Even the Editorials Are On Board
What to know: The Houston Chronicle has a new editorial calling for an end to the kind of corporate welfare embodied in Chapter 313 of the tax code, which allows schools to grant tax abatement to multinational corporations.
The TPPF take: These tax breaks are costly and unnecessary.
“At best, these incentives do not work; at worst, they can be harmful,” says TPPF’s Carine Martinez. “If the problem is that property taxes in Texas are too high, then they are too high for everyone and this is the problem we should fix instead of giving tax breaks to a select few businesses.”
For more on Chapter 313 agreements, click here.
Lawyer Loophole
What to know: Amendments have drastically weakened a bill that would ban lobbying with taxpayer dollars. But there’s still time for lawmakers to fix it before the session ends.
The TPPF take: Senate Bill 10, as approved by the House Committee on State Affairs, creates a massive loophole that makes many of its good government measures irrelevant.
“As drafted, it allows lawyers working with local governments to avoid registering as a lobbyist, which will allow lobbyists to continue to receive taxpayer dollars but under the cover of darkness,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “It is disappointing that lawmakers did not advance a bill reflective of Texans’ overwhelming opposition to funding lobbyists with tax dollars. It is even more unfortunate that the bill put forward strengthens some lobbyists’ access to public money and influence.”
For more on SB 10, click here.
Second Look
What to know: Texas is considering “second look” legislation, which would decide whether people convicted of serious crimes in their youth should be considered for parole after 20 years, instead of 40 years.
The TPPF take: “Second look” legislation makes sense.
“Research has demonstrated that young people who offend, including those who commit the most heinous crimes, are even more capable of change than their older counterparts,” says TPPF’s Doug Deason. “Instead of languishing longer in prison at a cost of about $25,000 a year to taxpayers, such individuals could be contributing to the resurgent Texas economy, which is facing a shortage of workers in many skilled fields.”
For more on “second look” legislation, click here.