A war of words has erupted on Twitter between Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick over how to offer Texans property tax breaks, creating a political showdown at the Texas Capitol.
On Tuesday, the Texas House and Senate passed separate property tax relief bills in the first day special session Abbott called immediately after the regular session ended.
In a statement Tuesday evening, Abbott stood by the property tax relief bill passed hours earlier by the Texas House.
“The Texas House is the only chamber that passed a property tax relief bill that is related to the special session I called to provide Texans with property tax relief. It provides more cuts to property tax rates than any other proposal right now.It has the support of the state’s most respected think tank, as well as more than 30 property, consumer and business groups across state. I look forward to signing it when it reaches my desk,” Abbott said in a statement.
Early Tuesday afternoon, the Senate unanimously passed its own property tax relief bill.
After Abbott’s statement, Patrick responded with criticism.
“He appears to be misinformed about the roles of the executive and legislative branches of government. While the governor has the sole authority to call the legislature into session, the legislature writes the bills; the courts have been very clear on this . Governor Abbott has finally shown it. his cards. He chooses to give homeowners 50% less of a tax cut, almost $700 a year, to give more to corporations. That’s not what owners expected when they voted him in,” Patrick said in a statement.
The governor later tweeted: “No matter how many special sessions it takes, I will sign into law that delivers the largest property tax cut in Texas history. My plan does the most to cut property taxes “.
During an interview tuesday morning at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that leans conservative, Patrick insisted that any property tax relief legislation contain a provision that also increased the exemption of the property.
“I’m not going to back down from this, and I might be the last man standing, but I’m going to be the last man standing. Homeowners in this state deserve property tax cuts,” Patrick said.
Asked if Abbott would sign it, Patrick said, “Do you think the governor is going to veto a house waiver? I’m not worried about the governor signing it. The House has to pass it.”
The governor did not request the House exemption provision, and the House version does not contain it.
In a statement Tuesday evening, House Speaker Dade Phelan said the governor’s special call “gave us a clear direction to lower property taxes by cutting taxes and passing the Current legislation fulfills this call.”
The new state budget approved by the Legislature allocates $17.6 billion to property tax cuts, more than half of the state’s nearly $33 billion surplus.
The House then adjourned the Sine Die special session after also passing a bill related to border security that Abbott requested.
Abbott called the legislature into an immediate special session at 9 p.m. Monday after the House and Senate reached an impasse in negotiations over property tax relief.
Compression is the process of reducing the amount of property taxes that fund public schools and instead replacing them with state sales taxes and other state revenues.
The Senate bill would increase the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 for most homeowners, which would save about $2,800 over the first two years on a home valued at $350,000.
For homeowners over 65, in that same House, the Senate bill would increase the homestead exemption from $70,000 to $110,000 and provide savings of about $3,000 over the first two years.
The Senate has adjourned until Friday.
In his statement Tuesday night, Patrick said, “While the House may have thrown in the towel, the Senate continues to work.”
The property tax relief laws also require voters to approve a change to the Texas Constitution on Election Day in November.
The House also passed a bill to increase penalties for anyone who smuggles people across the border into Texas and for operating a storage house.
Similar bills have been introduced in the Senate, but there has not been a hearing for the legislation.
Jack Fink
