Good morning –

Thanks for starting your week with the Texas Minute! Today is Monday, Feb. 27, 2023.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

RUSSO: Repeal In-State Tuition For Illegals

• In a new commentary, Chris Russo explains why his organization – Texans for Strong Borders – is urging lawmakers to change the residency requirement for in-state tuition. Fundamentally, they believe that this benefit should only be available to U.S. citizens.

Abbott Signals Support For Crony Casino Schemes

• Embracing the destination resort-style casinos envisioned in multiple legislative proposals this session, Abbott signaled his support for a “gaming version of the Great Wolf Lodge” in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Sydnie Henry has the details.
    
• “If it can be built in a way that is, kind of like a professional operation that provides a form of entertainment for people, that’s something I can be open to,” said Abbott.
      
• Each of the proposed casino measures would create a new state bureaucracy charged with picking locations for politically connected casino operators free from free market competition.
     

• Two-thirds of the House and Senate, as well as a majority of Texas voters, will have to approve one of the proposed constitutional amendments before Texas can allow casino gambling.
       

• Tim Hardin, president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, explains his organization's opposition to gambling “has less to do with the ethics of gambling itself and more to do with the history of corporate welfare on the taxpayers’ dime that all too often comes about as a result.”
      

• The Texas Sands PAC was started by Dr. Miriam Adelson, the majority shareholder in the multibillion-dollar Las Vegas Sands resort casino empire.
      

• Transparency USA reports the Texas Sands PAC doled out $2 million to Texas candidates during the 2022 election cycle, including $300,000 to House Speaker Dade Phelan (R–Beaumont), $225,000 to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, $200,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott, and $50,000 to Comptroller Glenn Hegar, all Republicans. Adelson also personally gave Abbott’s campaign $1,000,000 last year.

Democrat in Charge of House Youth Health and Safety Committee

• Having served in the Texas House for 50 years, Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) is one of nine Democrats appointed as committee chairs by Republican Speaker Dade Phelan this session. Soli Rice looks at her record.
     
• A far-left Democrat, Thompson is no stranger to holding leadership positions in the GOP-dominated House. In recent sessions, she has chaired the committees on Licensing and Administrative Procedures, Public Health, and Local and Consent Calendars.
     

• In 2021, Thompson was one of more than 50 Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C., as a way to obstruct the consideration of election integrity reforms.

Amarillo Has Crowded City Council Ballot

• Voters in Amarillo will find a ballot featuring 23 candidates seeking five slots on the council. Thomas Warren has the details.
      
• Six of those candidates are running to replace the retiring incumbent mayor.

Tarrant County Appraisal District Chair Resigns

• Rather than face a messy recall election, the head of the Tarrant County Appraisal District has resigned. Erin Anderson has the story.
     

• Statewide, appraisal districts set the property values used for taxing purposes, and the board members are put in place by the taxing entities within the counties.
     

• A series of major scandals in Tarrant County has unraveled in the recent months involving skyrocketing property values and unethical actions by appraisal district employees. As a result, taxpayers there have been demanding major reform and accountability.
     

• The City of Keller got things rolling, with the city council voting unanimously to recall Tarrant Appraisal District Chairman Kathryn Wilemon from her role.
     

• “The City of Keller is unapologetic about protecting our taxpayers,” said Keller Mayor Armin Mizani.
     

• With other taxing entities seemingly headed in the same direction, Wilemon resigned her post.
      

• All this was welcome news for taxpayer advocate Chandler Crouch, who said the Tarrant County Appraisal District needs to be refocused on transparency and accountability if it is to better serve the citizens.

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