Good morning!

Here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Wednesday, September 4, 2019
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• Texas politicians are starkly opposed in their reactions to the recent shootings in El Paso and Odessa. Destin Sensky reports statewide officials and politicians of every stripe down ballot are sounding off online. Predictably, Democrats are talking about taking guns from law-abiding citizens.
     

• “I was asked how I'd address people's fears that we will take away their assault rifles. I want to be clear: That's exactly what we're going to do.” – Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke
      

• On the other hand, Republicans are beginning to find the courage to publicly, and more vocally than before, push back against these arguments.
      

• “‘Do something!’ is the statement we keep hearing. As an elected official with a vote in Austin, let me tell you what I am NOT going to do. I am NOT going to use the evil acts of a handful of people to diminish the God-given rights of my fellow Texans. Period. None of these so-called gun-control solutions will work to stop a person with evil intent.” – State Rep. Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler)
      

• State Rep. Jim Murphy (R-Houston) “draws a salary of $312,000 annually from” a special-district government entity. Here’s the kicker: his contract provides for “bonuses if he is successful in securing additional state funding” for that entity. And now House Speaker Dennis Bonnen wants Murphy to be the next vice chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus. Cary Cheshire has the details.
     
• Just how much more corrupt can the Texas House leadership become under Speaker Dennis Bonnen?
     
• State Rep. John Smithee (R–Amarillo) is the latest lawmaker to speak out against State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R–Fort Worth) and her decision – as chair of the Texas House Republican Caucus – to deny members an in-person meeting of the GOP members. Brandon Waltens reports Smithee, the third longest-serving Republican in the House, wants Klick to reconsider her decision.
      
• “It is becoming apparent to more and more of us that our caucus currently has a Texas-sized mess on its hands.” – State Rep. John Smithee

• The Austin City Council recently passed a law allowing homeless persons to camp in public areas, including on the sidewalks leading to the University of Texas. As a result, Jacob Asmussen reports, the UT Police Department’s chief is calling on the city to retract the new law – citing safety concerns and the “predatory and harassing behavior” many of Austin’s homeless exhibit towards college students.
       
• Taxpayers in Greenville are facing a massive hike in their property tax bills from the city. Robert Montoya has those details.
      
• In a new commentary, David Bernstein writes that the City of Coppell’s property tax bills are set to go up. “Not only will the city get more tax revenue at the current tax rate due to higher property values, they now plan to increase the tax rate 2.55 percent beyond last year’s tax rate. Even worse, they admit they do not need the new money.”