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.

A group of state lawmakers appeared receptive Thursday to reviving Texas’ biggest corporate tax break, known as Chapter 313, as proponents warned that its impending end will make it harder to attract new business.

There’s a tension between celebrating the constant magnetism of Texas with its business-friendly pull and the desire to guard against and resist the inevitable change that comes with a surge in new residents.