TUE brief 10.19.21
Welcome to the brief. If you were forwarded this email, be sure to sign up (hint: there’s a button below). The newsletter will be coming out at 3 PM going forward.
Today’s Stories
The THIRD SPECIAL SESSION adjourned sine die last night. Not newsworthy were the predictably underwhelming results. However, a joint statement released by Dan Patrick and Dade Phelan this morning was notable.
Ostensibly bragging about pork-barrel spending and alleged property tax relief, the tone of the release betrays insecurity. Something (likely bad polling) has them spooked.
Results-wise, all you need to know about the third special session is that tuition revenue bonds (discussed in detail yesterday) got done, while property tax relief was...muddled (at best).
Instead of taking steps toward abolition, the property tax system was made more complicated in exchange for the short-term illusion of property tax relief (see next item for a detailed discussion).
Don Huffines blasted the results and called for a fourth special session. Huffines was correct to do so, even if incumbent policymakers are unlikely to follow suit in the short term.
As it stands, there may be a fourth special session in early 2022. This gives the powers that be time to conduct polling and find kinks in passed legislation after they’re exposed.
When it comes to polling, election integrity and property taxes will remain the top issues until they’re substantively addressed. If voters see through the gaslighting, lawmakers will need to return. They’ll attempt to do the bare minimum and sell those results as meaningful progress when they do.
Bonus question I: Given that they’ve already busted quorum twice and that all appropriations and redistricting bills have passed, what motivation do Democrats have to show up before 2023?
Bonus question II: How does yet another Democrat walkout play in the next Republican primary? Any incumbent Republican who attempts to blame Democrats for unfinished business deserves to be ridiculed.
PROPERTY TAXES will remain high after lawmakers failed to take up a school district M&O phase-out (the most significant chunk of most Texans’ tax bills) during the now-ended third special session.
Please don’t buy the spin from homeward-bound politicians that they’ve meaningfully addressed, crushing property tax bills.
Yesterday, lawmakers scrambled to move heaven and earth to talk about property taxes, passing a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000.
A cravenly self-serving maneuver, SJR2, if approved by voters in 2022, will result in a modest (under $200) savings to property owners. And even that pittance comes at the expense of narrowing the tax base (so-called “homestead exemptions” are merely a tax “carve-out” for homeowners).
There’s nothing in what the legislature passed to prevent local entities from raising tax rates to offset increased homestead exemptions.
Juxtaposed against an eventual buy down of the M&O proposed by Rep. Oliverson in the second and third special sessions, it’s laughable.
DAN HUBERTY will not run for re-election. There’s a lot that could be said about Huberty on both personal conduct and policy grounds. Now that he’s leaving the legislature, however, that’s no longer relevant.
Dan Huberty, the human being, has demons he needs to confront. Godspeed Dan.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 35 draws interest following Lloyd Doggett’s surprise decision to run in the new District 37.
As speculated yesterday, Socialist Austin City Councilmember Greg Casar was first to announce an exploratory committee. Casar was shortly after that endorsed by Abortion Barbie.
Despite not knowing Casar’s plans, the conclusion was hard to avoid based on geography and ambition.
Now state representatives Eddie Rodriguez and Trey Martinez Fischer have announced their interest in the seat. Expect more candidate announcements.
Hit the Links
Big business beats back Abbott’s ban bill
Too little too late on election
Black market for weed persists
Thanks for reading
Please feel free to contact me (reply to this email or email me at pushjunction@gmail.com) with questions, comments, suggestions, or tips.
One last thing, to be sure you always receive these emails, 1) move this message to your inbox and 2) add pushjunction@substack.com to your contacts (hover over the from the line).