Author Archives: Brandon Morris
Shifts in Election Requirements
Local elections in Texas are a crucial aspect of the democratic framework, allowing residents to elect officials who directly impact their day-to-day lives. These elections typically cover positions such as mayors, city council members, school board trustees, and county officials. They serve as the core of the democratic process, ensuring that communities are represented… Read More »
Legalization of Bingo in Texas
Bingo is a straightforward game that virtually everyone has played at some point in their lives. In Texas however, the road to allow this simple game is somewhat complicated. Legalized bingo actually began with an amendment to the Texas Constitution in 1980. The Constitutional amendment allowed the legislature to authorize and regulate bingo games… Read More »
Stafford’s Case Study in No Property Taxes
Texas cities rely on taxpayer dollars to generate revenue to fund local governmental services and infrastructure. The vast majority of cities across our state generate the bulk of their revenue from property taxes. For nearly 30 years, however, the City of Stafford, Texas has operated without collecting any property taxes. Due to their unique… Read More »
Artificial (Legal) Intelligence
With the recent rise in availability of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) programs such as ChatGPT, many individuals and companies are implementing these tools to automate tasks and work more efficiently. City officials may likewise be wondering how they can utilize these tools to better serve their communities. Cities in Texas can utilize AI in several… Read More »
The Texas Death Star Bill
Texas HB 2127: depending on whom you ask, it’s known as either the Regulatory Consistency Act, or the Texas Death Star Bill. Proponents would argue that it makes regulations more uniform across the state and benefits small businesses. Those who oppose the bill would say that it decimates local control by cities and counties… Read More »
Ministerial Acts
Serving as an elected official is not an easy job. Mayors and council members across Texas are tasked with making tough decisions that impact the lives of their citizens and the wellbeing of their communities. Citizens rely on their local representatives to use their judgment in serving the best interests of the community. There… Read More »
Adopting County Budgets and Refusal to Comply
Cities and counties alike are required to adopt a new budget each fiscal year in order to levy taxes and obtain the funding necessary to carry out their governmental duties. Each of these types of governmental entities are obligated to follow particular steps and requirements as part of the process. These procedures are contained… Read More »
Municipal Moneyball: Misappropriation of Public Funds
In recent weeks, Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has been in the news for some pretty unscrupulous reasons. CBS reports that, “in May of 2020, the Mississippi state auditor announced that the Department of Human Services had wasted tens of millions of dollars in federal money which was intended to help needy families”…. Read More »
Charter Amendments
In a previous blog post, we discussed the process by which cities can adopt an initial city Charter. But what happens after adoption? Are cities stuck with the same Charter provisions forever? Changed circumstances due to population growth, the needs of the citizens, or even just the passage of time can necessitate the need… Read More »
Annexation and Right-of-Way
The annexation process in Texas is an ever-evolving landscape. It seems as though every year or two the process undergoes significant changes as the legislature continues to fine tune state law on the subject. Legislative changes in 2019 created a perplexing situation in a fairly common scenario. The issue arose when a city was… Read More »