State of the State
What to know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will give the “State of the State” address tonight and identify emergency items for the Legislature to take up immediately.
The TPPF take: Many Texans are hopeful that property tax relief will be named as a top priority.
“Gov. Abbott—and just about every Texas taxpayer—recognize the need for big-time tax relief this session. In fact, the goal ought to be delivering the biggest property tax cut in Texas history,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “To do so, policymakers should focus on permanently reducing the school district M&O tax rate, with the aim of eliminating it entirely over time.”
For more on property tax relief, click here.
The Lost Children
What to know: Public schools “lost” hundreds of thousands of children, who never returned to school after the pandemic.
The TPPF take: Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic did untold damage to our children.
“In addition to the heartbreaking anecdotal evidence revealing that our kids are not OK, we have government reports and medical surveys documenting our children’s flagging mental and emotional conditions,” says TPPF’s Carol Swain. “I have seen a lot in my 60-plus years, but I’ve never seen a government demand for our children to sacrifice so much for so little.”
For more on school shutdowns, click here.
You Don’t Say
What to know: The New York Times has discovered that “gun-free zones” don’t actually deter crime—in fact, they create advantageous conditions for criminals.
The TPPF take: “Gun-free zones” get the Second Amendment wrong.
“The very presence of firearms in an empowered citizen populace has a deterring effect on overreach—history has shown that governments that wade too far into tyranny soon lose their rule,” says TPPF’s Austin Prochko. “After all, a government is intended to protect its citizens, not oppress them.”
For more on the Second Amendment, click here.