Good morning,

Here is today's Texas Minute.

–Brandon Waltens

Monday, May 31, 2021

Modify your email preferences [[link removed]].

But first, on this Memorial Day, the Texas Scorecard team would like to remember our service members who have given the ultimate sacrifice, and give our thanks to all who have served.

One of Texas’ biggest corporate welfare schemes could be set to expire, after lawmakers declined to renew the program.

But is the program actually dead? Today we look at the future of the 313 program.

Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code allows school districts to offer large tax breaks for 10 years to renewable energy and other businesses (including the wind farms that infamously failed during this February's winter storm...)

The tax breaks come at no loss to the school districts. Instead, the state supplements the lost revenue to the districts from sales taxes and other state-collected taxes.

The program has drawn criticism from both the right and left; both the Republican Party of Texas [[link removed]] and the Democrat Party of Texas [[link removed]] call for the abolition of Chapter 313 abatements and corporate welfare in their party platforms.

While lawmakers give away billions of dollars in tax breaks to outside companies, Texas taxpayers have been paying skyrocketing property tax bills with no meaningful relief.

The 313 program is set to expire at the end of 2022. Earlier this month, members of the Texas House voted 112-29 [[link removed]]to extend the Chapter 313 program for another two years.

But when it came time for the House to approve separate legislation to approve the bill for 10 more years, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers worked to kill the massive expansion [[link removed]].

Then the two year expansion bill was sent to the Senate. Right away, the proposal met resistance.

When State Sen. Brian Birdwell, the Senate sponsor of the bill, presented it to the Texas Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development [[link removed]], he tried to change the expansion to three years.

State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst expressed concerns with the entire program, saying “I think that this program is run amok and it’s time to start over with an absolute clean slate.” Though the bill ultimately passed out of the Senate committee, it was never brought up for a vote on the Senate floor, effectively killing it for this session.

Lawmakers will be back for a special session in the Fall for redistricting, if not sooner. Time will tell if Gov. Greg Abbott will place 313 extensions on the call, even while other conservative priorities have died this session. 🔒 Donate to Texas Scorecard 🔒 [[link removed]] Number of the Day

0

Days left in the regular legislative session.

[Source: Legislative Calendar]

Today in History

On May 31, 1913, the 17th Amendment went into effect. It provided for popular election of U.S. senators.

Quote-Unquote

"Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion."

– Calvin Coolidge​

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 display your congressman [[link removed]] -



Texas Senate, District

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



Texas House, District

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



Something not right?

Make sure we have your address right [[link removed]]!

Manage / Update Your Subscription [[link removed]]

John xxxxxx



[email protected]

Request A Speaker [[link removed]] A product of Texas Scorecard

www.TexasScorecard.com

(888) 410-1836

PO Box 248, Leander, TX 78646 Produced by Michael Quinn Sullivan and Brandon Waltens, the Texas Minute is a quick look at the news and info of the day we find interesting, and hope you do as well. It is delivered weekday mornings (though we'll take the occasional break for holidays and whatnot).

This message was originally sent to:

John xxxxxx |

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]

Before you click the link below... If someone forwarded this email to you, clicking the link will end the subscription of [email protected]. Unsubscribe [link removed]