bill 2858 would have expanded a sweeping state law intended to erode the authority of the state’s major urban areas.By Joshua FechterWed, 28 May 2025 00:01:39 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-cities-penalties-progressive-policies/The Austin downtown skyline on Sept. 22. 2022.The Austin downtown skyline on Sept. 22. 2022.Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune