Jasper Scherer

Politics Reporter The Texas Tribune is hiring two politics reporters!

This is a dream job with lots of flexibility to do smart accountability and enterprise reporting in a politically momentous state in a newsroom with brilliant people in every corner! Apply by April 7, DM me with any questions! www.texastribune.org/jobs/politic...

Politics Reporter The Texas Tribune is hiring two politics reporters!

Come work with me! The @texastribune.org politics team is hiring *two* reporters to cover the state’s political power brokers, legislative clashes, campaigns and elections, and the regular Texans affected by it all: www.texastribune.org/jobs/politic...

I’ll continue to report through the end of the legislative session as we build up the politics team and fill the roles of the irreplaceable James Barragán & @robertdownen.bsky.social. Stay tuned for job postings soon! DMs are open.

Some news! Thrilled to announce I’m changing roles and will be starting as the @texastribune.org’s politics editor in June. Very excited to reshape our great politics team and continue the Tribune’s long-running tradition of excellent political coverage!

This charter school superintendent makes $870,000. He leads a district with 1,000 students. On paper, Salvador Cavazos earns less than $300,000 to run Valere Public Schools, a small Texas charter network. But taxpayers likely aren’t aware that his total pay makes him one of the country’s hig...

New: Over the last three years, the head of a small charter school network that serves fewer than 1,000 students has taken home up to $870,000 annually, a startling amount that appears to be the highest for any public school superintendent in the state.

Winners and losers: Who came out on top — and who didn’t — in the Texas House’s committee assignments There were only so many chair positions to go around, with 30 committees for 88 Republicans, making it inevitable that some would miss out on plum appointments.

ICYMI

Winners and losers: Who came out on top — and who didn’t — in the Texas House’s committee assignments www.texastribune.org/2025/02/14/t... via @texastribune.org

Texas' plan to expand family leave has one missing piece – participants A recent Texas bill allows insurers to sell paid family leave plans to companies. Why have so few signed up?

Most Texas parents lack access to paid family leave. In 2023, #txlege took aim at this with a law that lets insurers sell coverage to companies.

So far, only two insurers have signed up & it’s unclear if anyone’s received benefits, per @houstonchronicle.com: www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...

Texas House committee assignments extend power of experienced GOP leaders Republicans chair all committees, as promised, while Democrats will lead half of the newly created subcommittees.

Texas House committee assignments extend power of experienced GOP leaders www.texastribune.org/2025/02/13/t... via @texastribune.org

Certain criminal suspects would be denied bail under changes OK'd by Texas Senate panel The package of bills would tighten the state's bail laws to keep more people in jail — including undocumented immigrants — while their criminal cases are pending.

Certain criminal suspects would be denied bail under changes OK'd by Texas Senate panel www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/t... via @texastribune.org

Casino and sports betting companies press for a win in Texas despite Senate opposition With plenty of patience and money, the industry is extending its multi-year campaign to bring legal casinos and sports betting to the state.

Re-upping from yesterday: Casino and sports betting companies press for a win in Texas despite Senate opposition www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/t...

Texas Senate panel votes to cut property taxes for homeowners The marquee proposal would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000.

New: A Texas Senate committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal to provide billions of dollars in tax breaks to homeowners in a bid to blunt the state’s high property tax bills.

Senate Bill 4 would increase the amount of a home’s value exemption from school taxes to $140,000 from $100,000.

With vouchers fast-tracked, other Texas public education issues to watch this session From teacher pay and preparation to special education and DEI, here are issues Texas lawmakers are prioritizing this legislative session.

With vouchers fast-tracked, other Texas public education issues to watch this session www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/t... via @texastribune.org

ICYM yesterday — two new bills filed in the Texas Senate:

#SB10: would require Texas public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms

#SB11: would allow students, with parental consent, to opt into "a period of prayer and the reading of the Bible or other religious texts" #txlege

Gov. Greg Abbott wants to set a high bar for local tax increases Local officials, school advocates and tax policy experts said such a proposal could have dire impacts on basic services.

NEW this A.M.: In his bid to curb Texas’ high property taxes, Gov. Greg Abbott wants a high bar for local tax increases

Local officials, school advocates & tax policy experts say Abbott's idea could have dire impacts on basic services

www.texastribune.org/2025/02/10/g... @texastribune.org #txlege

As Texas gets redder, John Cornyn could face toughest primary season of his career Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has hinted at a possible run, has more support than the four-term senator among Republicans, polling shows.

New this AM from @matthewchoi.bsky.social: an early look at what could be a tough 2026 primary for Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who has said he'll seek a fifth term www.texastribune.org/2025/02/11/c...