Gov. Abbott calls second special session after no agreement made on property tax relief
AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) — It took the Texas Senate 33 seconds to gavel in and out Tuesday afternoon and proclaim "Sine Die," the official end of the first special session called by Governor Greg Abbott.
The House had adjourned Sine Die May 30 after passing a property tax relief bill requested by the governor.
The first special session ended as it began, with the big three leaders: Gov. Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dade Phelan at odds over how best to reduce Texans' property tax bills.
Abbott called lawmakers back for the second special session, which began at 3 p.m.
Both the House and Senate will reconvene at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
In his proclamation, the governor said he wants legislation to cut property tax rates "solely" by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate, and instead using more state revenues—including sales tax—to pay for schools.
That process is officially known as compression.
He also wants legislation to put Texas on a path to eliminate the maintenance and operations portion of your school property tax— gradually.
In an interview with CBS News Texas, Representative Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) said, "During special sessions, the governor has a lot more authority, a lot more power, and he dictates the parameters of what's on the call."
Abbott does not call for raising the homestead exemption, something Lt. Gov. Patrick has insisted upon and the Senate has repeatedly approved.
In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, the lieutenant governor said, "The Senate will continue to support cutting the tax rate through compression. We will insist upon a homestead exemption, giving homeowners a $1,250 to $1,450 annual tax cut as opposed to receiving only $740 without a homestead exemption. We will pass the same bill that we passed to the House last week."
That legislation included the increase in the homestead exemption to $100,000 for most homeowners and $110,000 for homeowners over 65.
Representative Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) told CBS News Texas that the special session call should be more open. "When we do exactly what the governor wants, we're removing the three branches of government. We need to work independently and provide property tax relief and give it to the governor to sign. I think we'll get a better package if we do it that way for taxpayers."
Last week, Representative Matt Schaefer (R-Tyler) tweeted, "If you put all the Texas Senate and House Republican legislators in a room for one hour without Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan, or Greg Abbott there would be a deal on property tax relief and 45 mins spent talking about why we didn't do it this way in the first place."
Tinderholt agreed. "Absolutely. I think that the Senate and that many of the House members, we know what we want. It's a combination."
But other lawmakers say the standoff can only end if Abbott, Patrick, and Phelan come to terms and hash out an agreement.
Representative Julie Johnson (D-Farmers Branch) criticized Republican leaders. "I think it's ridiculous honestly that the speaker, the governor, the lieutenant governor cannot come to an agreement."
Representative Venton Jones (D-Dallas said) said, "I hope there's an agreement that the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker can be able to come to because I'm ready to make that vote and make sure that we provide property tax relief to Texans in this moment."
During the first session, Patrick sharply criticized Phelan and House members for adjourning and leaving the Capitol, saying they should have stayed to negotiate their differences.
Tinderholt agreed with Patrick. "It was not a real respectful way of doing business. I think it harms the whole process to be honest."
But Shaheen supported the House's action, saying the governor's direction was very clear. "He wanted property tax relief in the form of reduced rates. That's what the House did. We got the job done and we sent it over to the Senate."
Both the House and Senate must each pass identical legislation providing property tax relief to Texans before the governor can sign it into law.
