National: #DefundthePolice is Dangerous

Defunding law enforcement would be a BAD IDEA 😳 - almost as bad as jumping into a bear pit... just ask Ron Burgundy. TPPF's Senior Researcher Randy Peterson joined Liquid Lunch TV to talk about the repercussions of defunding our first responders. 👮🚓

Rather than defunding the police, perhaps reform is a better option. For example, a bottom up approach could enable law enforcement to act on input from the community and business leaders. This is exactly what retired Sheriff and TPPF Visiting Fellow, Dr. Currie Myers suggests in his research paper. 📝

State: The Fine Doesn't Fit the "Crime" 💰

Some cities and counties had attempted to impose $1,000 fines on individuals who do not wear a face mask in public. The Governor was clear on this, though, and cities cannot impose those draconian fines on individuals.

They can, however, impose those fines on businesses that don't require all customers and staff to wear masks. In what is a gross overreach of government, Bexar and Hidalgo counties have already instituted such measures that impose fines on businesses and several other counties are considering doing the same.

Local: Penalty on Government: Use of Loophole to Raise Taxes 🙅

Representative Dustin Burrows joined the Chad Hasty radio show where he stated that he and Senator Paul Bettencourt are discussing penalties for localities that use the COVID-19 pandemic to raise property taxes above the 3.5% cap set forth in SB 2. ❌❌

"As long as they’re pushing, or if they’re successful, I will push for a like-kind decrease in the voter-approval rate for 2021-2022 to offset these hikes and penalize those trying to impose massive tax hikes on Texans when they can afford it the least,” said Representative Burrows.