Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), running for this third term, released a "Compact with Seniors" during a campaign event Wednesday in North Texas. Abbott signed the compact while meeting with senior groups in Fairview.
"I'm running for reelection to take additional steps to protect our seniors in Texas," Abbott said.
Abbott's pledge reads, "I sign this compact with Texas seniors to protect them from the heavy hand of government by: Reducing property taxes, curtailing crimes against senior citizens, increasing information on state and local services, and reducing state fees."
"That compact will work to lower your cost of living, increase your safety and improve services for your needs," Abbott said.
He said the legislature has already worked to protect seniors by increasing the homestead exemption. Under his compact, he said the legislature would pass a measure to automatically enroll people 65 and older in an increased exemption instead of requiring them to sign up.
Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke said he would work to "ensure wealthy corporations pay what they truly owe, dramatically reducing property taxes for families and small businesses."
O'Rourke said he would also reduce the local property tax burden by increasing state funding for schools and expanding Medicaid. He said he would also increase revenue by legalizing marijuana.
Abbott's compact would lead to an increase in penalties for crimes committed against older residents. He said that would include violent crime, "but also for scams and schemes that target our seniors."
"Unfortunately, fraud and elder abuse are still on the rise," he said. "That's wrong, and we will not allow it to happen in Texas."
Abbott also attended an event to mark the two millionth door his campaign has knocked on. Prior to the event with seniors, he knocked on doors in Allen.
The business magazine, Chief Executive, ranked Texas as the best in the country to start a small business. Abbott said, as a result of economic expansion, the state is expecting its largest economic surplus ever.
The Texas comptroller has estimated the state could have a surplus of $27 billion in the next two years.
"I want to return at least half of that money to you with the largest property tax cut ever in the history of Texas," Abbott said.
O'Rourke said Abbott "allows corporations to manipulate the appraisal process and shift billions upon billions of dollars of their tax burden onto the rest of us. As governor, I will ensure wealthy corporations pay what they truly owe, dramatically reducing property taxes for families and small businesses."
O'Rourke said he would expand Medicaid to take the burden off local hospitals and push to legalize marijuana as another source of revenue.
At the campaign event, Abbott said two million people have been apprehended after crossing the border illegally in the fiscal year that started in October, including 81 who were on the terror watch list. He says, if Republicans regain control of both chambers of Congress this November, they should "reimburse the state of Texas for all the money we are incurring to do the federal government's job."
Abbott said he is "showing America, actually showing the world, what is going on with the illegal immigration crisis" by busing migrants to Washington, D.C. and New York City.
"We are not done yet," he said as the crowd cheered. "There are more cities on our list. We will keep those buses going."
O'Rourke has called Abbott's response a "counterproductive political stunt." He said he would push for more drones, sensors, and surveillance towers for enforcement between ports of entry and introduce a guest worker program.
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