Justin Miller

Austin

Senior Writer at The Texas Observer

Covering Texas politics, government, etc. @TexasObserver reach me at miller @ https://t.co/iajyET1bAJ

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Articles

The High Cost of Texas' Property Tax Cut-and-Run Politics

1 week ago | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

Once again, the Texas Legislature is entering the final stretch of its session and, once again, Republicans’ high-profile promise to deliver property tax cuts to the landed masses still hangs in the balance. In 2023, the two chambers squabbled over differing approaches to providing such relief—tax compression for the House and increasing the homestead exemption in the Senate—before, after two special sessions, finally striking a $13 billion deal.
It's a Long Way to the Top (if You Wanna Oust the Pols)

3 weeks ago | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

Twenty-five years in, and the state of Texas has only elected two governors in the 21st Century, two lieutenant governors, and two attorney generals. The current governor was elected AG in 2002 to succeed the first GOP attorney general since Reconstruction, who himself ascended to the United States Senate and has remained in that seat ever since. Today’s attorney general, who succeeded the now-governor, is now ramping up for a likely primary campaign to oust said U.S. senator.
Alabama filers automatically qualify for tax extension

4 weeks ago | hartselleenquirer.com | Justin Miller

Alabama ExtensionAlabama and other parts of the nation experienced natural disasters within the last year. Because of this, the state is one of several areas automatically receiving a filing extension for federal income taxes, according to Portia Johnson, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System financial resource management specialist. “Alabamians automatically have until May 1 to complete their 2024 federal income tax returns and submit tax payments for 2024 tax year,” Johnson said.
New extension program boosts Alabama jobs through urban forests - The Cullman Times

1 month ago | cullmantimes.com | Justin Miller

Published 11:01 pm Monday, April 14, 2025 From aging trees to a nonexistent workforce, many of Alabama’s urban forests are facing major challenges. Over the next five years, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Green Up Alabama program will address these issues to make environmental and economic enhancements to rural Alabama communities.
How Voucher Vendors Could Make Millions from ‘School Choice’ in Texas

2 months ago | texasobserver.org | Josephine Lee |Justin Miller

In August 2024, the business magazine Inc. released its annual list of the top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States. At 815th, a burgeoning upstart called ClassWallet cracked the list’s top 20 percent for the third straight year. By expanding its operations managing school voucher programs for states across the country, earnings for the Florida company grew by 610 percent over the previous three years.
What Ever Happened to Ethics Reform?

2 months ago | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

In the early 1970s, Texas experienced one of the most explosive political scandals in its history. House Speaker Gus Mutscher was convicted, and several other top state officials were implicated for their roles in a bribery scheme in which they received profitable stocks from Houston banker Frank Sharp in exchange for passing favorable legislation in Austin.
Abbott’s Border Disaster Has Created a No-Bid Bonanza for Private Contractors

2 months ago | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

Forty-five days into President Joe Biden’s first and only term, Governor Greg Abbott announced plans to launch Operation Lone Star (OLS), the latest and most expansive in a long line of Texas border security surges. Just shy of three months later, Abbott signed a declaration of disaster, citing an “ongoing and imminent threat” from migrants crossing into Texas. This state of disaster has since been continuously renewed, even as border apprehensions have fallen precipitously.
From bullion to bitcoin: crypto reserve is latest fiscal folly in Texas

2 months ago | sacurrent.com | Justin Miller

This article was originally published by the Texas Observer, a nonprofit investigative news outlet and magazine. Sign up for their weekly newsletter, or follow them on Facebook and X. Republicans want to stamp the State of Texas’ seal on Bitcoin by creating a “strategic reserve” that could use taxpayer dollars to purchase cryptocurrency. This latest of pet issues advanced by the crypto crew has somehow won priority status on Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s biennial honey-do list.
From Bullion to Bitcoin: Crypto Reserve Is Latest Fiscal Folly in Texas

2 months ago | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

Republicans want to stamp the State of Texas’ seal on Bitcoin by creating a “strategic reserve” that could use taxpayer dollars to purchase cryptocurrency. This latest of pet issues advanced by the crypto crew has somehow won priority status on Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s biennial honey-do list. Governor Greg Abbott even suggested interest, posting an emoji on X expressing ocular intrigue as the Senate bill was filed in early February.
Trump’s Texas Tycoons

Jan 13, 2025 | texasobserver.org | Justin Miller

Texas may fancy itself the MAGA mega-state, the indispensable beacon of brash conservatism that provided the fuel and fodder—if not the decisive electoral votes—for Donald Trump to return to power. But that stature will apparently not be reflected in the president’s second administration. Just three Texans have been appointed to his cabinet as of early December, and not among them are the statewide leaders long-rumored as options for the top federal ranks.