With the governor's race down to its last weekend, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa spent their final campaign stops making competing offers on what they would put back in Texans' pockets.
Hinojosa: a rebate from the rainy day fund
Hinojosa, a state representative from Austin, said in an interview with KCBD in Lubbock, published Friday, that she wants to pull the state's rainy day fund, which she said holds $27 billion, down to $10 billion and send the rest to Texas households. She put the figure at $1,500 per household.
She acknowledged the plan would need approval from the Legislature, which is expected to stay under Republican control, and said she expects support from members of both parties. "That money belongs to the people. It doesn't belong to politicians," she said.
In a separate interview with KTBS in Shreveport, she said she would also suspend state gas and diesel taxes. She told KCBD she wants to freeze electricity rates, cancel vendor contracts she called corrupt and use that money to pay teachers.
Hinojosa also repeated her criticism of Abbott's handling of data centers, saying 35 data center permits have been approved since the governor said he had paused them.
Abbott: halve the school tax bill
Abbott brought his "Let's Roll" get-out-the-vote tour to an Amarillo cafe Friday, where he is seeking a fourth term. Asked by KVII how the state would replace school property tax revenue under his promise to eliminate those taxes on homesteads, he said the state has "more than enough money every single year" to cover it and would set up a property tax relief fund.
"Bottom line is that we will not impose any new tax, just cut your property tax bill in half as well as ensure that we fully fund public education," Abbott said.
