Freezing local taxes in Texas cities that cut police funding sounds better than it works. But the political angle taken by the state’s top leaders gives them something other than pandemic and recession to talk about this election season.
Dennis Bonnen
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Police brutality in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott, other Texas leaders want to freeze property tax revenues for cities that cut police budgets
The state’s three top elected leaders also fiercely criticized the Austin officials who plan to cut up to one-third of their police department’s budget, largely through reorganizing divisions out from under law enforcement.
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Politics
Former Florida congressman Allen West unseats James Dickey to become Texas GOP chairman
West defeated Dickey, who was running for a second full term, early Monday morning at a tumultuous virtual state convention.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas sales tax revenue declined 6.5% versus last June as state reopened for business
While collections from restaurants were depressed, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said that take-out and delivery sales, along with online purchases, helped buoy revenue in the restaurant and retail sectors.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas sales tax revenue dips 13.2% in May, the largest year-over-year decline in a decade
“Significant declines in sales tax receipts were evident in all major economic sectors, with the exception of telecommunications services,” Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in a statement.
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Coronavirus in Texas
For some, forgoing masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic has become a political statement
Mask arguments among Texans are occurring everywhere from retail stores to the highest levels of government.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott instructs state agencies to trim budgets by 5% to prepare for “economic shock”
Some state agencies are exempt from the cuts, including the Department of State Health Services, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Department of Public Safety.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Analysis: In spite of it all, a Texas government that’s running full-steam ahead
The pandemic has devastated the Texas economy. The state comptroller says that will mean billions of dollars less than expected for the current budget. But state agencies haven’t received any orders to cut their spending.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Everything we learned from the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll
President Donald Trump leads Democrat Joe Biden by 5 points in the race for president in Texas, but voters give the president mixed grades on his handling of the pandemic and the economy. They think Gov. Greg Abbott is doing a better job.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen suggests ordering 5% budget cuts for state agencies
Bonnen raised the idea in a letter earlier this month to Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.