Rick Perry, after all of those years as governor, was pretty predictable. With Gov. Greg Abbott two months into his new job, there is a fresh vibe at the state Capitol: uncertainty. The next 10 weeks should be telling.

Where's the money in Texas politics? Well, bank balances are one measure, and here are the top 50 from candidate and political action committee reports filed with the Texas Ethics Commission.

Senate legislation that cuts property and business margins taxes also includes a clause that would outlaw taxes on real estate transactions. Texas has no such tax.

State law requires lobbyists to report what they spend on legislators and other state officials. But the loopholes are big: Less than 5 percent of the lobby's reported spending on food and beverage names the eaters and the drinkers.

The best of our best content from March 9 to 13, 2015.

A big, central government wants to override laws approved by the people in the provinces. That might sound like the federal government bossing states around, but it's the Texas Legislature trying to rein in the cities and counties.

In the first episode of Budgetline, an occasional TribCast series on the Texas budget, Ross and Aman start where state officials started — with the revenue estimate. It sounds simple, but it's a complicated stew of economics, politics and risky forecasting.

As lawmakers debate what kinds of tax cuts they like best, and voters point at property taxes as their favorite, a national conservative group is starting a grassroots campaign to promote repeal of the state's business margins tax. 

Texas legislators have an unfamiliar problem: They have more money available to spend than their self-imposed limits will allow. And it's enough to start debates even where there is broad agreement.

The best of our best content from March 2 to 6, 2015.

Lawmakers want to send voters a tax cut but fear spending the money the cut requires without asking voters for permission. 

Here's some free advice to anyone hoping to see some love in the next state budget: Get in line. Tax cuts are at the front of the queue.

As state officials rush to announce tax cuts, a former mayor now in the Senate is pleading for a little restraint and a return to pay-as-you-go government.

The best of our best content from Feb. 23 to 27, 2015.

Texas voters overwhelmingly favor government-required vaccinations for children, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. And they rank vouchers lowest among a set of options for improving public education.