Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could be upsetting balance of powers with threat to veto Texas Legislature’s pay
Fresh off the defeat of two of his legislative priorities Sunday night when Democrats abandoned the Texas House to block a sweeping elections bill, Gov. Greg Abbott flexed his executive muscle Monday — vowing to defund a co-equal branch of government while raising questions about the separation of powers in Texas.
Read MoreHow skeptical Texas lawmakers put an end to a controversial tax incentive program
Across the chamber, skeptical lawmakers from both parties lined up to ask Murphy about his legislation. They offered amendments that stripped away its new business-friendly provisions and even proposed letting voters approve each tax break — a move that was unheard of in the history of Chapter 313, which is named after its place in…
Read MoreMissed deadline could doom controversial $10B tax-break program
Texas’ largest corporate tax incentive program is at risk of expiring after state lawmakers missed a critical deadline and failed to advance a bill that would have extended the $10 billion program for another two years.
Read MoreCommentary: Chapter 313 agreements benefit Texas
Chapter 313 economic development agreements attract jobs and investment to Texas, make money for the state and grow school districts’ tax bases. This reality runs contrary to pervasive and persistent myths about the program, which assert school districts that enter into Chapter 313 agreements must be “subsidized” by the state. Misrepresentations about this program hurt…
Read MoreA Texas economic incentive offers massive tax breaks to companies, but its renewal isn’t a done deal
Chapter 313, a decades-old law designed to lure companies to Texas with property tax breaks, expires in 2022. Lawmakers looking to renew it face opposition from critics who say it’s unfair to many Texas schools.
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