Taxpayer Empowerment

About Taxpayer Empowerment

TPPF's Jose Melendez interviews elected officials and activists about efforts to reduce Texans' tax burden.

Publisher

Texas Public Policy Foundation

Category

government · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 May 2026

Latest episode

29 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Taxpayer Empowerment | Ep. 41: Eliminating Property Taxes with Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara

   Can a Texas city eliminate its property tax while maintaining and even increasing core city services? On this episode of Taxpayer Empowerment, TPPF's Jose Melendez sits down with Von Ormy Mayor Art Martinez de Vara to discuss how the city eliminated its property tax for the second time, paid off its remaining city debt, reduced administrative overhead, and redirected more resources toward essential services like roads and infrastructure. Mayor Martinez de Vara explains how Von Ormy cut payroll costs without reducing services, avoided unnecessary debt, and built a budget around consumption-based revenue such as sales taxes and franchise fees. He also discusses what other Texas cities can learn from Von Ormy’s approach to local government spending and fiscal discipline. The conversation also looks ahead to the next Texas legislative session, where property tax reform and local government spending are expected to receive significant attention. Jose and Mayor Martinez de Vara discuss potential limits on local spending, municipal authority, local government debt, bond election reform, taxpayer-funded lobbying, and whether cities should focus more narrowly on core government services. Topics include: • How Von Ormy eliminated its city property tax • Cutting government overhead without cutting core services • Paying down local government debt • Property taxes and local spending in Texas • City and county spending limits • Home rule vs. statutory cities in Texas • Local government debt and bond elections • Taxpayer-funded lobbying and municipal associations • Defining the core functions of city government • What Texas lawmakers could consider in the next legislative session Subscribe to Taxpayer Empowerment for more conversations about property taxes, government spending, local debt, transparency, and taxpayer accountability across Texas.

2. 

   10 Sept 2026

   Taxpayer Empowerment | Episode 40: Texans Deserve Government Transparency with Rachel Clow

   How transparent is your local government and what can you do when public officials make it difficult to access public records? In this episode of Taxpayer Empowerment, TPPF's Jose Melendez sits down with Rachel Clow, Executive Producer at KRIS 6 News in Corpus Christi, to discuss the Texas Public Information Act and why access to government records matters for taxpayers, journalists, and citizens. Drawing on decades of journalism and investigative reporting experience, Rachel explains how public information requests can uncover government spending, questionable contracts, public safety concerns, and other accountability issues. She also shares examples from major investigations involving the Corpus Christi Housing Authority, Nueces County Medical Examiner’s Office and other government entities. The conversation also explores some of the biggest obstacles Texans can encounter when requesting public records including high costs, delays, requests for clarification, and government entities seeking Texas Attorney General opinions before releasing information. Rachel also offers practical advice for Texans filing their first public information request: put your request in writing, specifically reference the Texas Public Information Act, clearly identify the records you want, understand your rights, and don't give up when you encounter resistance. In this episode: • How investigative journalists use the Texas Public Information Act • Why government records matter for taxpayer accountability • How public information requests can uncover larger investigations • Common delays and costs associated with obtaining public records • What government transparency should look like • The role of the Texas Attorney General in public records disputes • Potential reforms to strengthen the Texas Public Infromation Act • How Texans can file more effective public information requests • How citizens and journalists can work together to hold government accountable The Texas Public Information Act isn't just a tool for journalists or attorneys. It's a tool available to Texans seeking to understand how their government operates and how taxpayer dollars are being used. Subscribe to Taxpayer Empowerment for more conversations about government accountability, transparency, taxpayer issues, and public policy in Texas.

3. 

   26 Aug 2026

   Taxpayer Empowerment | Ep. 39: Government Transparency with Kelley Shannon

   Transparency is essential to holding government accountable but are Texas taxpayers getting the access to public information they deserve? In this episode of Taxpayer Empowerment, TPPF's Jose Melendez sits down with Kelley Shannon, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, to discuss the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA), the obstacles Texans can face when requesting government records, and reforms lawmakers could consider during the 2027 legislative session. The Texas Public Information Act is built on the principle that government information is presumed open unless a legal exception applies. But delays, excessive cost estimates, misuse of the Attorney General ruling process, and broad interpretations of exemptions can make accessing public records more difficult. Jose and Kelley discuss how these barriers affect everyday Texans seeking information about their cities, counties, school districts, and other governmental entities. They also examine concerns surrounding attorney-client privilege, litigation exemptions, government information held by outside vendors, and taxpayer-funded partnerships with private or quasi-governmental organizations. The conversation also looks ahead to potential Texas government transparency reforms in the 90th Texas Legislature, including reducing delays, reviewing commonly abused exemptions, strengthening enforcement of the Public Information Act, improving recovery of attorney’s fees for successful requestors, and encouraging governments to proactively publish frequently requested records online. In this episode: • How the Texas Public Information Act works • Why open records are a taxpayer issue • Delays and excessive costs for public records requests • The role of the Texas Attorney General in open-records disputes • Attorney-client privilege and litigation exemptions • Transparency involving government contractors and outside organizations • Proactive disclosure of frequently requested government records • Potential Public Information Act reforms for the 2027 Texas legislative session • How stronger enforcement could improve government accountability Texans have a right to know what their government is doing and where their tax dollars are going. Strengthening transparency can give taxpayers the information they need to hold public officials and government institutions accountable. Subscribe to Taxpayer Empowerment for more conversations on Texas government transparency, taxpayer protection, property taxes, local government accountability, and public policy.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.