Female Republican congressional candidates made history by winning 13 seats, flipping an astonishing six seats from blue to red. When Democratic women made their historic gains in 2018, the news media called it the “Year of the Woman.” This year is most certainly the “Year of the Republican Woman.

A former Austin city councilwoman likened a new Texas property tax law to a household budget that most responsible homeowners learn to manage at some point in their lives.

Ellen Troxclair, who served from 2015-2019, said the 3.5-percent property tax cap, barring a public referendum to exceed the limit, will reduce waste and bring relief to taxpayers in Austin and across the Lone Star State.

Stacy Hock and Ellen Troxclair co-hosted an event on February 5, 2020 to welcome The Policy Circle to Austin. The Policy Circle is a grassroots network of women who come together in neighborhood conversations to discuss the public policies impacting their communities. It’s like a book club, but instead of reviewing a book, they discuss public policy issues using guided briefs. It is a nonpartisan organization, but does have a point of view: that the free market works, and we can accomplish more in a free society.

Last week, the New York Times published an editorial declaring the seemingly imminent extinction of Republican women at multiple levels of government. Largely crediting the rise of Donald Trump, the article ends with a discouraging statement — and thinly veiled wishful thinking — that the “future for Republican women in politics looks very bleak indeed.”

The city of Austin plans to raise property taxes as much as it possibly can — 7.9% — without triggering a potential election to roll back the tax rate. There’s no new, unexpected and urgent need here. City leaders are just trying to circumvent the intent of a new state law that limits property tax revenue growth to 3.5% without voter approval, but which doesn’t go into effect until next year.

The Johnson family wanted to stay in Austin. But as the Austin American-Statesman reported in 2017, the tax burden just became too great.

“The Johnsons this year would have paid nearly $9,100 in taxes, up $1,880 from five years ago,” the Statesman explained. “Instead, they uprooted their kids from their schools and moved in August to Buda, where they found a 3,300 square-foot home for less money—and the new tax bill is estimated to be at least $3,000 less.”