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After six months, a regular session and a special session, there is still no relief in sight.<\/p>\n
AUSTIN, Texas – Emboldened by a historic budget surplus, Texas Republican leaders made big promises that they would lower property taxes.<\/p>\n
But after six months, a regular session and a special session, no relief is in sight.<\/p>\n
And so far, spokesman Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have shown no sign of compromise, or even communication.<\/p>\n
“These guys are nowhere close, at least publicly, to actually starting to negotiate these things that are very important to Texans,” Scott Braddock told us at Inside Texas Politics. “And look, whatever you think. of their various plans, they have to do something,” <\/p>\n
Scott Braddock is the editor of Quorum Report in Austin.<\/p>\n
He believes Republican leaders could find a deal by mid-July, if only they know the campaigns have consequences and must comply.<\/p>\n
“I described it on quorumreport.com this week as a legislative Vietnam. They’ve made this promise to win on this, but there’s no way out of it,” he said.<\/p>\n
A second special session is underway in Austin.<\/p>\n
The governor included only one item on the agenda: property tax relief.<\/p>\n