About this podcast
Charles Blain focuses on the issues impacting urban and suburban communities now that will shape the future of Texas for years to come. Texas Tomorrow, a show dedicated to covering the issues important to families living in the fastest growing parts of Texas.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 143 episodes
- What's the Cost of Bad Leadership? · 4 minWhen we elect people who exercise poor judgment, we give that judgment a public office. And when things go wrong, other people have to deal with the consequences.
- Different Jobs, Different Budget Calendars, Different Accounting—Who's Right? · 5 minHarris County’s own budget reports a nine-figure deficit for the second straight year, raising a question: Can recurring revenue cover ongoing costs once property sales and other…
- Are Bonds on Your Ballot? · 3 minBefore you vote to let your county borrow money, do you know exactly what you’re approving? In one county, that question comes with an $817.5 million price tag.
- Why did TCEQ Reject "Zero" for Formosa's Plastic Permit? · 3 minA company under a federal agreement to stop discharging plastic asked Texas regulators to write that same promise into its state permit. TCEQ said no.
- Texas First Responders Use More Than Fifty Radio Systems · 2 min · Episode 26Texas officials told lawmakers it can take about 36 hours to put every responding agency on one communications plan. The challenge is not only buying radios; it is deciding who…
- Should creating a government be as easy as 100 signatures? · 4 minIt took exactly 100 signatures to put a brand new taxing entity on the ballot in a Texas county of 402,000 people. Should creating a government be that easy, or is that the point?
- What Happens When the City Sells its Land to Pay the Bills? · 5 minTexas local governments must balance their budgets. Some do it with land sales, rainy-day money, utility transfers, and other dollars that may not be there next year.
- Four School Tax Votes, Nearly $1.5 Billion in Bonds, One Metro area Under Pressure? · 4 minFour San Antonio-area school districts are asking voters for more operating money this November. What happens if either side of the ballot fails?
- What Does Government Accountability Look Like When it Actually Works? · 4 minHarris County’s appraisal district acknowledged a control failure and promised corrections; the next test is whether the public can verify the fix.
- Who’s Responsible When Government AI Gives the Wrong Answer? · 3 minIf human reviewers fade away and government work product is AI-produced, who will be held responsible for when things go wrong?
- When do Local Governments Decide What You Vote On in November? · 5 minMost voters will not see their November local ballot until October. But cities, counties, school districts, and special districts are making the real decisions now: what gets…
- Did a Judge Just Kill Race-based Contracting? · 5 minHouston awarded $579 million to certified minority-, women-, and small-business contractors last year. Now, a federal judge has blocked the city from using race in those…
- When the Data Gets it Wrong, Who Pays the Price? · 3 minA private company built a 100,000-camera surveillance grid, wired it so federal authorities can access it, and operated it for more than a year without a license. Is that okay?
- The Hidden Cost of Rising Home Prices · 6 minTexas home prices are still climbing in some of the state’s most expensive communities; can the property‑tax system keep up without shifting costs onto everyone else? The places…
- San Antonio’s 33-Year Tax Streak Is About to End — And Every Texas City Should Be Watching · 6 minSan Antonio hasn’t raised its property tax rate in 33 years. But with a $172 million deficit looming, a September 17 council vote ahead, and projections showing the shortfall…
- They Got Caught. Now What? · 4 minThe homestead exemption investigation is producing results. The Harris County Appraisal District is reviewing 19 Doors Holdings properties, and Austin’s St. Tropez Rentals LLC…
- Who Pays for Property Tax Fraud? · 6 minAcross the state, property owners are claiming ineligible exemptions, but who covers the cost?
- Who Has the Power to Handle Data Farms? · 3 minWith no zoning powers, counties are coming up with unique ways to stop emerging data centers. Will they work?
- Corpus Christi’s Cost of Indecision · 5 minTexas' eighth-largest city is on track to become one of the first major U.S. cities to run short of water — and it just spent 15 hours deciding not to decide, while its mayor…
- Can Government Combat Loneliness? · 5 minIf loneliness kills as many men as smoking, why isn't a single Texas county treating it like the public health emergency it is?
