Gov. Gret Abbott just signed “a fiscally conservative Texas budget” but he did veto one small part of it. . .
Today I signed a fiscally conservative Texas budget.
It includes no new taxes and a budget surplus of more than $1 billion. pic.twitter.com/pM9LxVwcMP
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) June 18, 2021
. . .he vetoed the part that funds the GOP-controlled legislature:
#BREAKING @GovAbbott vetoes the legislature’s portion of the #Texas budget. “Texans don’t run from a legislative fight, and they don’t walk away from unfinished business. Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early…”
— Jack Fink (@cbs11jack) June 18, 2021
“…leaving their state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session. I therefore object to and disapprove of these appropriations.” @CBSDFW
— Jack Fink (@cbs11jack) June 18, 2021
Welp.
“Texans don’t run from a legislative fight, and they don’t walk away from unfinished business. Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early leaving their state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session. I therefore object to and disapprove of these appropriations.”:
An Abbott spox confirms that the governor vetoed all of Article X, which funds #txlege.
Abbott's statement: https://t.co/nyZ8NtGlyt pic.twitter.com/CWyQi5cwH9
— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) June 18, 2021
But it sounds like this will affect staffers and not the actual lawmakers:
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Lawmakers still get paid, as I understand it. Staffers at #txlege and legislative agencies, who had nothing to do with the quorum break, presumably will not, after 8/31 https://t.co/TfxZpjL60d
— EricaGrieder (@EricaGrieder) June 18, 2021
Texas Dems are pissed, to say the least:
defunding your Republican-led state legislature to own the libs https://t.co/lIhnLFnMxO
— Texas College Democrats (@CollegeDemsTX) June 18, 2021
And they’re exploring their legal options:
.@TexasHDC Chair @ChrisGTurner calls @GovAbbott's Article X veto an "abuse of power," says the "caucus is exploring every option, including immediate legal options, to fight back…" #txlege pic.twitter.com/izyKqJnhCS
— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) June 18, 2021
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