State & National

State Sales Tax Revenue Totaled $4.2 Billion in May

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.2 billion in May, 4.7 percent more than in May 2024. The majority of May sales tax revenue is based on sales made in April and remitted to the agency in May. “State sales tax collections grew solidly compared with May 2024,” Hegar said. “This […]

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Perryman | The High Cost of Millions of Americans Losing Health Insurance Coverage

The current federal budget bill, which was recently passed by the House of Representatives, if ultimately implemented in its present form, involves changes to Medicaid which will have the effect of significantly reducing the numbers of people covered over time. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2034, some 7.6 million more Americans would be

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529 College Savings Day | Comptroller emphasizes saving for Higher Ed

(AUSTIN) — Today is ‘529 College Savings Day,’ and Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is encouraging families to save for their children’s higher education expenses using the state’s 529 college plans.“529 Day is a good reminder that now is the perfect time to start saving for college with a 529 plan or even contributing to an

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Texas Tribune | Lone Star State’s colleges will soon be able to pay their athletes

By Jessica Priest | May 28, 2025 | Texas colleges could soon pay student athletes directly for the first time. The Senate unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday that would allow colleges to enter directly into what are called “name, image and likeness” agreements with athletes. Currently, only outside entities, like national advertisers or athletic

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REMEMBER & HONOR ★ Memorial Day spotlight shines on sacrifices by service members like Kilgore’s Kenneth May

On Veterans Day, we show our gratitude to all those who serve their nation in the Armed Forces. On Memorial Day, we honor the fallen. “It’s not about barbecues,” Krystal Davis says, simply. “It’s about remembering those who you know and who you don’t know. Their sacrifice allows you to take a day with your

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Water-Efficient, ENERGY STAR® Products get sales tax holiday May 24-26

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding families and businesses that they can save on the purchase of certain products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR® sales tax holidays. Created by the Texas Legislature, both holidays take place Saturday, May 24, through Monday, May 26. The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates shoppers will save $15.2

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First five months of 2025 surpass last year’s sales tax revenues by 9 percent

Kilgore’s outpacing last year’s sales tax collections from the state – so far in 2025, the municipality has drawn about $4.3 million from the Texas Comptroller’s Office. That’s an increase of more than 9 percent year-to-year, about $355,000 ahead of 2024’s year-to-date in May. This month’s allocation from Comptroller Glenn Hegar and his team to

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Texas Comptroller distributes $1.3B in monthly sales tax revenue to local governments

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced today he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.3 billion in local sales tax allocations for May, 4.5 percent more than in May 2024. These allocations are based on sales made in March by businesses that report tax monthly and sales made in January, February

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SPRING ELECTION ROUND-UP: City of Kilgore, KISD, Kilgore College

Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin secured another term by a narrow 18-vote margin (18 votes) Saturday following Election Day polling at Kilgore City Hall. At Kilgore ISD, incumbent Dana Sneed also retained his Place 7 seat on the school board with a 2.66 percent lead while Johna Tritt locked down Place 5 with 74.38 percent of

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Spring 2025 election sprints past previous early turnout

The 799 early votes cast in Kilgore in late April put the community on track to outpace recent years’ totals.There are multiple contested races on this year’s ballot including the Kilgore mayor’s seat as well as trustee positions at both Kilgore ISD and Kilgore College. Election Day runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May

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