The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - June 17, 2024

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Monday, June 17th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lausches, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Supreme Court of Texas has again stayed a Harris County plan to provide no-strings-attached monthly stipends through a universal basic income pilot program using federal COVID-19 relief funds and express doubt about the legality of the program under the Texas Constitution. The opinion, written by Justice James Blacklock, relates to a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenging the constitutionality of Uplift Harris, a plan to send $500 no-strings-attached monthly stipends to select Harris

Starting point is 00:00:52 County residents. Blacklock wrote, quote, although we make no definitive statement about the merits, the state has raised serious doubt about the constitutionality of the Uplift Harris program, and this potential violation of the Constitution could not be remedied or undone if payments were to commence while the underlying appeal proceeds. The court had previously granted an administrative stay in April,

Starting point is 00:01:16 just after Harris County Judge Lena Hidalgo announced that despite pending litigation, the county would begin sending out payments that afternoon. In addition, the lawsuit between the City of Austin, the county would begin sending out payments that afternoon. In addition, the lawsuit between the City of Austin, the Austin Transit Partnership, and a set of taxpayers over Project Connect's funding mechanism was slated for trial this morning, though it was quickly stalled. Back in November, a group of taxpayers, along with the restaurant Dirty Martin's Place, sued the city and the nonprofit corporation

Starting point is 00:01:45 overseeing Project Connect, alleging that the transit plan had substantially changed from what voters approved in 2020 and that the method of financing for the project was improper. Dirty Martins was within the project's pathway and thus was slated for eminent domain seizure and demolition had the plan been executed.

Starting point is 00:02:04 Rather than issue bonds, like is usually done for the construction of capital projects, the city and its voters approved a 20% hike in the city's maintenance and operations tax rate to partially fund the rail plan, and whereas bonds and the corresponding interest and sinking tax rate fall when bonds expire and are paid off, the maintenance and operations route sets a new floor that is rarely reduced by localities. In other news, a pair of candidates backed by local Republicans won runoff elections on Saturday for newly created positions on the Harris County Appraisal District Board of Directors and will be sworn into office on July 1st. According to

Starting point is 00:02:42 unofficial election results, Kyle Scott defeated Melissa Noriega with just over 57% of the vote for the place 2 seat, while Erica McCrutchin handily defeated Pelumi Adelike with almost 62% of the vote for HCAD place 3. The two will join Kathy Bluford Daniels as newly elected members of the board under reforms crafted by state lawmakers and approved by voters in last year's Texas constitutional amendment election. Daniels as newly elected members of the board under reforms crafted by state lawmakers and approved by voters in last year's Texas constitutional amendment election. The new formulation increases the total number of HCAD directors to nine and makes the county's elected tax assessor collector ex officio, a non-voting member. Next, already facing several lawsuits over

Starting point is 00:03:22 property rights in state and federal court, the city of Kima now faces legal action from another that the city's closure of 6th Street in the Lighthouse District will irreparably damage his business. In addition, he claimed, the city's action constitutes an inverse taking of his property without compensation or due process, rights protected under both the Texas and U.S. constitutions. White is asking U.S. District Court Judge Jeff Brown to issue a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and permanent injunction against the city of Kima to stop the closure. Last but not least, Tesla shareholders have voted to re-approve Elon Musk's multi-billion dollar compensation package and approve the move of Tesla's incorporation to Texas. Musk's compensation was valued at just under $56 billion at the peak of Tesla's share price in late 2021, but has since declined in value to around $50 billion. A Delaware judge ruled that a $55.8

Starting point is 00:04:38 billion Tesla compensation package from Musk, which would have required Tesla to meet certain performance requirements over the next decade for him to receive the full amount, would be rescinded. The Delaware ruling prompted Musk to seek to move Tesla's incorporation to a different state. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - June 17, 2024

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