Dear TTP Citizen Advocates,

TODAY'S MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NUMBER ZERO AND THE LETTER F 

Zero is the number of bills that were passed in the first Special Session of the 88th Texas legislature which came to an end on May 29th.  F is the grade that I'm giving to the legislators for this 1st Special Session since they failed to accomplish anything. (thank you to Texas Scorecard for this perfect image)

If you remember from last week's message, the House and Senate spent the entire 30 day special session locking horns on HOW to provide property tax relief that can barely be called relief.  The House passed their 2 required bills on the first day and then adjourned Sine Die. In other words - take it or leave it slap in the face to the Senate. The Senate remained for the full time, passing their version of the 2 required bills, then amending the property tax bill to add bonus pay for teachers, knowing the bills would go nowhere because the House was not there.  Each chamber is insisting that their way is the only proper way.  Meanwhile, nothing happens.

Second verse same as the first?  Yes - we get to do it all again!

Special Session #2 began on Wednesday, and agenda items include: 

• ELIMINATING A PROPERTY TAX IN TEXAS: Legislation to put Texas on a pathway to eliminate school district maintenance and operations property taxes. 
• LASTING PROPERTY TAX RATE CUTS: Legislation to cut property tax rates solely by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate in order to provide lasting property-tax relief for Texas taxpayers

You can view the governor's entire proclamation here.   

So this time Gov Abbott is calling for the same immediate tax compression as before, but adding "a pathway to eliminating school M&O taxes."

Yay!  This is what we've been begging for!  Right?  Now we'll finally eliminate school taxes, right?  Well, only time will tell, but Rep. Terrri Leo-Wilson has already filed the Eliminate Property Tax bill, HB52, so start contacting your Reps to support it.

I guess the call for increased penalties for human trafficking isn't important anymore because it's been left off the 2nd Special Session call.

I hope  you are all enjoying your summer, and celebrating the birth of our country next week.  But don't go overboard with the fireworks and the BBQ, cause you need to be saving your $$ for the property tax bills that come due in a few months.  If any relief comes out of one of these special sessions, it won't affect your 2023 tax bill.

Seriously though, I'm looking forward to honoring and celebrating Independence Day this year, as I'm reminded of the sacrifices that our founders made so that we could enjoy the freedom of living in the greatest country and the greatest state in the world.  I cherish those freedoms and the self governing spirit of those who fought the battles, and stood up to a tyrant King.

But I'm also saddened to see how our freedom and self governance have been trampled by government leaders who care nothing for the people, or for liberty, but only focus on their own careers, and maintaining power.

We must fight back against that!  We must push back on those who would deny freedom, expand government, erase traditional culture, and stand only for their own personal advancement.  We can do this!  The time is now, and we need every person in our grassroots army to stand up and fight.

If you're ready to stand up and fight, watch for news in the coming weeks about how YOU can help with a new TTP program that we call "True Texans Taking Charge"  It's a multi-level, 7-month plan targeting all aspects of elections.  That primary is only 7 months away and there's much work to be done!

ACTION ITEMS THIS WEEK

• Contact your own Senators and Representatives as well as LG Patrick and Speaker Phelan.  Tell them it's time to stop acting like petulant children and find common ground.
• Contact your Rep and Senator about supporting Rep. Leo-Wilson's HB52 to eliminate property taxes.
• Start saving now and planning to support good candidates who will challenge the status quo in Austin.

For Texas always,

Fran Rhodes, President

PS:  If we're going to fight back and hold government accountable as I've mentioned above, we need to be ready to take action and wiling to make sacrifices.  We also need to be well trained.  TTP provides opportunities for training, but then YOU have to take the first step and get up and do something!  We'll help, but we can't hold everyone's hand, and we can't do it for you. 

For all the details, registration links, and schedules, for our training activities (which keep expanding!)  visit our website CTT page.  We're ready to mobilize the army.  Are you?