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Connecting today’s news with the research & opinion you need.

Defunding Public Safety

 

What to Know: The city of Austin has slashed its police budget by a third—at a time when crime is increasing.

 

The TPPF Take: These cuts will make Austin residents less safe.

 

“The city of Austin has gone about this in exactly the wrong way—making a politically driven decision to ‘defund the police’ before carefully studying the department’s resources and needs,” says TPPF’s Randy Petersen. “Indiscriminately cutting the public safety budget will only serve to make our city less safe. We are already amidst an increase in crime and the planned cuts will, as Gov. Greg Abbott noted, ‘pave the way for lawlessness.’”

Booms, Not Bailouts

 

What to Know: Officials in Washington continue to discuss “the next COVID-19 bailout,” even if the talks aren’t formal yet.

 

The TPPF Take: America doesn’t need more bailouts; America needs to get back to work.

 

“Congress should scrap what’s currently being discussed in the next round of COVID-19-related recovery efforts,” says TPPF’s Vance Ginn. “Instead, it should focus on getting businesses operating and workers working again after governments’ lockdowns severely disrupted the lives and livelihoods of Americans.”
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The Right Direction

 

What to Know: Some Texas cities and counties are doing the right thing by tightening their belts amid an economic downturn. Fort Bend County, for example, is cutting its tax rate.

 

The TPPF Take: Struggling taxpayers must be at the forefront of every local officials’ mind. This is no time for business as usual.

 

“There are many ways that local elected officials can help taxpayers and shrink the cost of government,” says TPPF’s James Quintero. “Chief among them: commit to no new taxes, cut existing taxes, delay going into debt, embrace efficiency, use zero-based budgeting, and right-size payroll costs.”