| Texas lawmakers are returning to Austin this week with an overflowing budget surplus, thanks to the pandemic recovery, inflation and high energy prices, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Monday. The state is projected to end the 2022-2023 biennium in August with nearly $33 billion in excess cash, up from the $27 billion Hegar predicted last summer. The state's political observers had expected the large surplus for about half a year, and pitches for how the state should spend it have included property tax relief, infrastructure and teacher retirement benefits, among others. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar referred to the huge amount of available funds as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity for legislators. "The revenue increases that we've seen have been, in many ways, unprecedented, and we cannot reasonably expect a repeat," Hegar said. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the state senate, was quick to welcome the news. He vowed to prioritize tax relief. Read the full story here. | 
No comments:
Post a Comment