Good morning, 

Question of the day: How do you feel about your tax money being used to lure out-of-state businesses to Texas?  Answer the One Click Survey and send me a reply with your thoughts.

But first, here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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• With 67 Democrats in the House almost assuredly in opposition to the omnibus Election Integrity measure, Jeramy Kitchen reports they would theoretically need to convince just nine GOP members to side with them in killing the Republican Party of Texas’ top priority.
      
• This is why it is significant that Texas-based companies like American Airlines and Dell are trying to kill House Bill 6. These companies are collaborating with Democrats against Republicans.
      
• As of late Monday afternoon, there are still 20 Republican House members who are not signed on as co-authors to H.B. 6: The list of those Republican lawmakers who have not yet signed on includes State Reps. Steve Allison (San Antonio), Ernest Bailes (Shepherd), Angie Chen Button (Garland), David Cook (Crowley), Tom Craddick (Midland), Drew Darby (San Angelo), John Frullo (Lubbock), Gary Gates (Rosenberg), Charlie Geren (Fort Worth), Dan Huberty (Humble), Todd Hunter (Corpus Christi), Kyle Kacal (College Station), Ken King (Canadian), John Kuempel (Seguin), Lyle Larson (San Antonio), Morgan Meyer (Dallas), Four Price (Amarillo), John Raney (Bryan), John Smithee (Amarillo), and Gary VanDeaver (New Boston).
   
• With just 48 days left, House Bill 6 will likely be on the calendar to be considered by the overall House of Representatives in the next few weeks.

• Democrats and their cronies are busily demagoguing against any election reforms, but as Erin Anderson reports Republicans hold all the legislative power in managing the outcomes of the legislative session.
      
• “Our biggest hurdles at this point in the session are the games played with the clock.” – Jill Glover

• The central Texas city of Round Rock’s mask mandate will be ending on April 22. Jacob Asmussen reports the city council action came after feedback from citizens that real-world evidence has revealed it’s time for the government mask orders to stop. 
   
• The council’s original mandate, decreed in June of last year, forced every citizen over the age of 10 to wear a face covering “in public places when adequate social distancing is not possible” and required all businesses to post signs of the law. Those who disobeyed could be hit with expensive fines.
     
• “The current mask ordinance is actively stifling the rights of the business owners who do not support this mandate and feel as if their health and well-being is being negatively impacted by wearing a mask for an extended length of time at work.” – Kara Hazen

• With no debate, and under cover of the innocuous “local and consent” calendar, the Texas House on Friday expanded the ability of local governments to enter into contingent fee contracts with law firms to shake down their constituents for unpaid taxes and fees.
   
• Tony McDonald explains in a new commentary how lawmakers hide important legislation in plain sight, such as House Bill 1428 by State Rep. Dan Huberty (R–Houston). The only witness for the bill in committee was an attorney with Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP, “a national law firm with a practice dedicated to the collection of delinquent government receivables.”
     
• “Like the Roman tax collectors from biblical times, who personally profited off the taxes they collected for the empire, Linebarger’s use of contingent fee contracts means they profit directly from the collection of taxes for their government clients. Every time they shake more money out of a taxpayer, a significant slice of that collection goes straight into their pockets. And their profits are staggering; the firm reports annual revenue north of $300 million.” – Tony McDonald

• While Fort Worth mayoral candidate Brian Byrd is competing against Ann Zadeh—one of the most liberal city council members—both have worked together to hike Fort Worth homeowners’ tax bills, while giving a sweetheart deal to a developer for a high-rise in Zadeh’s district. Robert Montoya has the details.

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Should out-of-state companies be given Texas taxpayers’ money for the purpose of expanding or re-locating their operations in the Lone Star State? 

Today In History

Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743.