Good morning, 

If the #DefundThePolice protesters succeed at, well, defunding the police... have they thought about what comes next?

But first, here is today's Texas Minute.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Tuesday, June 9, 2020
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• While Texas families are struggling with increased unemployment and lower pay due to the government-mandated economic shutdowns in response to the Chinese coronavirus, some local officials have suggested they may exploit the emergency to hike property taxes without voter approval. Brandon Waltens reports two state lawmakers are teaming up to try and ensure it doesn’t happen.
   
• State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) and State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) are exploring ways to fix loopholes in the 2019 legislation they passed restricting property tax burden increases.

• As more is learned about the $295 million, 27-month contract entered into with New York-based tech company MTX Group to bring coronavirus contact tracing call centers to Texas, the number of Texans voicing opposition continues to grow. Since the contract was signed, concerns have been raised over how the agreement was reached, potential medical privacy violations, and the company itself.
     
• Learn more and sign the petition calling on Gov. Abbott to cancel the “contact tracing” contract!

• Arguments for real accountability and transparency in the state’s largest police departments are being drowned out by calls to reallocate taxpayer funds from the police toward growing government. Robert Montoya reports on the actions being proposed in Dallas.
      
• FWIW, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson (D) says he is against eliminating the police department.
   
• Lost in the shuffle of the pandemic panic has been the realization that among the hardest hit by the Chinese coronavirus were residents of the poorest communities in our state and nation. This is a consequence, writes Urban Reform’s Charles Blain and Joel Kotkin, of the economic shutdown and years of bad government policies.
   
• “The summer could see mounting disorder, particularly with the influx in many cities of criminal elements, a result of pandemic-induced releases from jails and prisons, such as in New York. Evidence already exists that some of the released are exercising their new freedom by committing crime, often victimizing the poorer communities that they came from. At a time when cities like Los Angeles and even crime ridden Baltimore and Chicago adopt “tough” policies about enforcing COVID-19 lockdowns and arresting violators, a cohort of criminals has been put back out on the streets.” – Charles Blain and Joel Kotkin

• Heading into the primary runoffs, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility announced yesterday the endorsement of Bryan Slaton in Texas House District 2. Slaton faces off against incumbent Dan Flynn.
   
• The vice president of TFR, Cary Cheshire, breaks down the race, and explains: “Bryan Slaton will be a strong advocate that taxpayers can trust to stand up and fight for them in Austin.” 
   
• In case you missed it, Jacob Asmussen this weekend profiled one of our favorite activists: Ruth York of Cisco. She has a passion for educating her family and community about their precious God-given rights. Ruth’s advice to those wondering how they can do something about what’s happening around them? “Find a conservative group. Walk in. It’s gonna be a friendly bunch of patriots. Take a chair and open up your ears. It’s not that hard.”
      
• Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Empower Texans director of communications, Buddy Kipp!

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