Good morning, If the #DefundThePolice protesters succeed at, well, defunding the police... have they thought about what comes next? But first, here is today's Texas Minute.
- While Texas families are struggling with increased unemployment and lower pay due to the government-mandated economic shutdowns in response to the Chinese coronavirus, some local officials have suggested they may exploit the emergency to hike property taxes without voter approval. Brandon Waltens reports two state lawmakers are teaming up to try and ensure it doesn’t happen.
- State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) and State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) are exploring ways to fix loopholes in the 2019 legislation they passed restricting property tax burden increases.
- Arguments for real accountability and transparency in the state’s largest police departments are being drowned out by calls to reallocate taxpayer funds from the police toward growing government. Robert Montoya reports on the actions being proposed in Dallas.
- FWIW, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson (D) says he is against eliminating the police department.
- Lost in the shuffle of the pandemic panic has been the realization that among the hardest hit by the Chinese coronavirus were residents of the poorest communities in our state and nation. This is a consequence, writes Urban Reform’s Charles Blain and Joel Kotkin, of the economic shutdown and years of bad government policies.
- “The summer could see mounting disorder, particularly with the influx in many cities of criminal elements, a result of pandemic-induced releases from jails and prisons, such as in New York. Evidence already exists that some of the released are exercising their new freedom by committing crime, often victimizing the poorer communities that they came from. At a time when cities like Los Angeles and even crime ridden Baltimore and Chicago adopt “tough” policies about enforcing COVID-19 lockdowns and arresting violators, a cohort of criminals has been put back out on the streets.” – Charles Blain and Joel
Kotkin
- Heading into the primary runoffs, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility announced yesterday the endorsement of Bryan Slaton in Texas House District 2. Slaton faces off against incumbent Dan Flynn.
- The vice president of TFR, Cary Cheshire, breaks down the race, and explains: “Bryan Slaton will be a strong advocate that taxpayers can trust to stand up and fight for them in Austin.”
- In case you missed it, Jacob Asmussen this weekend profiled one of our favorite activists: Ruth York of Cisco. She has a passion for educating her family and community about their precious God-given rights. Ruth’s advice to those wondering how they can do something about what’s happening around them? “Find a conservative group. Walk in. It’s gonna be a friendly bunch of patriots. Take a chair and open up your ears. It’s not that hard.”
- Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Empower Texans director of communications, Buddy Kipp!
I have a question about #DefundThePolice. When someone is getting raped in an ally, or robbed at knifepoint, the chanters expect people to call... who?
Personally, I might be OK with breaking up a lot of the massive bureaucracies masquerading as law enforcement agencies. Maybe more community-level "peace keepers" like the U.S. had in the 19th and early 20th centuries, rather than the status quo of militarized police. But I'm curious if the protesters have thought it through?
But then, I carry a firearm everywhere I go. I consider it my job to protect myself and my family from miscreants and hooligans.
I'm not sure everyone chanting "Defund The Police" has a clear idea of what they want instead. They need to address the practical concern of "some hoodlum is breaking into my place/ is killing my sister/ is robbing my mom/ is stealing dad's car... and so I will call ___."
Their answer is... what?
At the same time, the police departments causing the worst problems are in Democrat-run cities, staffed with officers who are members of Democrat-supporting unions, pushing policies that limit citizens constitutional rights. Why are conservatives rushing to defend that?
Number of days until Texas’ primary runoff elections. The primary runoff is Tuesday, July 14 – delayed from May 26. Early voting begins on Monday, June 29.
[Source: Texas Secretary of State; calendar]
“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.”
Your Federal & State Lawmakers
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn - R
(202) 224-2934
U.S. Senator
Ted Cruz - R
(202) 224-5922
Governor of Texas
Greg Abbott - R
(512) 463-2000
Lt. Governor
Dan Patrick - R
(512) 463-0001
|