Sulayman Bowles

Where the public dollar goes.

Follow school-tax collections, municipal obligations and toll-road transfers through the accounts that determine what can be spent.

A large collection total, a positive reserve and a paid-off bond answer different financial questions. These three studies follow the public dollar through recapture, long-term obligations and transfers between transportation funds.

The evidence runs through FY2025. Audited basic statements, historical reporting schedules and contract provisions retain their own boundaries; each essay includes inspectable data and source notes.

Reading path updated .

  1. Austin ISD keeps 49 cents of each maintenance-tax dollar

    Follow Austin ISD’s gross M&O tax collections through recapture to retained revenue and the audited General Fund result.

    7 min read
  2. Five Texas cities’ reserves coexist with long-term deficits

    Compare current fund resources with long-term obligations, then examine the pension payments and utility transfers connecting them.

    10 min read

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