A stalemate among Texas’ top Republicans has dragged on for months. Tax-cut proponents in the House and Senate made their first pitches to end the impasse Wednesday. tx kprc2 click2hou
“What we’ve just seen here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only pass a record property tax relief bill but add a tremendous benefit for teachers,” said state Sen., a Houston Republican and author of the bills. “This is a huge win for Texas taxpayers. … It’s astonishing work. I’ve never been prouder to be a member of the Texas Senate.”
Patrick said he was hopeful the House would pass the Senate’s bill when lawmakers return next Wednesday and conclude the special session. He also said he’d asked for a meeting with Phelan to broker a deal. On Wednesday tax-cut writers picked up where they left off — unveiling familiar proposals on how to cut school district property taxes, the biggest slice of a property owner’s tax bill.
More than two-thirds of the $12.3 billion in the House bill for property tax cuts would go to school districts to lower their tax rates. The Senate proposal — essentially the same package senators put up in the waning days of the first special session — would also put tighter revenue caps on school districts, a way to further drive down tax rates.
Abbott initially threw his weight behind the House proposal, which pressures school districts to reduce their tax rates, in late May, touting it as a better way to ultimately eliminate school maintenance and operations taxes — which make up the bulk of a school property tax bill and pay for school expenses like teacher salaries. Some conservatives have sought to get rid of the tax altogether.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
House Republicans divided over push to 'expunge' Trump impeachmentSome House Republicans are seeking to expunge former President Trump second House impeachment even as he faces fresh federal charges in Florida.
Read more »
Just how many officials do House Republicans intend to impeach?Just how big is the House Republicans' impeachment list? As stevebenen writes, it now includes the sitting president, sitting vice president, five cabinet secretaries, the director of the FBI, and a relatively unknown federal prosecutor.
Read more »
In the Texas tax debate, the state is picking winners and losersWhen it comes to taxes, two adages come to mind: While words matter, the truth is found in the details; and tax policy is really, at the end of the process,...
Read more »
House Republicans embark on a mission: Avenge TrumpThey've punished his Democratic critics, probed prosecutors who charged him and set up a weaponization panel boosting his narrative. Now they want to “expunge” his impeachments.
Read more »
Texas Legislature's second special session begins with property tax deadlockTexas lawmakers have already been called back for a second special session after failing to reach a deal on property tax cuts in the first one.
Read more »
Republicans probe whether White House collaborated with SPLC to target parents’ groupsFlorida Republicans called for the Biden administration to provide answers on whether it worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center to label Moms for Liberty and other parents’ organizations “extremist groups” on its latest “hate map.”
Read more »