From the 86th: The State’s Big-Ticket Items

Unlike previous sessions that at times derailed over politically volatile issues, this session remained focus on the job at hand.  And as laid out by the three state leaders – Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and first time Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen – the body achieve the three goals they set out from the onset as their top priorities: school finance reform, property tax relief, and slowing the increases to local government revenue from property taxes and increased property appraisals.

Then, of course, there is the legislative session omnipresent budget, which is constitutionally the only thing the law makers must accomplish while in Austin.  This session lawmakers came into the start with a budget surplus, which makes writing a budget easier than when times are lean. 

In the end, the two chambers agreed to a $251 billion total budget with another $6.1 billion from the supplemental budget earmarked for Hurricane Harvey recovery and infrastructure. As to the top priorities, the budget allocates $6.5 billion towards schools and $5 billion in property tax cuts.