Business Columnist

Chris Tomlinson

Chris Tomlinson has written commentary about money, politics and life in Texas for Hearst Newspapers since 2014. In 2021, the Texas Association of Managing Editors awarded him columnist of the year, and the Headliners Foundation named him Texas's Star Opinion Writer. He’s authored two New York Times Bestsellers, “Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth” and “Tomlinson Hill: The Remarkable Story of Two Families Who Share the Tomlinson Name - One White, One Black.” Before joining the Houston Chronicle, he spent 20 years with The Associated Press reporting on politics, economics, conflicts and natural disasters from more than 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Stories By Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texas GOP lawmakers propose laws attacking freedom

Bills proposed by GOP lawmakers hurt employers, employees, clean energy and LGBTQ people. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: World will need oil and gas forever

Climate change fight will reduce the need for oil and natural gas but not eliminate it. Chris Tomlinson

Houston celebrates Go Texan Day by dressing up as cowboys, but cotton and slavery played bigger role in the economy. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Patterns are often misleading, question them

Our brains are pattern recognition machines, but too often, historical injustices lead us to the wrong conclusions. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texas energy and French wine have same problem

Texas energy companies and French winemakers had a bad 2021 due to extreme weather, 2023 may be a repeat. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Exxon Mobil CEO’s doublespeak reveals climate quandary

Exxon Mobil's CEO promises to lead the energy transition while investing more in fossil fuels, a contradiction hard resolve. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: GOP would slash Medicare and Medicaid

U.S. taxpayers spend more on health care than citizens of any other wealthy country but with worst outcomes, according to the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund. Our profit-seeking medical establish rations care through high prices. Efforts to slash... Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Fracking makes this clean energy affordable

A new study shows oil and gas innovations for fracking can bring down the cost of clean, renewable geothermal energy. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texas Republicans introduce tax hikes on clean energy

If these bills succeed, they'll kneecap efforts to mitigate climate change and stymie the evolution of Texas's economy away from a shrinking industry, columnist Chris Tomlinson writes. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texas small businesses need a property tax break too

Few Texans want to hear this, but businesses need a property tax break too . Gov. Greg Abbott and legislative leaders have promised homeowners the largest property tax break ever . But small and medium-sized businesses also face crushing... Chris Tomlinson

New research shows Exxon knew about climate change

Until the world’s oil and gas companies sign legally binding contracts committing to concrete reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, no citizen should trust these executives one iota. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: GM’s new Hummer challenges Elon Musk and Tesla

General Motors brought its new all-electric Hummer to Texas for a dog and pony show last week, firing a warning shot across the bow of Texas’s wealthiest man and its economic mainstay, the oil and gas industry. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Exploitation in restaurants acknowledged

Closure of the world's best restaurant reveals how the industry exploits workers. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: How will Texas politicians spend $27 billion?

High oil and natural gas prices have yielded a $27 billion windfall for the government of Texas, and our elected officials must decide what to do with it. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texans helped Norway find oil; now they pay it forward

Oil and natural gas inextricably link Texas and Norway, and the relationship proves how international cooperation, free trade and innovation sharing can enrich everyone involved. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Dictators will drive the Texas economy in 2023

Don’t bother predicting where oil prices or energy stocks will go in 2023 , the Texas economy’s future rests in the hands of foreign dictators. Oil and natural gas represent 35 percent of the Texas economy. While that’s lower than in past... Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: Texas has its share of financial cons

Americans reported 390 million fraud cases in 2021, and identity scams alone cost Americans $2.8 billion in 2021, the Federal Trade Commission reported. Chris Tomlinson

Tomlinson: The Legislature wants to raise electricity rates

Every state official should feel ashamed that Texas cannot reliably provide a fundamental public service when needed most. Chris Tomlinson