Abbott’s talk on school choice and property tax cuts sounds good. Now, he must deliver | Opinion
In an upbeat inaugural speech launching his third term Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott applauded Texas for its many achievements and laid out two massive, difficult goals.
Abbott vowed to enact the largest property-tax cut in Texas history and pledged a school-choice program to empower parents. These are bold agenda items; bravo to him for aiming so high. Doing even one of these things would be a great start to the next four years.
If he accomplishes both in this legislative session, all the better. But these are difficult issues to get through the Legislature, even with his fellow Republicans holding firm majorities. If Abbott truly wants these for his legacy, he’ll have to dig in deep to get it done.
“We now have the largest budget surplus in the history of our state,” Abbott said. “But make no mistake, that money does not belong to the government. It belongs to the taxpayers. We will use that budget surplus to provide the largest property tax cut in Texas history.”
Texas’ property taxes are painfully high. So high that property owners lose much of what they keep as a result of Texas not having an income tax. A property tax cut is desperately necessary.
On education, Abbott championed the importance of parental choice and jabbed the left over social and political issues.
“We must remember this, our schools are for education, not indoctrination,” he said. “Schools should not push social agendas. They must focus on fundamentals.”
I hope that Abbott is really advocating for true school choice in the form of education savings accounts — not vouchers. School vouchers are typically only valid like a coupon, in certain schools. An education savings account would let a parent truly choose an education program that fits for their child, whether that be homeschool, charter, private or public school.
This would let parents send their kids to school regardless of where they live. Arizona implemented this recently, expanding a previous program to apply to all kids K-12 age and thousands of parents have taken advantage of it.
In his speech, Abbott also championed law and order, the importance of supporting law enforcement, and his promise to build a wall along Texas’ border with Mexico.
But what stood out is what he said about reducing property taxes and school choice. Many politicians lay out bold agendas, but many governors like to wait and see which way the wind blows in the Legislature before really leading the way. It’s important that these things are more than items on a checklist or agenda.
Abbott will have to roll up his sleeves, use his political capital and push the Legislature toward accomplishing these goals as he wants them. , because they are good ones, they are his, and they would benefit all Texans — even this year. He should truly own these goals so that in 2025, his annual agenda doesn’t even include school choice or property tax reduction.
These goals are honorable, straightforward and beneficial to all. If Abbott has what it takes, let’s see him push these ideas through the Legislature this year.
This story was originally published January 17, 2023 at 2:17 PM.
