Abbott’s Tax Plan Promises Relief — But Puts Rural Texas on the Chopping Block

Last month, Governor Greg Abbott unveiled what he calls a “bold” plan: eliminate school district property taxes on homesteads and replace roughly $35 to $39 billion in local school funding with the state’s current budget surplus and other state revenues.

Financial Focus

With the new year around the corner, many people are setting goals for 2026. After months of rising prices on everything from milk to mortgages, money-related resolutions are prominent.

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Five big moves from the Lege in 2025 The Texas Legislature made a host of major decisions in 2025, as The Dallas Morning News reported. Here are the highlights:• Homeowners received a break on their property taxes after approving a proposed constitutional amendment in November.

LAUGHS OF THE WEEK

Compiled off the Internet by Jeff Blackmon, Publisher of the Hereford BRANDWhat does a baby computer call his father? Data.After an unsuccessful harvest, why did the farmer decide to try a career in music? Because he had a ton of sick beets.I only seem to get sick on weekdays.

TALES OF DEAF SMITH COUNTY

“How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.”--David B. NorrisDecember 1957Special Christmas services through Christmas Eve in several local churches added to the Christmas season. Those churches were St.

All In: Toyland

“As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

ERCOT: Little chance of blackouts this winter Winter has officially arrived, and officials with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas say the Texas power grid is expected to hold up through most weather conditions, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Financial Focus

If you own a business, you’ve probably spent countless hours thinking about how to grow it, manage daily operations and serve your customers. But have you thought about how you’ll eventually step away from it?

ALL IN: LETTERS

"More than kisses, letters mingle souls." – John Donne, British PoetNearly eighty years after they were written, I found the forgotten trove of 1940s letters nestled in a storage box marked “Keepsakes.

STATE CAPITAL HIGHLIGHTS

Crockett, Talarico to face off in Democratic primary U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, entered the U.S.Senate race on the final day to file, pitting her against state Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock.