At a press conference in Austin, Texas, last week. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced property taxes will be his top issue ahead of the state’s 88th legislative session. Patrick said in addition to property taxes , increasing funding for border security and improving the power grid were key issues he wanted to highlight in the next session. As lieutenant governor, Patrick is the head of the Senate and has the power to decide which bills get called for a vote and prioritized in the legislative body. With a $27 billion surplus, Patrick said the state has a chance to potentially shape the future of the state for the next 100 years. On the subject of property taxes, Patrick wants to raise the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $60,000-$65,000 yearly to create tax relief for Texans. According to a September report , the median cost for a Houston- The Woodlands -Sugarland area home is $346,000. “That’s something we can afford and maintain,” Patrick said. “We need a robust … [Read more...] about Texas property taxes will be GOP’s biggest issue in 2023, Patrick says
Sugarland
5 Houston roads are among the worst for traffic in Texas
The West Loop between Interstate 10 and Interstate 69 in the Galleria/Uptown area ranked the No.1 spot among the 100 most traffic congested roads in the state of Texas, according to a report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute for the state Department of Transportation. Interstate 35 to US 290 ranked as the fourth-most congested road on the list, with the Eastex Freeway/Interstate 69/ US 59 coming in at fifth. The Gulf Freeway/Interstate 45 between Interstate 10 and US 90 and Interstate 610 South clocked in at number 10. Overall, roadways in Houston, The Woodlands and Sugarland racked up five of the top ten slots for the most traffic-choked thoroughfares in the state. According to the report, factors that influenced the list's ranking included, in no particular order, work-from-home conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, weather, economic growth, land use, construction and congestion outside the peak period. The list covered over 2,264 miles of Greater … [Read more...] about 5 Houston roads are among the worst for traffic in Texas