Texas Gov. Abbott Warns Cities: Defund Police And You’ll Lose ‘All’ Tax Revenue - Forbes

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Topline

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is upping his threats to punish localities that cut law enforcement budgets, warning Thursday that he’d like to see them “lose access to all of their tax revenue,” as he laid out legislative goals that prioritized keeping police departments funded at current levels or higher.

Key Facts

Abbott had previously said he wanted the Texas legislature to pass a bill freezing property taxes for localities that enact any cuts to law enforcement budgets, but he has recently pushed for even tougher sanctions.

Abbott has tossed around ideas like stripping from cities that cut police budgets the power to annex surrounding areas, and said last week he’d consider a bill that strips the ability for cities to collect sales tax.

The proposals appear directly in response to the Austin City Council’s highly-publicized decision last year to cut over $20 million from its police department budget, as part of a restructuring that could ultimately funnel around $150 million in funding away from the police department.

Abbott and other Republicans have sharply criticized the move, with the governor even suggesting a state “takeover” of the Austin Police Department might be necessary.

Republicans, who control both chambers in the Texas legislature, have vowed to pass legislation to stop police cuts during the current session, which gaveled in last week.

Crucial Quote

“Defunding and disrespecting police is the worst possible policy a municipality or a state could adopt,” Abbott said at a Texas Public Policy Foundation conference last week.

What To Watch For

Abbott also said Thursday he wanted the state to toughen its bail system to make it harder for detainees to be released, bucking a progressive national push aimed at ending cash bail. Abbott made the comments during a roundtable discussion with law enforcement Thursday, where he also spoke about cutting off tax revenue.

Key Background

Abbott has latched onto keeping police departments funded as a signature issue of his over the past several months, after numerous cities cut funding following the death of George Floyd. It’s an issue that’s also especially popular in the GOP’s conservative base—a base Abbott lost a great deal of support with last year. The governor’s once high approval rating plummeted in 2020, amid existing criticism from Democrats and new anger from members of his own party because of Covid restrictions he put in place to combat the spread of Covid-19. Those restrictions led to lawsuits against Abbott, and at one point even led to the chairman of the Republican Party of Texas protesting outside Abbott’s home.