Governor Abbott vetoes SB. 2456 (86R)
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove of and veto Senate Bill No. 2456 as passed by the Eighty-Sixth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, because of the following objections:
Municipal management districts typically serve as a financing mechanism for commercial, residential, or entertainment development, but sometimes they are misused to supplant services that a city should provide, resulting in double taxation for district residents. Senate Bill 2456 illustrates the problem. It would give the Karis Municipal Management District, located within the City of Crowley, new powers to perform a litany of services paid for by assessments on property within the district. The services range from police and fire protection to the construction and permitting of public concession facilities. These are services that residents should expect the city to provide, using taxes the city imposes. Yet Senate Bill 2456 would allow the district to impose additional assessments for these services. Property owners should not be forced to pay both residential property taxes to the city and residential assessments to the district. Giving this district such expansive authority would reduce transparency and circumvent the taxpayer protections in Senate Bill 2.
Since the Eighty-Sixth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, by its adjournment has prevented the return of this bill, I am filing these objections in the office of the Secretary of State and giving notice thereof by this public proclamation according to the aforementioned constitutional provision.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have signed my name officially and caused the Seal of the State to be affixed hereto at Austin, this 15th day of June, 2019.
GREG ABBOTT
Governor