Good morning,

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Modify your email preferences [[link removed]].

It’s the beginning of another month, which as of late has meant another report from the comptroller’s office showing a decline in sales tax collection [[link removed]] in Texas compared to last year.

On Tuesday, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said state sales tax revenue totaled $2.67 billion in June, 6.5 percent less than in June 2019. Sales taxes remitted to the state in June consist mostly of taxes collected by businesses in May.

The state’s other taxes—including the motor vehicle sales tax, motor fuel tax, and hotel occupancy tax—were all down significantly as well, as they have been for the past several months, pointing again towards a significant budget deficit when the state legislature returns in January.

Now is the time for government agencies to start making cuts. In election news, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced his support for Raul Reyes [[link removed]], a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and businessman campaigning for Texas’ Congressional District 23, a geographically sweeping district stretching from San Antonio to just outside El Paso. The district has been a target for Democrats for years.

The seat is currently held by retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, whose voting record makes him the most liberal Texas Republican in Congress. Hurd has endorsed Reyes' opponent, Tony Gonzales, to replace him.

“We need to send conservative warriors to defeat Nancy Pelosi’s agenda and show some of our Republicans what a backbone is. That’s why I’m supporting retired Col. Raul Reyes for Congress." –U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz

Early voting in the primary runoff elections is ongoing through July 10, with Election Day on July 14. As mask mandates are passed by local governments across the state, Democrat Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins isn't satisfied—instead, he is promoting a mask mandate across the state ... and nationwide [[link removed]].

Robert Montoya [[link removed]] writes that Jenkins is also calling for a ban [[link removed]] on going to bowling alleys, arcades, concerts, movie theaters, public pools, concerts, and participating in “group youth sports.”

Meanwhile, for the second time in two weeks, Denton County decided against mandating face masks, choosing instead to encourage residents to voluntarily wear face coverings and take other precautions where appropriate to help prevent the spread of the Chinese coronavirus. Erin Anderson [[link removed]] has the details. The Republican Party of Texas' executive committee is set to consider moving their state convention—scheduled for July 13-18 in Houston—to online instead.

The State Republican Executive Committee is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting tonight to consider a contingency plan. Today in History

On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau; Garfield died 79 days later.

Quote-Unquote

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it."

– Thomas Jefferson​

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

U.S. House, District

Update your address so we can show your congressman [[link removed]] -



Texas Senate, District

Update your address so we can show your state senator [[link removed]] -



Texas House, District

Update your address so we can display your state rep [[link removed]] -



Something not right?

Let us know [[link removed]]!

Managed / Update Your Email Preferences [[link removed]] Request A Speaker [[link removed]] Contribute [[link removed]] A digital product of Empower Texans

Texas Scorecard & Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

​www.EmpowerTexans.com

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646

PO Box 700981, Dallas, TX 75370

PO Box 12862, Odessa TX 79768 Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day that we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday morning (though we'll probably take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

This message was originally sent to John xxxxxx at [email protected].
If you ever stop receiving our emails, it might be because someone unintentionally removed you from the list. No worries; it is easy enough to reactivate your subscription immediately​ on our website [[link removed]]​.​​

If someone forwarded this email to you, clicking the link will end the subscription of John xxxxxx. Unsubscribe [link removed]