“We can reduce the school property taxes while fully funding schools by using the budget surplus of $27 billion to pay for it,” Abbott wrote in a candidate questionnaire to the Star-Telegram ahead of the November election.

Harris County’s lengthy political battle over its annual budget came to an end Tuesday, with the three-Democrat majority on Commissioners Court forced to adopt a lower-than-planned tax rate.

Republicans who are likely to remain in control of the Legislature after next month’s election are talking tax cuts. Democrats are questioning that approach, saying shrewd investments in improving infrastructure and workforce training could help the state economy grow even faster.

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.