Politics & Policy
February 8, 2023
We Texans Are on Our Own When Disasters Hit
Austin’s response to last week’s mild freeze is further evidence that some of the structures of society we used to count on are no longer reliable.
Kirk Watson
Latest
1-11 of 11 Articles
Business
May 17, 2019
Is a Proposed Ban on a State Income Tax Really a Stealth Move to Undermine the State’s Business Tax?
The Legislature’s own budget advisors have warned that a constitutional amendment prohibiting an income tax could cost the state billions in lost revenue from the business tax.
Best and Worst Legislators
February 8, 2019
Best and Worst Legislators in Real Time: Senator Kirk Watson
The Austin senator grills the secretary of state to get to the bottom of the controversial elections advisory.
Music
January 20, 2013
5,707 Schmoozers, 750 Bands, 29 Musical Cars, and 250 Gallons of Cream Gravy
That was the recipe for this year’s South by Southwest Music and Media Conference. Here’s how it all cooked up.
Politics & Policy
August 14, 2009
Watson decides to run for reelection to the Senate
The significance of his decision is not only that he has passed on the governor’s race. It is that he will not be a candidate for attorney general — the office he sought in 2002 and was said to have been considering this year. This increases the likelihood that the
Politics & Policy
June 25, 2009
Can Watson win?
Kirk Watson’s trial balloon is in the air, as he weighs whether to run for governor in 2010. Here are the questions he should be considering. Q. Can any Democrat win the governorship in 2010, or will the D’s repeat the mistake they made in 2002, when they put fielded
Politics & Policy
April 22, 2009
The War of 1812
I generally defer to my colleague Patricia Kilday Hart when it comes to covering the Senate, but I am going to make an exception for the debate on the Texas Department of Insurance sunset bill. Hart has written about the amendments that Democrats, led by Kirk Watson, were able to
Politics & Policy
March 24, 2009
Surprise stem cell rider could derail budget
Steve Ogden may have lost support of Senate Democrats for SB 1 with his surprise rider prohibiting state funds to be used in stem cell research, or as the rider states: "in conjunction with or to support research that involves the destruction of a human embryo." The rider was added
Politics & Policy
February 24, 2009
Rocket Science
Rep. Mark Strama and Sen. Kirk Watson chose to recognize Pro-Life Lobby Day by introducing a “Prevention Works Act” aimed at reducing abortions by reducing unwanted pregnancies. Wait…so how would this work, exactly? The press release for the Watson and Strama bill claims that “Prevention Works is a real pro-life
Politics & Policy
February 22, 2008
Debate Stalemate
There was no clear winner in the Texas Democratic debate. That result should benefit the front-runner, but who is the front-runner? Hillary Clinton is ahead in the polls here, but Barack Obama is surging nationally, and that momentum is reflected in Texas by the early vote totals. He is ahead
News & Politics
March 1, 1999
Elementary Watson
After only two years on the job, he’s gotten Austin’s environmentalists and developers to work together. That’s why Kirk Watson is our first annual Best Mayor for Business.