FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF)- Governor Greg Abbott is proposing legislation that would deter cities from de-funding its police departments.
Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dennis Bonnen held a press conference in Fort Worth where they announced the proposal. With this proposal, any city that de-funds its police department will have its property tax revenue frozen at the current level. The Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker were also joined by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Senator Jane Nelson, and Representatives Giovanni Capriglione, Charlie Geren, Craig Goldman, and Stephanie Klick.
Abbott made this announcement after the City of Austin cut $150 million from the Police Department’s budget earlier this month. He said when crime is on the rise, de-funding the police the last thing that needs to be done. “De-funding the police puts Texans in danger and invites lawlessness into our cities, and cities that endanger their residents should not be able to turn around and raise more taxes from those same Texans. I strongly urge the Texas Legislature to take up this important issue next session to protect their constituents and ensure law enforcement have the resources and support they need to protect their communities.”
Abbott said the tax freeze will be permanent and the city will never be able to increase property tax revenue again if they de-fund police.
“Part of our job as state leaders is to ensure the safety and security of all Texans, and we will not allow this core function to be undermined by cities that seek to de-fund and dismantle law enforcement agencies that have a sworn duty to protect our communities,” said Governor Abbott.
Abbott thanked the citizens of fort worth for voting for the sales tax increase that will help fund police.
“It’s an honor to host Governor Abbott in Fort Worth for an announcement in support of funding public safety,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “As I have previously stated, I do not support de-funding The Fort Worth Police Department and I will not entertain any conversation around de-funding or even dramatically reducing the budget for FWPD. In July, Fort Worth residents voted with overwhelming support to dedicate a half-cent sales tax to our Crime Control and Prevention District (CCPD) for another 10 years. Using that funding Fort Worth will successfully respond to concerns about police-community relations by prioritizing enhanced public safety, training and other measures that will ensure our police department is serving our residents to the highest degree,” said Price.
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, chimed in about his thought on Abbott’s proposal. He released a statement saying, “I would want to see the actual legislation before I comment directly on Governor Abbott’s proposal because ‘defunding’ means different things to different people. But generally, I believe it should be up to voters to hold their local elected officials accountable for their budgetary decisions, which should reflect the people’s priorities. My top priority as mayor is keeping the public safe. Dallas has had unacceptable increases in violent crime in the past few years, and that has disproportionately affected our underserved communities. People need safety and stability to thrive. To that end, it’s imperative for us to invest in a highly trained and well-led police department that emphasizes community policing. I am also committed to exploring policies that reduce our dependence on police officers to solve society’s ills. I personally believe we should look to defund the bureaucracy by redirecting portions of highly compensated government executives’ salaries back to taxpayers or to programs and services that help make our communities stronger. With limited resources, we must act responsibly and produce a budget that focuses on safety, service, and equity for our residents and businesses,” said Jonhson.