FORT WORTH (Talk1370.com) -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders on Tuesday announced a legislative proposal aimed at discouraging defunding of law enforcement agencies across the state.
Abbott was joined by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, and members of Tarrant County's Republican delegation.
The proposal calls for freezing local governments' property tax revenue if they cut police department budgets.
"Part of our job as state leaders is to ensure the safety and security of all Texans," Abbott said, "and we will not allow this core function to be undermined by cities that seek to defund and dismantle law enforcement agencies that have a sworn duty to protect our communities. Any city that defunds police departments will have its property tax revenue frozen at the current level. Cities that endanger residents by reducing law enforcement should not then be able to turn around and go back and get more property tax dollars."
Abbott and Patrick took the City of Austin to task in their remarks, after the Austin City Council voted to reallocate more than $150 million in funding from the Austin Police Department budget, including roughly $20 million in direct cuts.
"Not only has Austin defunded police, they’ve taken away vital weapons they could use to disperse crowds," Patrick said. "No city in Texas should be able to do this again."
"Just because there is an act, or many acts committed by law enforcement does not mean that we reduce law enforcement," Abbott said, explaining that while police reform is needed, that's not a reason to reduce the budget for police.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Austin leaders responded to the state leaders' remarks. "We didn't lay off a single police officer, but what we did do was we said, 'Let's put the police academy on hold. Let's rework that training. Let's come up with a better way of doing this," said District 4 Austin City Council Member Greg Casar.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler also took issue with Abbott's remarks, saying COVID-19 is the biggest safety issue facing the state and that's what state leaders need to focus on.
Abbott's proposal is expected to be considered when the Legislature returns for its 2021 session in January.