January 17, 2023      6:22 PM

SB: Key takeaways from Abbott and Patrick's inaugural addresses

Beneath the nonstop adolescent chest thumping about the border, there was nuance: Patrick made the opening bid on property taxes, Abbott did an about face on infrastructure investment, Patrick acknowledged rural schools must be protected under a voucher bill, and Abbott moved a bit toward Patrick on the electricity grid

Whether it was screaming “We love God!” or reciting all the words to “Texas Our Texas,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday stressed culture wars and the economic success of the state in their respective inaugural addresses.

Yes, they’re the baddest hombres to ever patrol the border. We all get the message. But even some Republican lawmakers are privately grumbling about how expensive Operation Lonestar has become at a time when record numbers of undocumented people are crossing the Texas-Mexico border regardless of how much state taxpayers are shelling out. And some sort of property tax plan will come into focus eventually. Much of what was said sounded like pablum from campaign speeches but there was also some nuance worth exploring.

So, let’s do it.

By Scott Braddock

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