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Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Texas Property Tax Relief Won't Last Unless Local Governments Rein in Spending
LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 4 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by Managing Director of Government Finance Mariana Trujillo:
* * *
Texas property tax relief won't last unless local governments rein in spending
Recent exemptions may lower tax bills temporarily, but durable relief requires limits on local spending, borrowing, and costs.
-
Texas is proud to be among the states with the lowest taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, the state ranks seventh in overall tax competitiveness, largely because it has no personal income tax and no traditional ... Show Full Article LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 4 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by Managing Director of Government Finance Mariana Trujillo: * * * Texas property tax relief won't last unless local governments rein in spending Recent exemptions may lower tax bills temporarily, but durable relief requires limits on local spending, borrowing, and costs. - Texas is proud to be among the states with the lowest taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, the state ranks seventh in overall tax competitiveness, largely because it has no personal income tax and no traditionalcorporate income tax.
But there's a trade-off: Texas relies disproportionately on property taxes to fund local services. The state ranks 38th in property tax competitiveness, with property taxes equal to about 1.4% of owner-occupied housing value.
That burden has become harder to justify amid a housing boom. The Texas Comptroller's Office estimates that median home prices increased by about 40% between 2019 and 2023. That means many homeowners have faced rising tax bills driven by paper gains, even though they have no intention of selling, and their yearly income has not necessarily improved. According to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, property tax revenue has grown by 181% over the last 20 years, while population growth and inflation have grown by only about 100%.
This is an obvious political problem for a state that prides itself on having low taxes. Texas has responded with repeated rounds of property tax relief. But to make property tax relief durable, Texas must address the growth in local spending that property taxes fund. If Texas does not, it risks merely redistributing rather than reducing the burden on taxpayers.
The taxes of Texas
Although property taxes are mostly regulated at the state level, Texas' state constitution does not authorize the state government to levy them. Only local governments can, including cities, counties, school districts, and special-purpose districts. Nationwide, property taxes account for about 30% of local government revenue, but in Texas they account for about 40%.
* * *
Chart: Property taxes represent 40% of local government revenue in Texas
* * *
Property tax revenue in Texas comes mostly from homes, not businesses. Single-family homes represent 48% of Texas taxable value. When combined with multifamily property, the residential share rises to 56%. The remainder is divided among commercial and industrial property (29%), oil, gas, and minerals (5.7%), utilities (3.0%), rural land and farm/ranch-related property (3.7%), and vacant lots (1.9%).
Among Texas's local governments, school districts are the largest property-taxing units. In 2023, they collected 48.5% of all local property taxes in the state, about $39.5 billion. Cities, counties, and special districts split the other half. School districts used to represent an even larger share of total tax revenue--60% in 1998.
Tax relief doesn't reduce government spending
Recent property tax relief efforts have focused heavily on school taxes. Proposition 4, approved by voters in November 2023 and retroactively applied to the 2023 property-tax year, increased the school district homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000. In 2025, voters approved another increase in the school district homestead exemption, from $100,000 to $140,000, effective for the 2025 tax year.
But despite the passage of significant property tax relief, total property tax levies in Texas have continued to rise. According to the Comptroller's Office's latest data, total levies increased by about $3 billion, or 3%, from Fiscal Year 2024 to 2025. School district levies remained essentially flat, but levies by cities, counties, and special-purpose districts continued to increase. That is because the state's recent homestead exemption increases apply only to school districts, which account for roughly half of Texas' property tax levy. For Texas to provide more comprehensive property tax relief, it must also address the other local governments that levy property taxes.
Another missing component is spending control. A property tax cut does not actually shrink the cost of government; it merely adds pressure to reduce. It may only change who pays, when they pay, and through which tax instrument. This is already happening in Texas. Under both recent homestead-exemption increases, the state compensated school districts for their losses in local tax revenue. This means taxes were not actually reduced but merely shifted from local government to the state. These costs will reappear in other ways, either as higher state taxes, higher debts, or reduced reserves.
Gov. Greg Abbott's newer property tax proposal recognizes part of this problem. His plan calls for local spending limits tied to population growth plus inflation or 3.5%, whichever is lower; two-thirds voter approval for local property tax increases; an easier process for voters to force rollback elections; less frequent appraisals; a lower appraisal cap; and a constitutional amendment allowing voters to eliminate school district property taxes on homeowners.
Texas' school district debt problem
School districts in Texas carry a lot of debt, which presents a complex challenge to durable property tax relief.
In aggregate, the state and local governments of Texas rank 10th nationally in long-term debt per capita, making it the only primarily Republican state among the 10 most indebted in the nation. Its long-term obligations are disproportionately composed of bonds, loans, and notes--with 62% of Texas' long-term debt being bonds compared to only 40% nationally. The main culprit of this bonded debt is the school districts.
* * *
Chart: School districts in Texas lead in bonded debt
* * *
Texas' school districts have, in aggregate, about $27,500 in bonded debt per student, more than twice the national average of $12,300. By contrast, state government bonded debt per capita is only modestly higher than the national average, while both city and county bonded debt per capita are below their national averages.
Part of the reason school districts carry so much debt is that the state makes that debt easier to issue. In 1983, Texas voters approved the Texas Permanent School Fund Bond Guarantee Program, which uses the state's public education endowment to guarantee bonds issued by eligible school districts and charter schools. The guarantee gives school districts an AAA-backed credit enhancement that expands the market for their debt and lowers borrowing costs. The state estimated that this program saves about $400 million each year. But one unintended consequence of the program is that it has weakened market discipline and made it easier for districts to take on debt.
This must be kept in mind as Texas pursues property tax relief. School districts collect most property taxes, and they carry many legacy obligations that must be repaid.
The path to lower taxes is paved with cost reductions
The political pressure to provide property tax relief in Texas is high. Property taxes are among the most visible forms of taxation. And Texas's real estate boom, while a consequence of the state's attractiveness, has made the tax hit harder. Many homeowners are being taxed on paper gains they did not ask for, cannot easily access, and may never realize unless they sell their homes.
Recent initiatives are a step in the right direction, but effective property tax relief requires more than ever larger exemptions. It is essential that spending and debt limits on local governments be implemented. It is an inalienable part of an effective tax reduction initiative and must not be negotiated away.
This is especially important since the state compensates school districts for any losses in local tax revenue originating from the homestead exemption increase. Texas must require local governments to reduce spending, restrain tax increases, and limit new debt issuance. Otherwise, the burden will not disappear. It will simply move from local property tax bills to the state budget, depleted surpluses, other taxes, or future debt service.
* * *
Mariana Trujillo is managing director of government finance at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/texas-property-tax-relief-wont-last-unless-local-governments-rein-in-spending/
* * *
Texas property tax relief won't last unless local governments rein in spending
Recent exemptions may lower tax bills temporarily, but durable relief requires limits on local spending, borrowing, and costs.
-
Texas is proud to be among the states with the lowest taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, the state ranks seventh in overall tax competitiveness, largely because it has no personal income tax and no traditional ... Show Full Article LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 4 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by Managing Director of Government Finance Mariana Trujillo: * * * Texas property tax relief won't last unless local governments rein in spending Recent exemptions may lower tax bills temporarily, but durable relief requires limits on local spending, borrowing, and costs. - Texas is proud to be among the states with the lowest taxes. According to the Tax Foundation, the state ranks seventh in overall tax competitiveness, largely because it has no personal income tax and no traditionalcorporate income tax.
But there's a trade-off: Texas relies disproportionately on property taxes to fund local services. The state ranks 38th in property tax competitiveness, with property taxes equal to about 1.4% of owner-occupied housing value.
That burden has become harder to justify amid a housing boom. The Texas Comptroller's Office estimates that median home prices increased by about 40% between 2019 and 2023. That means many homeowners have faced rising tax bills driven by paper gains, even though they have no intention of selling, and their yearly income has not necessarily improved. According to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, property tax revenue has grown by 181% over the last 20 years, while population growth and inflation have grown by only about 100%.
This is an obvious political problem for a state that prides itself on having low taxes. Texas has responded with repeated rounds of property tax relief. But to make property tax relief durable, Texas must address the growth in local spending that property taxes fund. If Texas does not, it risks merely redistributing rather than reducing the burden on taxpayers.
The taxes of Texas
Although property taxes are mostly regulated at the state level, Texas' state constitution does not authorize the state government to levy them. Only local governments can, including cities, counties, school districts, and special-purpose districts. Nationwide, property taxes account for about 30% of local government revenue, but in Texas they account for about 40%.
* * *
Chart: Property taxes represent 40% of local government revenue in Texas
* * *
Property tax revenue in Texas comes mostly from homes, not businesses. Single-family homes represent 48% of Texas taxable value. When combined with multifamily property, the residential share rises to 56%. The remainder is divided among commercial and industrial property (29%), oil, gas, and minerals (5.7%), utilities (3.0%), rural land and farm/ranch-related property (3.7%), and vacant lots (1.9%).
Among Texas's local governments, school districts are the largest property-taxing units. In 2023, they collected 48.5% of all local property taxes in the state, about $39.5 billion. Cities, counties, and special districts split the other half. School districts used to represent an even larger share of total tax revenue--60% in 1998.
Tax relief doesn't reduce government spending
Recent property tax relief efforts have focused heavily on school taxes. Proposition 4, approved by voters in November 2023 and retroactively applied to the 2023 property-tax year, increased the school district homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000. In 2025, voters approved another increase in the school district homestead exemption, from $100,000 to $140,000, effective for the 2025 tax year.
But despite the passage of significant property tax relief, total property tax levies in Texas have continued to rise. According to the Comptroller's Office's latest data, total levies increased by about $3 billion, or 3%, from Fiscal Year 2024 to 2025. School district levies remained essentially flat, but levies by cities, counties, and special-purpose districts continued to increase. That is because the state's recent homestead exemption increases apply only to school districts, which account for roughly half of Texas' property tax levy. For Texas to provide more comprehensive property tax relief, it must also address the other local governments that levy property taxes.
Another missing component is spending control. A property tax cut does not actually shrink the cost of government; it merely adds pressure to reduce. It may only change who pays, when they pay, and through which tax instrument. This is already happening in Texas. Under both recent homestead-exemption increases, the state compensated school districts for their losses in local tax revenue. This means taxes were not actually reduced but merely shifted from local government to the state. These costs will reappear in other ways, either as higher state taxes, higher debts, or reduced reserves.
Gov. Greg Abbott's newer property tax proposal recognizes part of this problem. His plan calls for local spending limits tied to population growth plus inflation or 3.5%, whichever is lower; two-thirds voter approval for local property tax increases; an easier process for voters to force rollback elections; less frequent appraisals; a lower appraisal cap; and a constitutional amendment allowing voters to eliminate school district property taxes on homeowners.
Texas' school district debt problem
School districts in Texas carry a lot of debt, which presents a complex challenge to durable property tax relief.
In aggregate, the state and local governments of Texas rank 10th nationally in long-term debt per capita, making it the only primarily Republican state among the 10 most indebted in the nation. Its long-term obligations are disproportionately composed of bonds, loans, and notes--with 62% of Texas' long-term debt being bonds compared to only 40% nationally. The main culprit of this bonded debt is the school districts.
* * *
Chart: School districts in Texas lead in bonded debt
* * *
Texas' school districts have, in aggregate, about $27,500 in bonded debt per student, more than twice the national average of $12,300. By contrast, state government bonded debt per capita is only modestly higher than the national average, while both city and county bonded debt per capita are below their national averages.
Part of the reason school districts carry so much debt is that the state makes that debt easier to issue. In 1983, Texas voters approved the Texas Permanent School Fund Bond Guarantee Program, which uses the state's public education endowment to guarantee bonds issued by eligible school districts and charter schools. The guarantee gives school districts an AAA-backed credit enhancement that expands the market for their debt and lowers borrowing costs. The state estimated that this program saves about $400 million each year. But one unintended consequence of the program is that it has weakened market discipline and made it easier for districts to take on debt.
This must be kept in mind as Texas pursues property tax relief. School districts collect most property taxes, and they carry many legacy obligations that must be repaid.
The path to lower taxes is paved with cost reductions
The political pressure to provide property tax relief in Texas is high. Property taxes are among the most visible forms of taxation. And Texas's real estate boom, while a consequence of the state's attractiveness, has made the tax hit harder. Many homeowners are being taxed on paper gains they did not ask for, cannot easily access, and may never realize unless they sell their homes.
Recent initiatives are a step in the right direction, but effective property tax relief requires more than ever larger exemptions. It is essential that spending and debt limits on local governments be implemented. It is an inalienable part of an effective tax reduction initiative and must not be negotiated away.
This is especially important since the state compensates school districts for any losses in local tax revenue originating from the homestead exemption increase. Texas must require local governments to reduce spending, restrain tax increases, and limit new debt issuance. Otherwise, the burden will not disappear. It will simply move from local property tax bills to the state budget, depleted surpluses, other taxes, or future debt service.
* * *
Mariana Trujillo is managing director of government finance at Reason Foundation.
* * *
Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/texas-property-tax-relief-wont-last-unless-local-governments-rein-in-spending/
Nobel Foundation: Quiz, AI and Lab Visits During Nobel Calling Stockholm
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 4 -- The Nobel Foundation posted the following news release:
* * *
Quiz, AI and Lab Visits During Nobel Calling Stockholm
*
In October, this year's Nobel Prize laureates will be announced. To mark the occasion, the Nobel Prize Museum is collaborating with universities and cultural institutions across Stockholm. Highlights include a crash course in this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences featuring Annika Lantz, and a panel discussion on the Nobel Peace Prize with Margot Wallstrom.
Nobel Calling Stockholm is eight days filled with activities across the city ... Show Full Article STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 4 -- The Nobel Foundation posted the following news release: * * * Quiz, AI and Lab Visits During Nobel Calling Stockholm * In October, this year's Nobel Prize laureates will be announced. To mark the occasion, the Nobel Prize Museum is collaborating with universities and cultural institutions across Stockholm. Highlights include a crash course in this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences featuring Annika Lantz, and a panel discussion on the Nobel Peace Prize with Margot Wallstrom. Nobel Calling Stockholm is eight days filled with activities across the cityin connection with the announcements of the Nobel Prizes. This year, the public is invited to enjoy a wide range of activities, from talks and guided tours to music performances and rare opportunities to visit world-famous laboratories. The event runs from 5 to 12 October.
One of the programme's recurring highlights is a crash course on this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences. In this year's edition, Nobel Committee members and experts Ulf Danielsson, Heiner Linke and Anna Wedell will explain the newly awarded Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry. The programme will be followed by a Nobel quiz hosted by comedian Annika Lantz.
"As an average person, it is naturally an honour to host a quiz about the very brightest minds. I can promise music! Audio clips! Multiple-choice questions! Dare I say it will be a quiz that has everything, except a Nobel Prize," says Lantz about what the audience can expect from the evening.
Among the week's activities is also a conversation featuring researchers from the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, exploring how AI is affecting human abilities and skills, and what consequences this may have for individuals and society. Is AI making us less capable, or more creative and efficient?
On Friday, former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallstrom and Isak Svensson, Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, will meet at the Nobel Prize Museum to discuss the Nobel Peace Prize of 2026, which will have been announced earlier that day.
In total, 28 programmes and activities will be presented throughout the week by universities and cultural institutions across the city. Nobel Calling Stockholm is organised in collaboration with the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Swedish Red Cross University, the City of Stockholm, Stockholm City Archives, Stockholm University, Sveriges Riksbank and the Swedish Research Council.
***
Original text here: https://www.nobelprize.org/press-release/quiz-ai-and-lab-visits-during-nobel-calling-stockholm/
* * *
Quiz, AI and Lab Visits During Nobel Calling Stockholm
*
In October, this year's Nobel Prize laureates will be announced. To mark the occasion, the Nobel Prize Museum is collaborating with universities and cultural institutions across Stockholm. Highlights include a crash course in this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences featuring Annika Lantz, and a panel discussion on the Nobel Peace Prize with Margot Wallstrom.
Nobel Calling Stockholm is eight days filled with activities across the city ... Show Full Article STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Sept. 4 -- The Nobel Foundation posted the following news release: * * * Quiz, AI and Lab Visits During Nobel Calling Stockholm * In October, this year's Nobel Prize laureates will be announced. To mark the occasion, the Nobel Prize Museum is collaborating with universities and cultural institutions across Stockholm. Highlights include a crash course in this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences featuring Annika Lantz, and a panel discussion on the Nobel Peace Prize with Margot Wallstrom. Nobel Calling Stockholm is eight days filled with activities across the cityin connection with the announcements of the Nobel Prizes. This year, the public is invited to enjoy a wide range of activities, from talks and guided tours to music performances and rare opportunities to visit world-famous laboratories. The event runs from 5 to 12 October.
One of the programme's recurring highlights is a crash course on this year's Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences. In this year's edition, Nobel Committee members and experts Ulf Danielsson, Heiner Linke and Anna Wedell will explain the newly awarded Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Physics and Chemistry. The programme will be followed by a Nobel quiz hosted by comedian Annika Lantz.
"As an average person, it is naturally an honour to host a quiz about the very brightest minds. I can promise music! Audio clips! Multiple-choice questions! Dare I say it will be a quiz that has everything, except a Nobel Prize," says Lantz about what the audience can expect from the evening.
Among the week's activities is also a conversation featuring researchers from the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University, exploring how AI is affecting human abilities and skills, and what consequences this may have for individuals and society. Is AI making us less capable, or more creative and efficient?
On Friday, former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallstrom and Isak Svensson, Professor of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, will meet at the Nobel Prize Museum to discuss the Nobel Peace Prize of 2026, which will have been announced earlier that day.
In total, 28 programmes and activities will be presented throughout the week by universities and cultural institutions across the city. Nobel Calling Stockholm is organised in collaboration with the Stockholm School of Economics, Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Swedish Red Cross University, the City of Stockholm, Stockholm City Archives, Stockholm University, Sveriges Riksbank and the Swedish Research Council.
***
Original text here: https://www.nobelprize.org/press-release/quiz-ai-and-lab-visits-during-nobel-calling-stockholm/
More Than $1.3 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits
SYRACUSE, New York, Sept. 4 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
More Than $1.3 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits
The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed $1,301,606 in grants from its Community Fund and a variety of field-of-interest funds to local nonprofits through its Community Grantmaking program, which supports organizations in Cortland, Onondaga and Madison counties.
As applications to the program have more than doubled in recent years, the Community Foundation recently introduced priority areas for each grant ... Show Full Article SYRACUSE, New York, Sept. 4 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release: * * * More Than $1.3 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed $1,301,606 in grants from its Community Fund and a variety of field-of-interest funds to local nonprofits through its Community Grantmaking program, which supports organizations in Cortland, Onondaga and Madison counties. As applications to the program have more than doubled in recent years, the Community Foundation recently introduced priority areas for each grantround. This approach gives nonprofits clearer guidance on when funding is most available, allows similar proposals to be reviewed together and moves resources into the community more quickly. Arts and culture, the environment, animals, civic engagement and education are focus areas for spring grant rounds. Health, human services, workforce and economic development are the focus for upcoming fall rounds.
Residents and community organizations then help shape these focus areas every two years through the Community Foundation's Community Insights Forums. During the 2025 forums, participants reviewed data, shared their experiences and identified Central New York's needs, gaps and aspirations.
"From meeting immediate needs to advancing long-term opportunity, these grants reflect the wide range of priorities shaping our community," said Danielle Johnson, senior director of grants and programs at the Central New York Community Foundation. "We're honored to support such a diverse group of nonprofit partners and the meaningful impact they make possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors."
The following organizations received grants during the spring round:
ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES
Breadcrumbs Productions - $15,750
Deliver free, interactive theater performances in schools and community spaces
Central New York Ballet - $25,000
Hire ASL interpreters and translators and purchase components to create an accessible, multilingual in-studio theater space for the Community Children's Series
Earlville Opera House - $16,840
Restore the Quincy Square Museum to enhance accessibility and improve the preservation of its historical artifacts
Everson Museum of Art - $20,730
Offer free and low-cost admission, art activities and guest artist programming during City Market Sundays and Everson Community Days
Landmark Theatre - $25,000
Repair and repaint the historic theater auditorium as part of its first restoration since 1928
Restoreforlife - $25,000
Offer healing-centered arts programming for youth and caregivers who are impacted by trauma, foster care and economic stress
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park - $14,660
Create interactive outdoor displays and learning spaces for the Artland education program, providing youth and other visitors with a creative way to experience and learn about art
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Unchained - $15,400
Provide civic engagement workshops covering government, voting, organizing, reentry and leadership for people impacted by incarceration
EDUCATION
Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) - $41,600
Expand a college-to-career fellowship providing Latino students with career preparation, mentorship and paid learning opportunities
House of Psalms 23 - $41,028
Launch a digital literacy program providing computer instruction, career readiness training and access to technology-based career pathways
Kool Kidz Foundation - $20,000
Purchase a vehicle to provide reliable transportation for additional preschool students on Syracuse's Southside
Longhouse Council, BSA - $9,500
Purchase outdoor education materials that help youth develop environmental knowledge, leadership abilities and life skills
Mercy Works - $25,000
Provide leadership development, financial literacy and paid internships for young people through the Synergy Leadership Internship Program
Oneida City School District - $60,948
Operate the Summer LEAP program that provides academic enrichment, transportation and meals for students in grades 1-4
Onondaga Environmental Institute - $28,333
Expand the Onondaga Creek Watershed Curriculum through new lessons, educational materials and teacher training developed in partnership with local schools and the Onondaga Nation
Onondaga Nation - $55,600
Provide scholarships, educational guidance and recognition opportunities for Haudenosaunee students pursuing higher education and vocational training
Our Local History at CCSI - $24,700
Create a picture book and second grade curriculum highlighting the life and impact of a local Black civil rights leader
Workforce Advancement Center (WAC) - $58,600
Offer a free summer enrichment program combining literacy, art, music and photography for children ages 6-12
Write Out Syracuse - $34,678
Lead environmental writing workshops for youth and feature their work along poetry paths in local parks
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS
Aura A. Cole PTO - $20,000
Install a new playground to provide students and Constantia residents with a safe and accessible space for outdoor play
Baltimore Woods Nature Center - $89,428
Construct the Vidler Education Campus to expand year-round outdoor education and recreation opportunities for youth and families
Caspar Gregory Camp - $150,000
Construct a boating dock and outdoor recreation area to expand fishing, boating and environmental learning opportunities on Cayuga Lake
Fiver Children's Foundation - $29,915
Stabilize the Sangerfield River shoreline to address erosion, improve safety and protect an outdoor gathering space for campers in Madison County
Friends of Emerson Park - $109,972
Install an accessible playground for children and families to play, gather and connect
Haven at Skanda - $30,000
Construct an isolated facility to safely house rescued farm animals while they receive medical assessment and care
HumaneCNY - $28,624
Upgrade shelter security systems and purchase new laundry equipment to meet the growing need for animal care
Puerto Rican Environmental Action Lab - $15,300
Operate a youth workforce program that provides paid training in urban agriculture, food justice and community garden revitalization
Purpose Farm - $50,000
Construct a temperature-controlled small animal facility to provide hands-on mentoring experiences for youth and volunteers
Salt City Harvest Farm - $75,000
Purchase the 60-acre property where the farm currently operates to preserve long-term access to land for New American and beginning farmers
Town of Georgetown - $90,000
Create a community park with a walking trail and fishing area along Otselic Creek
Town of Montezuma - $50,000
Repair and expand the walking trail in the town park to improve safety, accessibility and opportunities for community recreation
HUMAN SERVICES
Sleep in Heavenly Peace - $5,000
Purchase mattresses and hardware for volunteers to build and distribute beds to children without safe places to sleep
* * *
About the Central New York Community Foundation
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that turns community dollars into community change. Established in 1927, it receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region's greatest needs. The foundation has invested more than $350 million in community projects that benefit Central New York. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region and address the most critical issues of our time.
* * *
Original text here: https://cnycf.org/more-than-1-3-million-distributed-to-cny-nonprofits/
* * *
More Than $1.3 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits
The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed $1,301,606 in grants from its Community Fund and a variety of field-of-interest funds to local nonprofits through its Community Grantmaking program, which supports organizations in Cortland, Onondaga and Madison counties.
As applications to the program have more than doubled in recent years, the Community Foundation recently introduced priority areas for each grant ... Show Full Article SYRACUSE, New York, Sept. 4 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release: * * * More Than $1.3 Million Distributed to CNY Nonprofits The Central New York Community Foundation recently distributed $1,301,606 in grants from its Community Fund and a variety of field-of-interest funds to local nonprofits through its Community Grantmaking program, which supports organizations in Cortland, Onondaga and Madison counties. As applications to the program have more than doubled in recent years, the Community Foundation recently introduced priority areas for each grantround. This approach gives nonprofits clearer guidance on when funding is most available, allows similar proposals to be reviewed together and moves resources into the community more quickly. Arts and culture, the environment, animals, civic engagement and education are focus areas for spring grant rounds. Health, human services, workforce and economic development are the focus for upcoming fall rounds.
Residents and community organizations then help shape these focus areas every two years through the Community Foundation's Community Insights Forums. During the 2025 forums, participants reviewed data, shared their experiences and identified Central New York's needs, gaps and aspirations.
"From meeting immediate needs to advancing long-term opportunity, these grants reflect the wide range of priorities shaping our community," said Danielle Johnson, senior director of grants and programs at the Central New York Community Foundation. "We're honored to support such a diverse group of nonprofit partners and the meaningful impact they make possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors."
The following organizations received grants during the spring round:
ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES
Breadcrumbs Productions - $15,750
Deliver free, interactive theater performances in schools and community spaces
Central New York Ballet - $25,000
Hire ASL interpreters and translators and purchase components to create an accessible, multilingual in-studio theater space for the Community Children's Series
Earlville Opera House - $16,840
Restore the Quincy Square Museum to enhance accessibility and improve the preservation of its historical artifacts
Everson Museum of Art - $20,730
Offer free and low-cost admission, art activities and guest artist programming during City Market Sundays and Everson Community Days
Landmark Theatre - $25,000
Repair and repaint the historic theater auditorium as part of its first restoration since 1928
Restoreforlife - $25,000
Offer healing-centered arts programming for youth and caregivers who are impacted by trauma, foster care and economic stress
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park - $14,660
Create interactive outdoor displays and learning spaces for the Artland education program, providing youth and other visitors with a creative way to experience and learn about art
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Unchained - $15,400
Provide civic engagement workshops covering government, voting, organizing, reentry and leadership for people impacted by incarceration
EDUCATION
Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) - $41,600
Expand a college-to-career fellowship providing Latino students with career preparation, mentorship and paid learning opportunities
House of Psalms 23 - $41,028
Launch a digital literacy program providing computer instruction, career readiness training and access to technology-based career pathways
Kool Kidz Foundation - $20,000
Purchase a vehicle to provide reliable transportation for additional preschool students on Syracuse's Southside
Longhouse Council, BSA - $9,500
Purchase outdoor education materials that help youth develop environmental knowledge, leadership abilities and life skills
Mercy Works - $25,000
Provide leadership development, financial literacy and paid internships for young people through the Synergy Leadership Internship Program
Oneida City School District - $60,948
Operate the Summer LEAP program that provides academic enrichment, transportation and meals for students in grades 1-4
Onondaga Environmental Institute - $28,333
Expand the Onondaga Creek Watershed Curriculum through new lessons, educational materials and teacher training developed in partnership with local schools and the Onondaga Nation
Onondaga Nation - $55,600
Provide scholarships, educational guidance and recognition opportunities for Haudenosaunee students pursuing higher education and vocational training
Our Local History at CCSI - $24,700
Create a picture book and second grade curriculum highlighting the life and impact of a local Black civil rights leader
Workforce Advancement Center (WAC) - $58,600
Offer a free summer enrichment program combining literacy, art, music and photography for children ages 6-12
Write Out Syracuse - $34,678
Lead environmental writing workshops for youth and feature their work along poetry paths in local parks
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMALS
Aura A. Cole PTO - $20,000
Install a new playground to provide students and Constantia residents with a safe and accessible space for outdoor play
Baltimore Woods Nature Center - $89,428
Construct the Vidler Education Campus to expand year-round outdoor education and recreation opportunities for youth and families
Caspar Gregory Camp - $150,000
Construct a boating dock and outdoor recreation area to expand fishing, boating and environmental learning opportunities on Cayuga Lake
Fiver Children's Foundation - $29,915
Stabilize the Sangerfield River shoreline to address erosion, improve safety and protect an outdoor gathering space for campers in Madison County
Friends of Emerson Park - $109,972
Install an accessible playground for children and families to play, gather and connect
Haven at Skanda - $30,000
Construct an isolated facility to safely house rescued farm animals while they receive medical assessment and care
HumaneCNY - $28,624
Upgrade shelter security systems and purchase new laundry equipment to meet the growing need for animal care
Puerto Rican Environmental Action Lab - $15,300
Operate a youth workforce program that provides paid training in urban agriculture, food justice and community garden revitalization
Purpose Farm - $50,000
Construct a temperature-controlled small animal facility to provide hands-on mentoring experiences for youth and volunteers
Salt City Harvest Farm - $75,000
Purchase the 60-acre property where the farm currently operates to preserve long-term access to land for New American and beginning farmers
Town of Georgetown - $90,000
Create a community park with a walking trail and fishing area along Otselic Creek
Town of Montezuma - $50,000
Repair and expand the walking trail in the town park to improve safety, accessibility and opportunities for community recreation
HUMAN SERVICES
Sleep in Heavenly Peace - $5,000
Purchase mattresses and hardware for volunteers to build and distribute beds to children without safe places to sleep
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About the Central New York Community Foundation
The Central New York Community Foundation is a public charity that turns community dollars into community change. Established in 1927, it receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time and then distributes funding to address the region's greatest needs. The foundation has invested more than $350 million in community projects that benefit Central New York. It also serves as a civic leader, convener and sponsor of strategic initiatives that foster a thriving and equitable region and address the most critical issues of our time.
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Original text here: https://cnycf.org/more-than-1-3-million-distributed-to-cny-nonprofits/
Lumina Foundation Issues Commentary Entitled 'Pruning to Grow'
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Sept. 4 -- The Lumina Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by State Policy Director Patrick Crane:
* * *
Pruning to grow
Higher education has room to serve more people. Preserving that opportunity will require strategic choices about what each institution offers--and what they can offer collaboratively.
A healthy tree does not grow by keeping every branch. In an environment of finite sunlight, water, and nutrients, unchecked growth can weaken the whole. Thoughtful pruning directs resources toward the branches most likely to flourish.
Similarly, ... Show Full Article INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Sept. 4 -- The Lumina Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by State Policy Director Patrick Crane: * * * Pruning to grow Higher education has room to serve more people. Preserving that opportunity will require strategic choices about what each institution offers--and what they can offer collaboratively. A healthy tree does not grow by keeping every branch. In an environment of finite sunlight, water, and nutrients, unchecked growth can weaken the whole. Thoughtful pruning directs resources toward the branches most likely to flourish. Similarly,higher education can't continue adding programs and instructional capacity as though enrollment will return to the growth trajectory it once knew.
A new EY-Parthenon report commissioned by Lumina Foundation shows the cumulative result: instructional capacity has continued to grow even as enrollment has stagnated or declined. Considering that this comes at a time of federal disinvestment, declining numbers of high school graduates, and existential questions about the purpose and value of higher education, this pattern is unsustainable.
With more capacity than current enrollment supports, and millions of students still to serve, higher ed must realign that capacity by pruning selectively, collaborating to protect access, and growing where students and communities need it most.
Higher education can't count on growth
Higher education enrollment grew continuously for more than 50 years, peaking during the Great Recession. Since then, full-time-equivalent student enrollment (FTE) has steadily declined for more than a decade. Although enrollment has rebounded somewhat in recent years, EY-Parthenon projects an annual decline of 0.3 percent in the next 10 years. Instructional staffing, meanwhile, has moved in the opposite direction, growing at an average rate of 1.2 percent annually for about a decade, with growth projected to continue for the next 10 years. The pattern varies by state, institution, and sector, but broadly, enrollment (which drives tuition revenue and impacts public funding) is declining while instructional staffing, a significant institutional expense, continues to increase. The mismatch will create growing financial pressure unless state and institutional leaders respond.
Prune strategically, grow deliberately
It's not an either/or debate between steady expansion or across-the-board cuts. Colleges and universities must make room for new priorities, collaborate to preserve access, and reach more of the people higher education has historically underserved.
Addressing this structural challenge will require deliberate conversations between state and institutional leaders that consider institutional missions, community identities, student interests, and a state's long-term talent needs. Pruning should not only mean eliminating entire programs. It could mean consolidating low-enrollment offerings, sharing faculty or courses across institutions, maintaining programs critical to state or institutional missions, or, when necessary, phasing out programs that no longer serve a clear purpose.
This work does not come naturally. Research on an "addition bias" in problem-solving finds that people tend to look first for improvements that add something and often overlook solutions that subtract. Institutions behave similarly. It is easier to announce a new program than to close an old one; easier to hire around a new priority than to redirect existing capacity. This moment, however, calls for a balanced and thoughtful approach that includes both additive and subtractive strategies.
Protect access through collaboration
Part of the solution is stronger partnerships. Institutions can make more disciplined portfolio choices when states and systems help preserve breadth through deeper collaboration.
That could mean shared academic programs, cross-registration, common online course exchanges, jointly appointed faculty, regional centers, coordinated transfer and teach-out pathways, or shared administrative services. By sharpening institutional focus around centers of excellence while strengthening collaboration, states can maintain critical infrastructure that supports prosperity for students and the state. When done well, collaboration can lower the overall cost base, protect student access, and allow institutions to invest more confidently in areas of distinctive strength.
Use the capacity we have
Pruning is only half the strategy. Available capacity is also an asset. The country still has communities with low college-going rates, adults with some college but no credential, workers who need to reskill, labor shortages in critical fields like healthcare, and large attainment gaps by race, income, and geography. Lumina's goal for the country--by 2040, 75 percent of adults in the U.S. labor force will have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity--cannot be reached by shrinking our way there.
Institutions should grow enrollment where there is unmet need and where programs deliver real value to students. That means improving college-going, retention, and completion; expanding flexible pathways for adults; and leveraging existing capacity to meet regional talent needs. Some states may be able to improve utilization primarily through growth. Many will need to grow and prune at the same time.
Act while there is still room to maneuver
The fiscal context makes delay increasingly risky. Per-student state support for public higher education declined last fiscal year for the first time in 12 years. Meanwhile, federal policy changes affecting Medicaid and student aid are placing additional pressure on state budgets. Higher education should not assume that recent funding patterns will continue.
Institutions make decisions within their own governance structures and incentives. But only state and system leaders can see the full landscape: where programs are duplicated, where essential offerings are missing, where students face geographic or transfer barriers, and where collaboration would create value that no institution can realize alone.
That is why the moment for state leadership is now. Before declining utilization becomes an institutional crisis, states can establish a common view of instructional capacity and program demand; create regular, transparent portfolio review processes; align funding and program-approval incentives; support academic and administrative partnerships; and protect access during transitions. The objective is not centralized micromanagement. It is strategic stewardship of a statewide asset.
Hard choices do not get easier when they are deferred. In a crisis, leaders lose options: programs close abruptly, students are displaced, faculty and staff absorb the shock, and communities experience decisions as abandonment. Acting earlier creates time to phase changes, build partnerships, redirect faculty expertise, engage affected communities, and invest in what should grow.
There is still time to shape the future deliberately. Institutions can realign programs and resources around mission, student value, and workforce need. They can partner to preserve access to a broad range of opportunities. And they can grow by reaching people who higher education has not yet served well.
Healthy systems, like healthy trees, are not defined by unchecked growth. They are defined by the ability to direct limited resources toward the branches that can carry the future.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/pruning-to-grow/
* * *
Pruning to grow
Higher education has room to serve more people. Preserving that opportunity will require strategic choices about what each institution offers--and what they can offer collaboratively.
A healthy tree does not grow by keeping every branch. In an environment of finite sunlight, water, and nutrients, unchecked growth can weaken the whole. Thoughtful pruning directs resources toward the branches most likely to flourish.
Similarly, ... Show Full Article INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Sept. 4 -- The Lumina Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 3, 2026, by State Policy Director Patrick Crane: * * * Pruning to grow Higher education has room to serve more people. Preserving that opportunity will require strategic choices about what each institution offers--and what they can offer collaboratively. A healthy tree does not grow by keeping every branch. In an environment of finite sunlight, water, and nutrients, unchecked growth can weaken the whole. Thoughtful pruning directs resources toward the branches most likely to flourish. Similarly,higher education can't continue adding programs and instructional capacity as though enrollment will return to the growth trajectory it once knew.
A new EY-Parthenon report commissioned by Lumina Foundation shows the cumulative result: instructional capacity has continued to grow even as enrollment has stagnated or declined. Considering that this comes at a time of federal disinvestment, declining numbers of high school graduates, and existential questions about the purpose and value of higher education, this pattern is unsustainable.
With more capacity than current enrollment supports, and millions of students still to serve, higher ed must realign that capacity by pruning selectively, collaborating to protect access, and growing where students and communities need it most.
Higher education can't count on growth
Higher education enrollment grew continuously for more than 50 years, peaking during the Great Recession. Since then, full-time-equivalent student enrollment (FTE) has steadily declined for more than a decade. Although enrollment has rebounded somewhat in recent years, EY-Parthenon projects an annual decline of 0.3 percent in the next 10 years. Instructional staffing, meanwhile, has moved in the opposite direction, growing at an average rate of 1.2 percent annually for about a decade, with growth projected to continue for the next 10 years. The pattern varies by state, institution, and sector, but broadly, enrollment (which drives tuition revenue and impacts public funding) is declining while instructional staffing, a significant institutional expense, continues to increase. The mismatch will create growing financial pressure unless state and institutional leaders respond.
Prune strategically, grow deliberately
It's not an either/or debate between steady expansion or across-the-board cuts. Colleges and universities must make room for new priorities, collaborate to preserve access, and reach more of the people higher education has historically underserved.
Addressing this structural challenge will require deliberate conversations between state and institutional leaders that consider institutional missions, community identities, student interests, and a state's long-term talent needs. Pruning should not only mean eliminating entire programs. It could mean consolidating low-enrollment offerings, sharing faculty or courses across institutions, maintaining programs critical to state or institutional missions, or, when necessary, phasing out programs that no longer serve a clear purpose.
This work does not come naturally. Research on an "addition bias" in problem-solving finds that people tend to look first for improvements that add something and often overlook solutions that subtract. Institutions behave similarly. It is easier to announce a new program than to close an old one; easier to hire around a new priority than to redirect existing capacity. This moment, however, calls for a balanced and thoughtful approach that includes both additive and subtractive strategies.
Protect access through collaboration
Part of the solution is stronger partnerships. Institutions can make more disciplined portfolio choices when states and systems help preserve breadth through deeper collaboration.
That could mean shared academic programs, cross-registration, common online course exchanges, jointly appointed faculty, regional centers, coordinated transfer and teach-out pathways, or shared administrative services. By sharpening institutional focus around centers of excellence while strengthening collaboration, states can maintain critical infrastructure that supports prosperity for students and the state. When done well, collaboration can lower the overall cost base, protect student access, and allow institutions to invest more confidently in areas of distinctive strength.
Use the capacity we have
Pruning is only half the strategy. Available capacity is also an asset. The country still has communities with low college-going rates, adults with some college but no credential, workers who need to reskill, labor shortages in critical fields like healthcare, and large attainment gaps by race, income, and geography. Lumina's goal for the country--by 2040, 75 percent of adults in the U.S. labor force will have college degrees or other credentials of value leading to economic prosperity--cannot be reached by shrinking our way there.
Institutions should grow enrollment where there is unmet need and where programs deliver real value to students. That means improving college-going, retention, and completion; expanding flexible pathways for adults; and leveraging existing capacity to meet regional talent needs. Some states may be able to improve utilization primarily through growth. Many will need to grow and prune at the same time.
Act while there is still room to maneuver
The fiscal context makes delay increasingly risky. Per-student state support for public higher education declined last fiscal year for the first time in 12 years. Meanwhile, federal policy changes affecting Medicaid and student aid are placing additional pressure on state budgets. Higher education should not assume that recent funding patterns will continue.
Institutions make decisions within their own governance structures and incentives. But only state and system leaders can see the full landscape: where programs are duplicated, where essential offerings are missing, where students face geographic or transfer barriers, and where collaboration would create value that no institution can realize alone.
That is why the moment for state leadership is now. Before declining utilization becomes an institutional crisis, states can establish a common view of instructional capacity and program demand; create regular, transparent portfolio review processes; align funding and program-approval incentives; support academic and administrative partnerships; and protect access during transitions. The objective is not centralized micromanagement. It is strategic stewardship of a statewide asset.
Hard choices do not get easier when they are deferred. In a crisis, leaders lose options: programs close abruptly, students are displaced, faculty and staff absorb the shock, and communities experience decisions as abandonment. Acting earlier creates time to phase changes, build partnerships, redirect faculty expertise, engage affected communities, and invest in what should grow.
There is still time to shape the future deliberately. Institutions can realign programs and resources around mission, student value, and workforce need. They can partner to preserve access to a broad range of opportunities. And they can grow by reaching people who higher education has not yet served well.
Healthy systems, like healthy trees, are not defined by unchecked growth. They are defined by the ability to direct limited resources toward the branches that can carry the future.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-views/pruning-to-grow/
FFRF's Gaylor Testifies in Congress to Support a Thomas Paine Memorial
MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
FFRF's Gaylor testifies in Congress to support a Thomas Paine memorial
A House subcommittee heard testimony earlier today from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in support of a bill to finally erect a memorial to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C.
Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., have co-sponsored HR 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, to place the memorial in a location reserved for commemorative works of preeminent historical and lasting significance to ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF's Gaylor testifies in Congress to support a Thomas Paine memorial A House subcommittee heard testimony earlier today from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in support of a bill to finally erect a memorial to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C. Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., have co-sponsored HR 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, to place the memorial in a location reserved for commemorative works of preeminent historical and lasting significance tothe United States. In her capacity as a founding member and secretary of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association, Gaylor testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands that Paine not only meets that criterion but asked, "Is there anyone who better meets that definition? Without Paine, there would be no United States of America -- he named our very country."
Gaylor's testimony traced Paine's role in the nation's founding to soon after his arrival from England at Benjamin Franklin's invitation in 1774. "Common Sense," published 250 years ago this January, sold an estimated 500,000 copies when the 13 colonies held 2.5 million people. Paine relinquished the copyright and gave the proceeds to the Continental Army, then enlisted as a private in 1776 and marched with George Washington through that first winter campaign. The experience produced the first of the "Crisis Papers" ("These are the times that try men's souls") in 1776, which Washington ordered read aloud to soldiers to keep up morale.
"Is there a better or more meaningful way for Congress to commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary than by ensuring this honor for the Revolution's principal champion for independence?" Gaylor asked the subcommittee. "This memorial will honor our founding heritage and be an enduring monument to patriotism and our nation's ideals."
Rep. Jared Huffman, co-chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus and ranking Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, commended Gaylor on her testimony.
"Ms. Gaylor, you did a great job of reminding us just what a towering figure Thomas Paine was to the American Revolution and to the founding of our country," he said.
Bill co-sponsor Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., spoke passionately about the Revolutionary War hero.
"You know, Napoleon said that a statue of gold should be erected to Tom Paine in every country of the world because he was the original champion of freedom and democratic self-government," Raskin stated. "I would just urge the committee to codify the recommendation of the commission so we can move this quickly."
Demonstrating the bipartisan nature of the proceedings, a GOP member of Congress joined in the praise.
"I have a Thomas Paine quote hanging on my wall, and I really appreciate the work you're doing to memorialize someone who was so important to our founding on the 250th anniversary of our founding," Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, remarked.
Congress in late 2022 already granted the Thomas Paine Memorial Association permission to erect the memorial. Once Congress approves the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026 to situate it in Area 1, the project goes before the Arts Commission to approve the design concept and then earnest fundraising can begin. No federal funds will be expended to build the monument. Renowned sculptor Zenos Frudakis is commissioned to sculpt the memorial.
Two and a half centuries after "Common Sense" made the case for independence, the capital Paine helped bring into being still has no concrete tribute to him. HR 9600 would rectify that omission and finally grant this Founder his due -- a fitting conclusion for America's 250th birthday.
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrfs-gaylor-testifies-in-congress-to-support-a-thomas-paine-memorial/
[Category: Religion]
* * *
FFRF's Gaylor testifies in Congress to support a Thomas Paine memorial
A House subcommittee heard testimony earlier today from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in support of a bill to finally erect a memorial to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C.
Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., have co-sponsored HR 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, to place the memorial in a location reserved for commemorative works of preeminent historical and lasting significance to ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF's Gaylor testifies in Congress to support a Thomas Paine memorial A House subcommittee heard testimony earlier today from FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in support of a bill to finally erect a memorial to Thomas Paine in Washington, D.C. Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., have co-sponsored HR 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, to place the memorial in a location reserved for commemorative works of preeminent historical and lasting significance tothe United States. In her capacity as a founding member and secretary of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association, Gaylor testified before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands that Paine not only meets that criterion but asked, "Is there anyone who better meets that definition? Without Paine, there would be no United States of America -- he named our very country."
Gaylor's testimony traced Paine's role in the nation's founding to soon after his arrival from England at Benjamin Franklin's invitation in 1774. "Common Sense," published 250 years ago this January, sold an estimated 500,000 copies when the 13 colonies held 2.5 million people. Paine relinquished the copyright and gave the proceeds to the Continental Army, then enlisted as a private in 1776 and marched with George Washington through that first winter campaign. The experience produced the first of the "Crisis Papers" ("These are the times that try men's souls") in 1776, which Washington ordered read aloud to soldiers to keep up morale.
"Is there a better or more meaningful way for Congress to commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary than by ensuring this honor for the Revolution's principal champion for independence?" Gaylor asked the subcommittee. "This memorial will honor our founding heritage and be an enduring monument to patriotism and our nation's ideals."
Rep. Jared Huffman, co-chair of the Congressional Freethought Caucus and ranking Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee, commended Gaylor on her testimony.
"Ms. Gaylor, you did a great job of reminding us just what a towering figure Thomas Paine was to the American Revolution and to the founding of our country," he said.
Bill co-sponsor Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., spoke passionately about the Revolutionary War hero.
"You know, Napoleon said that a statue of gold should be erected to Tom Paine in every country of the world because he was the original champion of freedom and democratic self-government," Raskin stated. "I would just urge the committee to codify the recommendation of the commission so we can move this quickly."
Demonstrating the bipartisan nature of the proceedings, a GOP member of Congress joined in the praise.
"I have a Thomas Paine quote hanging on my wall, and I really appreciate the work you're doing to memorialize someone who was so important to our founding on the 250th anniversary of our founding," Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, remarked.
Congress in late 2022 already granted the Thomas Paine Memorial Association permission to erect the memorial. Once Congress approves the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026 to situate it in Area 1, the project goes before the Arts Commission to approve the design concept and then earnest fundraising can begin. No federal funds will be expended to build the monument. Renowned sculptor Zenos Frudakis is commissioned to sculpt the memorial.
Two and a half centuries after "Common Sense" made the case for independence, the capital Paine helped bring into being still has no concrete tribute to him. HR 9600 would rectify that omission and finally grant this Founder his due -- a fitting conclusion for America's 250th birthday.
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrfs-gaylor-testifies-in-congress-to-support-a-thomas-paine-memorial/
[Category: Religion]
FFRF Op-ed in Alabama Newspaper Critiques Religion in Auburn Baseball Program
MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
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FFRF Op-ed in Alabama newspaper critiques religion in Auburn baseball program
An Alabama newspaper has published a Freedom From Religion Foundation op-ed examining the unwarranted role of religion in Auburn University's baseball program.
"I grew up in a small Oklahoma town, was raised in a Christian family and attended public school. Our head football coach led pregame prayers -- and Christianity was woven into our locker room, practices, games and team meals," Regional Government Affairs ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF Op-ed in Alabama newspaper critiques religion in Auburn baseball program An Alabama newspaper has published a Freedom From Religion Foundation op-ed examining the unwarranted role of religion in Auburn University's baseball program. "I grew up in a small Oklahoma town, was raised in a Christian family and attended public school. Our head football coach led pregame prayers -- and Christianity was woven into our locker room, practices, games and team meals," Regional Government AffairsManager Mickey Dollens begin his piece in the Florence (Ala.) TimesDaily. "No one ever objected, and I never even thought twice about it."
As the column continues, Dollens relays the tale of a teammate having to masquerade a Christian identity in an attempt to earn a football scholarship:
Later in college, a teammate told me something that changed my perspective. He was a walk-on trying to earn a scholarship on the football team. Though he had been raised and believed in a different faith, he pretended to be Christian because he wanted our head coach and fellow teammates to accept him.
One time, our coach called on him to lead the team in prayer before our pre-game meal. He stood, bowed his head and prayed to Jesus. In that moment, he abandoned his own deeply held beliefs to perform a Christian prayer.
He eventually earned a football scholarship. But I have never forgotten the religious sacrifice he felt pressured to make to get it. He wasn't proud of pretending to be someone he wasn't. He believed it was the price he had to pay to remain in the coach's good graces and to prove he was "all in" on team unity.
That teammate is the person I think about when I see Auburn University baseball players, coaches and staff wearing team pullovers with a large Christian cross and the words "Jesus Won" across the chest.
If individual Auburn players had independently purchased and worn those shirts as a personal expression of faith, I would defend their right to do so. But that is not the story.
"Religious freedom is easy to celebrate when the majority has the microphone," Dollens writes in the conclusion. "Its true measure is whether the quiet player who believes differently can say no and still be treated as a full member of the team. Auburn baseball can build unity without building a ministry. Its coaches should prepare players to compete, not pressure them to conform."
The full op-ed can be read here (https://www.timesdaily.com/opinion/commentaries/building-team-unity-should-be-auburn-baseball-s-goal/article_dbb3eb00-1b06-40cc-ba62-350d351e4d27.html) (a subscription to the TimesDaily is required).
This column is part of FFRF's initiative to engage with pertinent national and state issues and spread the messages of secularism and freethought to a broader audience.
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With more than 40,000 members across the country, including hundreds of members in Alabama, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-op-ed-in-alabama-newspaper-critiques-religion-in-auburn-baseball-program/
[Category: Religion]
* * *
FFRF Op-ed in Alabama newspaper critiques religion in Auburn baseball program
An Alabama newspaper has published a Freedom From Religion Foundation op-ed examining the unwarranted role of religion in Auburn University's baseball program.
"I grew up in a small Oklahoma town, was raised in a Christian family and attended public school. Our head football coach led pregame prayers -- and Christianity was woven into our locker room, practices, games and team meals," Regional Government Affairs ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF Op-ed in Alabama newspaper critiques religion in Auburn baseball program An Alabama newspaper has published a Freedom From Religion Foundation op-ed examining the unwarranted role of religion in Auburn University's baseball program. "I grew up in a small Oklahoma town, was raised in a Christian family and attended public school. Our head football coach led pregame prayers -- and Christianity was woven into our locker room, practices, games and team meals," Regional Government AffairsManager Mickey Dollens begin his piece in the Florence (Ala.) TimesDaily. "No one ever objected, and I never even thought twice about it."
As the column continues, Dollens relays the tale of a teammate having to masquerade a Christian identity in an attempt to earn a football scholarship:
Later in college, a teammate told me something that changed my perspective. He was a walk-on trying to earn a scholarship on the football team. Though he had been raised and believed in a different faith, he pretended to be Christian because he wanted our head coach and fellow teammates to accept him.
One time, our coach called on him to lead the team in prayer before our pre-game meal. He stood, bowed his head and prayed to Jesus. In that moment, he abandoned his own deeply held beliefs to perform a Christian prayer.
He eventually earned a football scholarship. But I have never forgotten the religious sacrifice he felt pressured to make to get it. He wasn't proud of pretending to be someone he wasn't. He believed it was the price he had to pay to remain in the coach's good graces and to prove he was "all in" on team unity.
That teammate is the person I think about when I see Auburn University baseball players, coaches and staff wearing team pullovers with a large Christian cross and the words "Jesus Won" across the chest.
If individual Auburn players had independently purchased and worn those shirts as a personal expression of faith, I would defend their right to do so. But that is not the story.
"Religious freedom is easy to celebrate when the majority has the microphone," Dollens writes in the conclusion. "Its true measure is whether the quiet player who believes differently can say no and still be treated as a full member of the team. Auburn baseball can build unity without building a ministry. Its coaches should prepare players to compete, not pressure them to conform."
The full op-ed can be read here (https://www.timesdaily.com/opinion/commentaries/building-team-unity-should-be-auburn-baseball-s-goal/article_dbb3eb00-1b06-40cc-ba62-350d351e4d27.html) (a subscription to the TimesDaily is required).
This column is part of FFRF's initiative to engage with pertinent national and state issues and spread the messages of secularism and freethought to a broader audience.
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With more than 40,000 members across the country, including hundreds of members in Alabama, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-op-ed-in-alabama-newspaper-critiques-religion-in-auburn-baseball-program/
[Category: Religion]
FFRF Castigates Vance's Alarming 'End Times' Rhetoric
MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release:
* * *
FFRF castigates Vance's alarming 'end times' rhetoric
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is expressing its concern over Vice President JD Vance's recent disturbingly apocalyptic remarks.
During a lengthy interview with evangelical podcaster Bryce Crawford released Monday, Vance was asked about his religious beliefs and whether humanity could be approaching the Christian apocalypse. "Do I think that we're in the end times? I don't know," Vance replied. He added that there are "things ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF castigates Vance's alarming 'end times' rhetoric The Freedom From Religion Foundation is expressing its concern over Vice President JD Vance's recent disturbingly apocalyptic remarks. During a lengthy interview with evangelical podcaster Bryce Crawford released Monday, Vance was asked about his religious beliefs and whether humanity could be approaching the Christian apocalypse. "Do I think that we're in the end times? I don't know," Vance replied. He added that there are "thingsabout the world that make me feel like I'd be not shocked if the Antichrist was walking among us."
But Vance's comments went beyond speculation about biblical prophecy. The vice president said Christians are "commanded to try to, as much as possible, try to make the world the kind of world that God wants it to be." Vance then described his own priorities in explicitly religious terms: "I'm trying to focus on doing as much of God's work as possible right now. And if that leads to the end times, OK."
Those are chilling words coming from the vice president of the United States.
Vance is, of course, free to hold whatever religious beliefs he chooses. But when one of the most powerful public officials in the world speaks of his work in terms of carrying out God's will, while expressing apparent indifference to whether that work helps usher in an apocalypse he believes may actually occur, Americans have every reason to be alarmed.
"The vice president's constitutional duty is to the American people, not to his interpretation of God's plan," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "Our leaders control nuclear weapons, conduct foreign policy and make decisions affecting hundreds of millions of lives. Americans deserve to know that those decisions are being made based on evidence, reason and the public interest -- not a desire to advance a supposed divine plan toward Armageddon."
Vance's remarks are particularly unsettling because they do not exist in isolation. He has repeatedly blurred the line between personal religious conviction and public duty. Just last year, Vance declared that he makes "no apologies" for promoting Christian values through government and accused those who believe the Constitution requires separation of church and state of "lying." He went even further, arguing that the Supreme Court made a "terrible mistake" by enforcing this foundational constitutional safeguard.
The vice president's latest comments demonstrate why the separation between religion and government is not an abstract constitutional concern. It is a vital safeguard against public officials wielding enormous secular power according to what they believe a deity commands.
History provides ample warning of what can happen when political leaders become convinced that they are instruments of divine will. Democratic government requires officials to justify their actions with reasons that citizens of every religious or nonreligious perspective can scrutinize and debate, not assertions about invisible spiritual forces, divine commands or biblical prophecy.
The Constitution contains no mandate for government officials to carry out "God's work." Quite the opposite: The word "God" (or any synonym for it) does not appear in our entirely secular federal Constitution, which prohibits religious tests for public office and, through the First Amendment, bars the government from establishing religion.
FFRF reminds Vance that he has taken an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." He did not swear an oath to advance Christianity, fulfill biblical prophecy or prepare the world for the "Second Coming."
The enormous influence of the vice presidency must be exercised on behalf of the American people and within the constraints of the Constitution, not in service of one official's understanding of God's will.
Government officials are entitled to their private faith. They are not entitled to transform public office into an instrument for doing what they imagine to be "God's work" -- especially when they suggest they are perfectly comfortable if that work helps bring about the end of the world.
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The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-castigates-vances-alarming-end-times-rhetoric/
[Category: Religion]
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FFRF castigates Vance's alarming 'end times' rhetoric
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is expressing its concern over Vice President JD Vance's recent disturbingly apocalyptic remarks.
During a lengthy interview with evangelical podcaster Bryce Crawford released Monday, Vance was asked about his religious beliefs and whether humanity could be approaching the Christian apocalypse. "Do I think that we're in the end times? I don't know," Vance replied. He added that there are "things ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 4 -- The Freedom From Religion Foundation issued the following news release: * * * FFRF castigates Vance's alarming 'end times' rhetoric The Freedom From Religion Foundation is expressing its concern over Vice President JD Vance's recent disturbingly apocalyptic remarks. During a lengthy interview with evangelical podcaster Bryce Crawford released Monday, Vance was asked about his religious beliefs and whether humanity could be approaching the Christian apocalypse. "Do I think that we're in the end times? I don't know," Vance replied. He added that there are "thingsabout the world that make me feel like I'd be not shocked if the Antichrist was walking among us."
But Vance's comments went beyond speculation about biblical prophecy. The vice president said Christians are "commanded to try to, as much as possible, try to make the world the kind of world that God wants it to be." Vance then described his own priorities in explicitly religious terms: "I'm trying to focus on doing as much of God's work as possible right now. And if that leads to the end times, OK."
Those are chilling words coming from the vice president of the United States.
Vance is, of course, free to hold whatever religious beliefs he chooses. But when one of the most powerful public officials in the world speaks of his work in terms of carrying out God's will, while expressing apparent indifference to whether that work helps usher in an apocalypse he believes may actually occur, Americans have every reason to be alarmed.
"The vice president's constitutional duty is to the American people, not to his interpretation of God's plan," says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "Our leaders control nuclear weapons, conduct foreign policy and make decisions affecting hundreds of millions of lives. Americans deserve to know that those decisions are being made based on evidence, reason and the public interest -- not a desire to advance a supposed divine plan toward Armageddon."
Vance's remarks are particularly unsettling because they do not exist in isolation. He has repeatedly blurred the line between personal religious conviction and public duty. Just last year, Vance declared that he makes "no apologies" for promoting Christian values through government and accused those who believe the Constitution requires separation of church and state of "lying." He went even further, arguing that the Supreme Court made a "terrible mistake" by enforcing this foundational constitutional safeguard.
The vice president's latest comments demonstrate why the separation between religion and government is not an abstract constitutional concern. It is a vital safeguard against public officials wielding enormous secular power according to what they believe a deity commands.
History provides ample warning of what can happen when political leaders become convinced that they are instruments of divine will. Democratic government requires officials to justify their actions with reasons that citizens of every religious or nonreligious perspective can scrutinize and debate, not assertions about invisible spiritual forces, divine commands or biblical prophecy.
The Constitution contains no mandate for government officials to carry out "God's work." Quite the opposite: The word "God" (or any synonym for it) does not appear in our entirely secular federal Constitution, which prohibits religious tests for public office and, through the First Amendment, bars the government from establishing religion.
FFRF reminds Vance that he has taken an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." He did not swear an oath to advance Christianity, fulfill biblical prophecy or prepare the world for the "Second Coming."
The enormous influence of the vice presidency must be exercised on behalf of the American people and within the constraints of the Constitution, not in service of one official's understanding of God's will.
Government officials are entitled to their private faith. They are not entitled to transform public office into an instrument for doing what they imagine to be "God's work" -- especially when they suggest they are perfectly comfortable if that work helps bring about the end of the world.
* * *
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to defending the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters relating to nontheism. With about 41,000 members, FFRF is the largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and humanists) in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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Original text here: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-castigates-vances-alarming-end-times-rhetoric/
[Category: Religion]