A SmartAsset study ranks Edinburg, Georgetown, Conroe and Grand Prairie among the U.S. leaders in property‑tax burden. New state exemptions help, but local burdens remain uneven.

Gov. Greg Abbott cited preliminary BEA data saying Texas’ economy hit $2.9 trillion in 2025 and grew faster than the U.S., a milestone his office hailed as proof of pro‑business policy.

TEA’s 2025–26 payroll reports show Cy‑Fair and Klein superintendents among the region’s top earners while teacher and support pay vary widely across Greater Houston.

Harris County commissioners voted 3-2 to name City Council member Abbie Kamin interim county attorney, effective June 15; she’ll serve through the end of the year while remaining a council holdover.

Wayne Christian is listed as an advisor to an oil‑backed crypto token that promises one‑to‑one exposure to a barrel of WTI crude. The appearance of a regulator on pitch materials has raised ethics questions.

SB 1164 broadens when Texas police may order emergency mental‑health detentions — adding clinical signs like deterioration and lack of insight. Supporters call it lifesaving; critics see civil‑rights risks.

County leaders and a new regional coalition will press Texas lawmakers in 2027 to expand subsidized, certified child care as ARPA dollars run out. Proposals include provider accelerators, tax incentives and regulatory fixes.

James Talarico unveiled a plan to close tax breaks for billionaires—targeting carried interest, offshore accounts and luxury write‑offs—to boost federal revenue.

Homeland Security has begun pressing Texas counties for voter registration applications, signatures and voting histories. County officials say the requests are broad and are consulting lawyers.

Harris County homeowners have until April 30 to file exemptions; a new HCAD Exemption Wizard and a prepayment option from the tax office aim to ease bills and spread payments. Check eligibility and act now.

Former Houston police chief Troy Finner will begin as Missouri City's police chief on April 20, 2026, a hire that revives questions from the HPD suspended-cases scandal.

Pearland trustee Toni Carter won a Texas Library Association award for defending librarians and student access as districts grapple with book removals.

Arthur Schechter, 86, a longtime Houston lawyer, former U.S. ambassador and Metro chair, died April 13. Colleagues and city leaders remembered his decades of civic and philanthropic work.