Megan Kimble
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Texas political economy reporter @HoustonChron. Stories @nytimes @citylab @texasmonthly. Author of CITY LIMITS @CrownPublishing. Professionally curious.
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Articles by Megan Kimble
Greg Abbott ad says Gina Hinojosa voted 40 times to raise property taxes. Is that true? Original
Gina Hinojosa, Greg Abbott Smiley N. Pool, Melissa Phillip/Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle Gov. Greg Abbott launched his first TV ad attacking his Democratic opponent, Gina Hinojosa, this week, accusing the Austin state representative of voting to increase property taxes during her time in the legislature. The 30-second spot, which the governor’s campaign spent $12 million to air across the state, opens with images of a house, an apartment complex and rural home.
This West Texas town could lose a vital groundwater source to far-off cities
A new water fight is brewing in West Texas, where a distant public utility has bought the right to pump almost all of the available water from an aquifer near Fort Stockton that is a lifeline for dozens of local ranchers. The utility, the Colorado River Municipal Water District, is based some 150 miles away and provides water to Abilene as well as the Permian basin oil hubs of Midland and Odessa.
This West Texas town could lose a vital groundwater source to far-off cities
A rancher adjusts the water level in a storage tank on his ranch on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, near Fort Stockton. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer A new water fight is brewing in West Texas, where a distant public utility has bought the right to pump almost all of the available water from an aquifer near Fort Stockton that is a lifeline for dozens of local ranchers.
This West Texas town could lose a vital groundwater source to far-off cities
A rancher adjusts the water level in a storage tank on his ranch on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, near Fort Stockton. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer A new water fight is brewing in West Texas, where a distant public utility has bought the right to pump almost all of the available water from an aquifer near Fort Stockton that is a lifeline for dozens of local ranchers.
Greg Abbott pushes for insurers to cut rates for fortified roofs
Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday asked the state's insurance commissioner to require property insurers to consider if a roof's home has been fortified when setting rates. The move comes as the Republican governor is campaigning on an affordability slate that calls for a $400 million grant fund to help homeowners strengthen their roofs to a construction standard called Fortified, developed by the insurance industry and designed to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Greg Abbott pushes for insurers to cut rates for fortified roofs
Texas Governor Greg Abbott smiles during a round table discussion ahead of a press conference addressing foreign influence in public education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, Aug. 18, 2026. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday asked the state’s insurance commissioner to require property insurers to consider if a roof’s home has been fortified when setting rates.
Greg Abbott pushes for insurers to cut rates for fortified roofs
Follow Greg Abbott pushes for insurers to cut rates for fortified roofs Mon, August 24, 2026 at 4:37 PM EDT Texas Governor Greg Abbott smiles during a round table discussion ahead of a press conference addressing foreign influence in public education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, Aug. 18, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman) More Gov.
Greg Abbott pushes for insurers to cut rates for fortified roofs
Texas Governor Greg Abbott smiles during a round table discussion ahead of a press conference addressing foreign influence in public education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, Aug. 18, 2026. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday asked the state’s insurance commissioner to require property insurers to consider if a roof’s home has been fortified when setting rates.
Homeowners claim Texas windstorm insurer secretly lowered Hurricane Beryl claims Original
Steve Wiggington grabs his shirt as he stands on his balcony the day after Hurricane Beryl made landfall nearby Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in Surfside Beach. Wiggington had COVID and rode out the storm in his home.
Texas Senate panel raises concerns over tax exemption for data centers Original
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, asks questions at a Texas Senate Committee on Finance hearing on data center investment and state fiscal effects at the Capitol in Austin, Monday, July 27, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Sue Ellen Davis of Angleton protests data center expansion at a rally at the Capitol before a Texas Senate Committee on Finance hearing in Austin, Monday, July 27, 2026. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Sen.
A rare bipartisan coalition takes aim at Texas data centers, urging Abbott to call a special session
Calls are growing among data center opponents for Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session for lawmakers to rein in the projects that have roiled rural communities. On Monday morning, in advance of two interim hearings this week dealing with data centers, grassroots organizers from across the state convened at the Capitol to voice their opposition to the massive computing centers that have proliferated rapidly over the last year.
A rare bipartisan coalition takes aim at Texas data centers, urging Abbott to call a special session Original
Democratic candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner Clayton Tucker speaks at a rally, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. Justin Rex/AP Photo/Justin Rex The site of a future data center being built near Abernathy, Texas, Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Hale County, Texas. Justin Rex/AP Photo/Justin Rex Calls are growing among data center opponents for Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session for lawmakers to rein in the projects that have roiled rural communities.
Mortgage delinquencies up among first-time Texas homeowners, data show
A home is shown for sale in The Heights in Houston, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle) First-time homeowners in Texas are falling behind on their mortgages at increasing rates, largely due to rising home insurance costs. That's according to data from the Federal Housing Administration, which insures mortgages issued by private lenders. Most borrowers who get FHA loans are first-time homebuyers and typically have lower credit and less money saved for a down payment.
Mortgage delinquencies up among first-time Texas homeowners, data show Original
A home is shown for sale in The Heights in Houston, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle First-time homeowners in Texas are falling behind on their mortgages at increasing rates, largely due to rising home insurance costs. That’s according to data from the Federal Housing Administration, which insures mortgages issued by private lenders. Most borrowers who get FHA loans are first-time homebuyers and typically have lower credit and less money saved for a down payment.
Greg Abbott pushes $400M plan to help homeowners install storm-resilient roofs Original
Gov,. Greg Abbott visits with a group of Houstonians announcing a series of policies on his Keep Texas Affordable tour in Houston, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Abbott announced several initiatives to help lower home and automobile insurance rates in the state. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Gov,. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference after visiting with a group of Houstonians announcing a series of policies on his Keep Texas Affordable tour in Houston, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Texas home insurers saw record profits last year as rate hikes slowed
Last year was a good one for Texas home insurers. That's according to the preliminary 2025 financial figures, which were recently made public. Insurers earned roughly 22 cents for every dollar in premiums they collected - their best year in two decades. The record profit came after several years of double-digit rate increases for policy holders and flat or slightly negative returns for insurers, meaning they paid more in claims than they collected in premiums.
Texas home insurers saw record profits last year as rate hikes slowed
Aerial view of a subdivision in northwest Houston. (Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle) Last year was a good one for Texas home insurers. That's according to the preliminary 2025 financial figures, which were recently made public. Insurers earned roughly 22 cents for every dollar in premiums they collected - their best year in two decades.
Texas home insurers saw record profits last year as rate hikes slowed
Floodwaters from the Addicks Reservoir inundate a neighborhood off N. Eldridge Parkway in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Last year was a good one for Texas home insurers. That’s according to the preliminary 2025 financial figures, which were recently made public. Article continues below this ad Insurers earned roughly 22 cents for every dollar in premiums they collected — their best year in two decades.
Texas home insurers saw record profits last year as rate hikes slowed
Aerial view of a subdivision in northwest Houston. Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle Workers clear out furniture while cleaning up a home that was flooded in the River Plantation neighborhood on Monday, May 6, 2024 in Conroe. Residents who evacuated their homes during recent flooding in the Houston region returned Monday to salvage what is left of their belongings after floodwaters inundated the area last week. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Last year was a good one for Texas home insurers.
The July 4 Texas Hill Country floods, one year later
The river roared for hours. The aftermath will echo for lifetimes. One year after 119 people died when the Guadalupe River surged beyond its banks in Kerr County, the Hill Country flood continues to shape the lives of those who survived it. Some have rebuilt. Others still walk with grief. Every survivor carries something the disaster left behind. This anniversary project from the Houston Chronicle returns to the people whose lives were forever altered on July 4th.
Data centers are driving a power plant boom in Texas. The emissions spike could be huge. Original
A power generation unit at Calpine Deer Park Energy Center, 5665 Hwy 225, is shown Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Deer Park. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Dozens of natural gas power plants planned across the state to fuel data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than every household in Texas – combined.
A year after the deadly Texas Hill Country floods, here's what's changed - and what hasn't
After devastating flash floods killed more than 130 people in the Hill Country last summer, Texas lawmakers promised to enact reforms to prevent such a tragedy in the future. During a 30-day special session last August, lawmakers passed measures to shore up youth camp safety and disaster response. They appropriated $281 million from the state's rainy day fund to disaster relief, with $50 million earmarked to help local governments purchase flood warning sirens.
A year after the deadly Texas Hill Country floods, here's what's changed — and what hasn't
A search and rescue team rides in a boat on the Guadalupe River as they work in Hunt, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News After devastating flash floods killed more than 130 people in the Hill Country last summer, Texas lawmakers promised to enact reforms to prevent such a tragedy in the future. During a 30-day special session last August, lawmakers passed measures to shore up youth camp safety and disaster response.
A year after the deadly Texas Hill Country floods, here's what's changed — and what hasn't
A search and rescue team rides in a boat on the Guadalupe River as they work in Hunt, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News After devastating flash floods killed more than 130 people in the Hill Country last summer, Texas lawmakers promised to enact reforms to prevent such a tragedy in the future. During a 30-day special session last August, lawmakers passed measures to shore up youth camp safety and disaster response.
Texas law requires data centers to report water usage. Most aren't complying.
Data center operators largely ignored requests by state agencies to report their water use, angering lawmakers who said they need the information to craft policies to protect the state's water supply. Only 17% of the 341 data centers operating in Texas responded to a survey from the Texas Water Development Board last year, the agency's water supply planning director told lawmakers at a committee hearing on Tuesday.
Texas law requires data centers to report water usage. Most aren't complying.
Matagorda County residents listen as Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Clayton Tucker, Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, speak during a forum hosted by Matagorda County Against Data Centers on the impact of data center construction in the state, Thursday, June 11, 2026.
Camp Mystic leaders failed at almost every step during July 4 floods, Texas legislative report finds Original
Wildflowers bloom along Highway 39, near a memorial honoring those killed in the July 4 floods, beside the Guadalupe River in front of Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, on Monday, April 20, 2026. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Texas state lawmakers serving on general investigating committees examining the July 2025 flooding walk the grounds of Camp Mystic during a site visit in Hunt, Texas, on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Google pledges to invest $10M in Texas water as backlash over AI data centers grows Original
Construction workers build out the rooftop chillers and water lines feeding them atop Dallas TX4, which is under construction at the NTT Data center campus in Garland, Texas, March 4, 2026. It will take 40 of those water-filled chillers to cool the fourth data center built on the property.
John Cornyn and Ken Paxton spent millions to woo voters. Paxton got the better deal.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Senate candidate, waves to supporters as he takes the stage during a primary runoff election night watch party in Plano, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News) John Cornyn, Ken Paxton and their allied PACs spent upwards of $30 million pushing Texans to vote in Tuesday's GOP primary runoff for U.S. Senate. Paxton got the better bang for his buck.
John Cornyn and Ken Paxton spent millions to woo voters. Paxton got the better deal.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and U.S. Senate candidate, waves to supporters as he takes the stage during a primary runoff election night watch party in Plano, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News John Cornyn, Ken Paxton and their allied PACs spent upwards of $30 million pushing Texans to vote in Tuesday’s GOP primary runoff for U.S. Senate. Paxton got the better bang for his buck.
Republican Mayes Middleton vows to carry on Ken Paxton's legacy in AG race
Mayes Middleton shares comments as Republican candidates for Texas Attorney General assembled for a candidate forum ahead of the upcoming general primary which was held at Mic Drop Comedy in Plano on February 4, 2026. Steve Hamm/Dallas Morning News The Republican candidate to replace Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, state Sen. Mayes Middleton, promised to carry on Paxton’s legacy of battling the left.
Donald Trump wins big, longtime lawmakers are ousted and other takeaways from Texas' primary runoffs Original
Attendees celebrate as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks during a primary runoff election night event after winning the Republican party's nomination Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Plano, Texas. Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez An expensive and bruising primary season finally came to an end Tuesday as voters made their picks for races for several rare statewide office openings.
Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz react to Ken Paxton victory in U.S. Senate Republican runoff Original
Attendees celebrate after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, won the Republican party's nomination during a primary runoff election night event Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Plano, Texas. Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez Texas Republicans flocked to support Ken Paxton on Tuesday after he defeated longtime U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a hotly contested primary runoff. U.S. Sen.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton wins Republican primary for Texas Attorney General Original
State Sen. Mayes Middleton, left, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy Roy Aydelotte, Associated Press; Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman The oil and gas attorney led in almost every major county, according to unofficial results.
Sid Miller calls for data center moratorium, deepening GOP divide over construction Original
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller attends a rally with former President Donald Trump at Million Air, a private airplane terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Friday October 25, 2024. Jay Janner/American-Statesman Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller this week called for a temporary moratorium on new data center development, revealing a growing fissure among GOP leaders on how to handle the state’s data center boom.
Exclusive: Texas officials rejected Corpus Christi water project amid looming crisis
Birds fly over the Port of Corpus Christi as the sun sets Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Jon Shapley/AP Months after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott blasted local leaders for backing out of a plan to build a desalination plant on the Corpus Christi ship channel, the state declined to help finance another, larger desalination facility that could similarly ease the region’s growing water crisis.
Corpus Christi will likely face emergency water restrictions this fall, staff warns
Birds fly over the Port of Corpus Christi as the sun sets Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP) Jon Shapley/AP Corpus Christi’s residents and massive petrochemical industry could soon be forced to cut water use by as much as 25% amid an historic drought. City leaders have been scrambling for months to avoid emergency water use restrictions as their main reservoirs have been depleted.
The cost to meet Texas' future water demand just skyrocketed to $174B Original
Water flows through the new outlet control channel from Barker Reservoir on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Houston. Mark Mulligan/Staff photographer The cost to stave off future water crises in Texas just went up – by a lot. According to a draft 2027 State Water Plan approved on Thursday, Texas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years if it wants to keep up with demand. That’s more than double the cost of the previous state water plan, published in 2022.
Texas has a looming water crisis. Here's what you need to know Original
A floating dock sits in the water below a home just north of the dam at Medina Lake on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The lake is currently 3.5% full with a mean water level of 975.75 feet above sea level according to Water Data for Texas. Water levels have risen 5.47 feet in the last two days due to recent rains though the lake is still 88.46 feet below conservation pool level. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Texas is running out of water.
Here are the ways Greg Abbott is proposing to cut property taxes in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott announces his re-election campaign for Texas governor in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Abbott is seeking a historic fourth term, which would position him to become the longest-serving governor in Texas history, surpassing the 14 years served by Rick Perry. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle) When Texas Gov.
Here are the ways Greg Abbott is proposing to cut property taxes in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott announces his re-election campaign for Texas governor in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. Abbott is seeking a historic fourth term, which would position him to become the longest-serving governor in Texas history, surpassing the 14 years served by Rick Perry. Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle When Texas Gov.
In Texas, these booming housing developments come with hidden costs
Spring Brook Village, a master-planned community, is built several feet higher than the surrounding neighborhoods. It was photographed Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022, in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer When Sandra Wilson sold her townhouse near downtown Dallas and moved to Josephine, a small city 40 miles outside the metroplex, she looked forward to quieter streets and cheaper taxes. Then she got her first property tax bill. “I came unglued,” she said.
How a growing form of 'invisible government' is driving up Texans’ tax bills Original
Housing construction in The Woodlands in 2023. The number of special purpose taxing districts has nearly doubled since 1998, reaching 2,300 last year and far outpacing the state’s population growth. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Gov. Greg Abbott recently told a room of GOP faithful that he is determined to stop cities and counties from raising property taxes, slamming Austin for proposing a rate hike to raise $110 million to spend on parks, public safety and social services.
Texas Voter Guide: Explore races and candidates in the Nov. 4 election
Track live election results here as they come in tonight. Texas voters will soon decide on 17 changes to the state constitution, including whether to funnel billions of dollars into water infrastructure, increase property tax breaks for homeowners and allow judges to deny bail. Voters in Houston will also choose a successor for U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March while representing the city's 18th Congressional District.
Texas Voter Guide: Explore races and candidates in the Nov. 4 election
Texas voters will soon decide on 17 changes to the state constitution, including whether to funnel billions of dollars into water infrastructure, increase property tax breaks for homeowners and allow judges to deny bail. Voters in Houston will also choose a successor for U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March while representing the city's 18th Congressional District. There are more than a dozen candidates in the running to finish out his term. Early voting will run from Oct.
After pivotal vote, Corpus Christi is on the brink of a water shortage
Birds fly over the Port of Corpus Christi as the sun sets Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Corpus Christi. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer When Elida Castillo drives around Corpus Christi, she doesn’t see a city about to run out of water. Instead, Castillo, who leads an environmental advocacy group called Chispa Texas, sees car washes opening; houses being built in new subdivisions; new refinery smokestacks sprouting along Corpus Christi Bay. But the city is running out of water.
After pivotal vote, Corpus Christi is on the brink of a water shortage
Birds fly over the Port of Corpus Christi as the sun sets Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Corpus Christi. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer When Elida Castillo drives around Corpus Christi, she doesn’t see a city about to run out of water. Instead, Castillo, who leads an environmental advocacy group called Chispa Texas, sees car washes opening; houses being built in new subdivisions; new refinery smokestacks sprouting along Corpus Christi Bay. But the city is running out of water.
EPCOR files permit to build desalination plant on Galveston Bay
Aerial photos of the location of the proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility in Texas City. Courtesy of EPCOR Aerial photos of the location of the proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility in Texas City. Courtesy of EPCOR Aerial photos of the location of the proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility in Texas City. Courtesy of EPCOR A private company is seeking state approval to build a seawater desalination plant in Texas City that would provide fresh drinking water to Harris and Galveston counties.
A desalination plant could be coming to Galveston Bay as Texas looks to shore up water supply
Aerial photos of the location of the proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility in Texas City. (Courtesy of EPCOR) A private company is seeking state approval to build a seawater desalination plant in Texas City that would provide fresh drinking water to Harris and Galveston counties. On Friday, EPCOR filed a permit application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to build the plant on the site of the former P.H. Robinson Generating Station, which was decommissioned in 2008.
Your flood insurance could lapse in a government shutdown. Here's what to know
A neighborhood is inundated by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey near east Interstate 10 on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) Brett Coomer, Staff / Houston Chronicle As Congress negotiates a short-term deal to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown on Oct. 1, homeowners might not be thinking about their flood insurance. But most flood insurance policies in Texas are written by the federal government.
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