Texas Talks

"Texas could be a national exemplar": Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development @henrygcisneros speaks with host @bradswail about how Texas can handle the next decade of growth and development.

35 Texas counties are producing 75% of the state's GDP. @henrygcisneros, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former mayor of San Antonio, speaks with host @bradswail about how the Texas economy has grown beyond oil, gas, and ranching.

Cities and counties could have more money in their pockets if they cracked down on invalid tax exemptions. Local Insights Founder @cjblain10 speaks with host @bradswail about an example of an exemption that should have ended.

Check out this interview! Nobody asks better questions on public policy issues than @bradswail!

@bradswail @MarcALevin @CouncilonCJ Watch or listen to the episode on your preferred platform. YouTube: buff.ly/w9chDBu Spotify: buff.ly/C21C83B Apple Podcasts: buff.ly/o1aT9h5

NEW EPISODE: Host @bradswail sits down with @MarcALevin, Chief Policy Counsel at the @CouncilonCJ, for a wide-ranging conversation about where criminal justice reform stands in Texas today — and what lawmakers should be focused on next. They explore recent reforms from the 89th Texas Legislature, including expanded pretrial funding, parole process changes through the Sunset review of TDCJ, and the constitutional amendment updating bail rules. Levin also discusses why plea bargaining deserves more scrutiny, how better data could help policymakers compare sentences and outcomes across counties, and why transparency matters if Texas wants to know whether its justice system is truly working. Levin makes the case that Texas has already shown it can lower both crime and incarceration at the same time — but only if lawmakers keep focusing on reforms that are practical, measurable, and rooted in outcomes rather than rhetoric.

The housing challenge: Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development @henrygcisneros speaks with host @bradswail about the importance of ensuring Texas's growing cities are keeping up with affordable housing demand.

Some of America's formerly booming economic regions struggled to keep up with emerging technologies, while others failed to plan for housing and transportation. Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros speaks with host @bradswail about cautionary tales for Texas to avoid.

Is it really a good idea to ban institutional homebuyers? Local Insights Founder @cjblain10 speaks with host @bradswail about what "institutional investors" can actually look like.

Key metrics that Texas must track for success: @AJRodriguez2036, Executive Vice President at @Texas2036, speaks with host @bradswail about the critical nature of water infrastructure and transportation efficiency.

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how rapid population growth is reshaping the state — and what it will take to manage that growth successfully over the next decade. In this episode of the @TXTalksPodcast, host @bradswail is joined by @henrygcisneros, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former mayor of San Antonio, and @AJRodriguez2036, Executive Vice President at @Texas2036, for a deep dive into the rise of Texas “mega regions” — particularly the fast-growing Austin–San Antonio corridor. Texas is at a pivotal moment. With the right planning, coordination, and investment, it could become one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world — but failure to act could lead to congestion, affordability crises, and missed opportunity.

Local Insights Founder @cjblain10 tells host @bradswail how his platform enables Texans to understand where their tax dollars are going.

Increasing transparency in local government data: @cjblain10, the founder of Local Insights, tells host @bradswail how the platform allows Texans to see and compare property tax rates for different school districts.

How AI saved taxpayers $4 million: @cjblain10, the founder of Local Insights, tells host @bradswail about an AI-assisted review of Houston Metro contract documents that uncovered a ballooning deal tied to board chair conflicts.

A 17-year-old with a plan: @Texas2036 Deputy Director of Education and Workforce Policy @renzo_soto21 shares the story of a high school student working in welding with a dream of becoming a veterinarian.

Texas's workforce challenge is really a marketing challenge. @royspence, co-founder and chairman of @GSDM and founder of the @MakeItMovement and the Purpose Institute, speaks with host @bradswail about supply of and demand for jobs.

Uniting around a shared goal: @royspence, co-founder and longtime chairman of @GSDM and founder of the @MakeItMovement and the Purpose Institute, tells host @bradswail what almost all parents can agree on.

"It's not just the job": @royspence, co-founder and chairman of GSD&M and founder of the @MakeItMovement and the Purpose Institute, speaks with host @bradswail about how people can find purpose and fulfillment in fields such as welding and the electrical trade.

AI is a tool, not a threat: @renzo_soto21, Deputy Director of Education and Workforce Policy at @Texas2036, speaks with host @bradswail about how education in AI literacy can help prepare students for the workforce.

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with @Texas2036, this episode explores a critical question: how does Texas ensure its economic growth translates into real opportunity, mobility, and purpose for its people? In this episode of the @TXTalksPodcast, host @bradswail is joined by @royspence, co-founder and longtime chairman of GSD&M and founder of the @MakeItMovement and the Purpose Institute, along with @renzo_soto21, Deputy Director of Education and Workforce Policy at Texas 2036, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of work in Texas. The discussion focuses on skills, workforce readiness, career awareness, and how Texas can better connect students and workers to meaningful, high-opportunity careers. This is a big-picture conversation about how Texas can turn growth into real opportunity — not just for students entering the workforce, but for workers, families, and communities across the state. Links below🔗