Local governments in Texas have spent the summer preparing their budgets for next year, wrestling with inflation and a law that prohibits them from raising property tax revenues beyond 3.5% without voter approval.

After a decade of skyrocketing property taxes in much of Texas, both Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto O’Rourke are making big promises to cut tax bills if they win in November.

A flood of applications for a sunsetting and controversial tax abatement program has Texas officials wading through requests for what are known as Chapter 313 incentives — and unlikely to review all of them before a looming deadline.

The Texas House Ways and Means Committee met this week to talk about Chapter 313 of the Texas tax code. It allows school districts to offer property tax incentives to corporations while those companies look to invest in Texas.

During a Texas House Ways and Means committee meeting Thursday, state elected officials expressed concern that allowing the law to sunset would hamper economic development and the state’s competitive edge when it comes to attracting large corporations.