Governor Greg Abbott gave his biannual State of the State Address to the Texas House of Representatives this afternoon. In the address, Governor Abbott highlighted accomplishments in the Lone Star State and also expressed five emergency items for the 86th Texas Legislative Session.
Dallas County Republican Party Chairwoman Missy Shorey states, “Dallas County is thriving due to Republican policies championed by Governor Greg Abbott and elected Republican officials in Texas. As the State of the State address makes clear - Texas has the fastest-growing economy in America; ranks #1 for women entrepreneurs and leads the nation in jobs created by African-American business owners and by Hispanic business owners. Texas also ranks #1 in the nation for oil and gas production, and has led the nation in exports for 16 years, including technology exports for five years in a row.”
Chairwoman Shorey continues, “There is much to be proud of as a Texan. Dynamic workers, small business and industry based in Dallas County are clearly integral to our state’s overall success. Yet, we must continue to focus on the future by ensuring quality education while rewarding teachers and innovation that delivers results. Equally important to the future, we must rein in property tax rate hikes that squeeze the middle class and threaten seniors trying to stay in the homes they have spent decades paying for. In order to protect our future, Dallas County government officials need to be working with the policy priorities of Governor Abbott and Republican majority Texas Legislature - not playing politics in order to preserve power to hike property taxes without letting the people have a real say.”
“Dallas County government officials, predominantly Democrats, are already pushing back on Republican efforts to relieve homeowners of soaring property taxes,” says Shorey. “Democrat officials, including County Judge Clay Jenkins, want to preserve higher tax rates while resisting much-needed reforms. Do not be fooled by their rhetoric - raising taxes is their way to cover up mismanagement. For example, a recent city audit disclosed the City of Dallas provided the non-profit organization VisitDallas with $146 million taxpayer dollars that was mismanaged in a five-year period. Add to this the Dallas County Schools bus-service corruption, prosecuted by the FBI, that left Dallas County taxpayers on the hook for over $100 million in debt."
“The key is not to raise taxes on hard-working Dallas County residents,” states Chairwoman Shorey, “but to provide better government in Dallas County that fosters even greater growth and innovation that serve or citizens.”
February 15, 2019, is candidate filing deadline for the Dallas County Municipal Elections. The 86th Texas Legislative Session will conclude on May 27, 2019.
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