Good morning –

Should taxpayers continue to subsidize “renewable” energy sources? That’s the question in the One Click Survey.

You’ll find that at the end of today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan
July 12, 2022 

Why Do House Republicans Want Democrats In Power?

• Reliable sources tell me Republican House members are desperately trying to avoid removing Democrats from chairmanships. Reportedly, members of Speaker Dade Phelan’s leadership team have been burning up the phone lines on the issue – cajoling their fellow members not to press the issue in the coming legislative session.
      
• The issue is coming to a head thanks to delegates at the Republican Party of Texas’ biennial convention last month naming the issue one of eight legislative priorities. In the March primary, 81 percent of GOP voters affirmed a ballot proposal calling for an end to the practice.
       
• Unlike so many other legislative initiatives, this one provides Republican lawmakers with no wiggle room for interpretation; either Democrats will hold chairmanships in the two chambers of the GOP-dominated Legislature, or they will not. 

Republican Legislator Wants To Make It Easier To Raise Taxes

• State Rep. Jay Dean (R–Longview) wants to re-examine the property tax protections enacted three years ago, with an eye toward making it easier for cities and counties to increase property taxes. Sydnie Henry has the details.

      
• In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed a property tax reform package that included a 3.5 percent revenue increase cap on city and county government budgets. Any city or county government that intends to go beyond that cap must hold an election for voter approval. 
     
• Dean claims his concern is with budgets in smaller cities and county governments. In a commentary published by the Longview News-Journal, he writes, “No amount of responsible budgeting in a small county or city can bring down the cost of diesel fuel needed to run fire trucks. … So now we find our rural counties and cities facing budget shortfalls, with no way to close them.” 
     
• Interesting that Mr. Dean believes the solution to rising prices is to make everything more expensive with higher taxes…
      
• “Government spending on all levels is out of control. Texas should not be in the business of allowing some governmental entities to spend even more taxpayer dollars without their own [voter] approval of such things.” – Jeramy Kitchen, executive director of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility

‘Hail Satan’: Leftists Defend ‘Family Friendly’ Drag Show

• “Family-friendly” drag shows have been on the rise nationally this summer, forcing young children to watch men dressed as women dance in a sexually provocative manner in front of them. This weekend, a Houston restaurant and bar – Hamburger Mary’s – hosted one such showing – though not for the first time. Emily Wilkerson has the story.
      
• Kelly Neidert, the executive director of Protect Texas Kids, led a protest this weekend against the Hamburger Mary’s event.
     
• The business’ supporters greeted Neidert and other protesters with signs that read “Hail Satan” and “God is Gay.”
     
• “Drag shows are no place for a child. I would never take my children to a drag show and I know Speaker Dade Phelan and my Republican colleagues wouldn’t either,” said State Rep. Bryan Slaton (R-Royse City), who plans to introduce legislation addressing the issue.

Texas Joins Fight To Protect Kids From ‘Transgender’ Procedures

• Citing a “troubling surge” of gender-related psychological issues and unnecessary interventions among minors, Texas and 14 other states are lending “hearty” support to an Alabama law that prohibits the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery to medically “transition” children and adolescents. Erin Anderson has the story.
        
• At issue in the appeal is whether Alabama “may act to protect its young people and regulate the medical profession by prohibiting life-altering gender-transition procedures, for which there is medical and scientific uncertainty.”
     

• The Texas GOP made the issue a priority in 2021, but the Republican-controlled Legislature failed to pass any bills protecting kids. Banning gender modification of children is now on the GOP’s list of legislative priorities for 2023.

O’Rourke Lags In The Polls

• As Texans have learned more about his far-left views, Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rouke has become more and more unelectable in the Lone Star State. The latest round of poll numbers show O’Rourke dropping further behind Gov. Greg Abbott.  
   
• It’s been nearly 30 years since a Democrat won a statewide office in Texas; a snowball is more likely to survive on a Laredo sidewalk today than Bobby O’Rourke is to win the November election.

More Money… Any Relief?

• The State of Texas is raking in the cash, bringing in surplus revenues far beyond what was budgeted. Will lawmakers spend the money to grow government, or return the windfall to the taxpayers?
   
• “Lawmakers licking their lips with [Comptroller Glenn Hegar] saying we have a massive revenue increase. The question is will they make property tax relief a priority or just grow the government?” said Tim Hardin, CEO of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.
     
• Maybe you should say something to your state representative and state senator about the issue now… and regularly until sometime next May…

ONE CLICK SURVEY

Should Texas stop subsidizing wind and solar power?

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Today In History

On July 12, 1957, Dwight Eisenhower became the first U.S. president to ride in a helicopter.