| As the Legislature gaveled into session Tuesday, the House acted quickly to re-elect Dade Phelan as speaker, 145-3. In 2021, Phelan's first session as speaker, he tangled with House Democrats as well as with fellow Republicans Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — and even former President Donald Trump. Now with a new session starting, Phelan's looking to continue to carve out his own political identity. In his Tuesday speech, Phelan touted the state's expected $33 billion budget surplus as a massive opportunity. He said the money should be used for property tax relief that addresses "runaway appraisals" and that steps should be taken to reduce healthcare costs and expand healthcare access, particularly for rural areas. He said Texas needs to invest in roads, water, flood resiliency, dependable energy and internet access, as well as schools. "With a once-in-a-lifetime budget surplus, now is the time to put a down payment on the future of Texas," he said. In a veiled critique of Gov. Greg Abbott's $4 billion Operation Lone Star, Phelan also said that although the border is in crisis, and he has supported large investment through the state budget over the years, "as stewards of every budget dollar, we must ensure our strategy not only fits the realities on the ground, but is truly, measurably effective." Read the full story here. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment