2025 Local Government Affairs
Preamble
The Forward Party of Texas supports complete sovereignty of county and municipal governments to fulfill the immediate, local needs of its citizens and believes elected officials’ are accountable in responding accordingly while working in conjunction with the state. This includes maintaining quality standards of service, keeping up with industry standards and best practices, and choosing how to best fund and leverage their assets.
List of Local Service Categories
When broaching this subject, the question we ask is: “What defines the responsibilities of local government at the service level?” Below is a list of common local service categories in which this document will help guide. For a full breakdown of each category please visit the following link: List of Public Services
Administration & Governance
Justice & Public Safety
Public Works & Infrastructure
Health & Human Services
Community Development & Resources
Financial & Records
Other Services & Emerging Areas
Policy Concerns or Umbrellas
The following are topics of concern that the Forward Party of Texas feels should be thoroughly and uniformly addressed by all local governing bodies in the state.
Standards and Accountability
Officials need to be held accountable by local populations, who through committees and civilian watch groups will ensure that local government enforces the necessary rules and regulations to uphold that answerability. Local administrations would certainly refer to the state for outlining standards and enforcing measures of accountability for local governments. Parameters for defining standards and reach are based on the needs of the municipalities and all security considerations that may befall its citizens, present or future. Current Texas code relating to local government can be found in Article 11 of the Texas Constitution and Local Government Code. This allows for citizens and officials to participate in local government no matter the location, government tier, or personnel.
Government Contracts
Local governments have the right to leverage their assets, both monetary and otherwise, to contract services, enhance resources, and make purchases to best provide for its citizens. This includes selling assets to gain monetary cash equivalents that can then be used to buy new assets or services. Government entities, however, should not exchange assets or services beyond their normal means of operation with outside organizations (also known as quid pro quo).
When making public purchases or contracting for goods or services, local governments must abide by Title 5, Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code. This chapter addresses conflicts of interest by requiring the disclosure of certain relationships with local government officers and providing public access to certain information. At a minimum, governments must document the contracted company and agreement in public records. Broadcasting the contracted entity to the public beyond this should be permitted and at the discretion of the elected representatives.
Quality Control and Efficiency
Local government is responsible for quality service, maintaining records, and procedural efficiency. The state provides guidance on best practices to help eliminate government inefficiencies and help streamline procedures. These standards can be found throughout the Texas Local Government Code within each chapter and are updated regularly. It is important for local governments to maintain minimum requirements on behalf of their constituents.
When thinking of local services, accessibility is of the utmost importance. Although new technologies can help accelerate services for some, for others it can be burdensome or even inaccessible. In these circumstances, multiple avenues of request and provision are necessary.
Example Bills Out of Committee - Texas 89th Legislature Regular Session
To provide more context of the Texas Forward Party’s stance when it comes to local legislation, here are a few examples of bills currently in progress during this session. For/Against/Neutral = Texas Forward Party stance.
SB413 - For - Did Pass
Effective September 1, 2025, Texas school boards must record member attendance and
votes in minutes, post these minutes and their adopted resolutions online within seven days, and ensure public accessibility according to state law. This is an example of legislation the Texas Forward Party supports. It provides more transparency to the public, standardizes best practices of school boards across the state, and creates little to no interference to local government functions and services.
SB 427 - Against - Did Not Pass - Died in Committee
This Texas Senate Bill proposes that political subdivisions (like cities or counties) that fail to file or publish their required annual financial reports will be ineligible to receive state loans or grants for the fiscal year in which the report was due. This requirement applies to reports due on or after January 1, 2026, and state loan/grant applications must notify applicants and require proof of compliance. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025
While the Texas Forward Party values accountability, it opposes S.B. 427's enforcement method. The party believes local accountability rests in the hands of the elected official as well as with voters through elections. S.B. 427 leverages state funding as its penalty. This bypasses citizen oversight and infringes on local sovereignty. The financial penalties would interfere in providing essential local services to citizens. Accountability, while crucial, should be driven by the local electorate or direct fine or penalty of the elected official, not state sanctions that undermine local control.
SB 472 - Neutral (Local Choice) - Did Pass
S.B. 472 is a Texas bill that amends the Tax Code by prohibiting appraisal districts, chief
appraisers, and appraisal review boards from filing counterclaims against property owners during tax appeals. It also clarifies procedural aspects of these appeals.
The Texas Forward Party takes a neutral stance on this bill. While the party values accountability, S.B. 472 involves state procedural rules that impact local entities. Arguments based on the Forward Party's principles, such as protecting taxpayer rights would lead some to be for S.B. 427. Meanwhile, other principles such as upholding local sovereignty and minimizing state interference could reasonably lead to opposition of the bill. A neutral position would empower local Forward representatives to determine their stance on S.B. 472 based on direct feedback from their constituents, respecting that arguments exist on both sides of the issue.
