2022 Texas Governor Debate

[Mac-7]

Good discussion of illegal alien problem and gun control

 

[Penelope]

The fastest-growing states in terms of population over the last decade, including Texas, Florida, and Georgia, consistently rank last when it comes to health and health care. This is because these states have large numbers of uninsured adults, high levels of premature death from treatable conditions, less investment in public health, too many people with mental illness unable to get the care they need, and residents facing mounting insurance costs that make health care less affordable than in many other parts of the country, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

Texas ranked 42nd overall in our measure of health system performance — in large part because of how hard it is for people in the state to get and afford the health care they need. It has the highest uninsured rate in the country, and fewer of its residents report having a regular source of health care — an important marker of how well the health system is working. Texas also has the largest number of residents who said they skipped health care they needed because of cost, and health insurance costs take a bigger share of people’s incomes in Texas than in almost any other state. Texas is also one of 14 states that still have not expanded Medicaid under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, leaving millions of working people uninsured.

The Fastest-Growing U.S. States Have the Worst Health Care

The 2020 census shows that the U.S. states with the fastest-growing population score the worse when it comes to the quality of their residents’ health and access to care. They have large numbers of uninsured adults, high levels of premature death from treatable conditions, less investment in...

hbr.org

 

[Penelope]

The Austin Police Department’s General Fund operating budget this year is $292.9 million, compared to $434.5 million last year, according to the adopted budgets for each fiscal year.

The new budget reallocated $31.5 million to family violence shelters, homeless services, permanent supportive housing, substance use treatment centers, EMS, and other services. That amount reflects about $11 million reduced from the base budget (what would have been spending increases for APD), and about $20 million in actual year-on-year cost cuts.

Did Austin 'defund’ the police? Here are the numbers. - The Austin Bulldog

Our deep-dive debunks misconceptions and explores what’s next for APD Did the City of Austin “defund” the police? Did it cut its police budget by 5 percent or by one-third? What’s the truth behind these conflicting claims? Those are hot-button issues that play into the District 6 and District 10...

theaustinbulldog.org

the very end of the pandemic before we got the shots.

 

[Penelope]

“Many of you are already seeing rising utility bills,” O’Rourke says. “In fact, the average Texas household, by the end of this winter, will see an increase in their utility bills of between $20 and $50 per month going forward.”

O’Rourke says Texans will pay the “tens of billions” it’ll take to prevent another mass outage this winter. Concerns over the power grid’s reliability have lingered since February’s deadly winter storm, which left millions without heat and lights for days in freezing temperatures.

Some replied to O’Rourke’s tweet with photos of their electricity bills, with many saying their providers have steadily increased prices recently.
snip
“To add insult to injury, yesterday Abbott’s appointees at the Public Utility Commission decided they would add another $15-$20 on top of the addition that you are already paying — adding to the “Abbott Tax” that every single Texas ratepayer will be paying going forward. Not just for months but for years in the future.”

‘Abbott Tax’: O’Rourke says Texans’ power bills rising as governor does nothing on grid

O’Rourke says Texans will pay the “tens of billions” it’ll take to prevent another mass outage this winter. Concerns over the power grid’s reliability have lingered si…

www.kxan.com

 

[Penelope]

But property taxes are set locally, not by the state. While state policies might indirectly affect property taxes, the governor's role in setting property taxes is indirect.

We rate this as Mostly True.

Has Texas seen a $20 billion increase in property taxes under Abbott?

Property taxes have increased by at least $20 billion from 2015 to 2021.

www.statesman.com

 

[Penelope]

Texas doesn't have too high of a median home value, but high tax rates mean that the typical Texan will pay quite a bit in property taxes.

Property tax rate: 1.80%

Median property value: $172,500

Annual tax on the median-valued property: $3,099
No 7 on the list from lowest to highest.

The average amount people pay in property taxes in every US state

From $587 per year in Alabama to $8,300 per year in New Jersey, here's what the typical homeowner in each state pays in property taxes each year.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Penelope]

The moderation were good

but there shouldn't be any military weapons allowed.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The fastest-growing states in terms of population over the last decade, including Texas, Florida, and Georgia, consistently rank last when it comes to health and health care. This is because these states have large numbers of uninsured adults, high levels of premature death from treatable conditions, less investment in public health, too many people with mental illness unable to get the care they need, and residents facing mounting insurance costs that make health care less affordable than in many other parts of the country, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

Texas ranked 42nd overall in our measure of health system performance — in large part because of how hard it is for people in the state to get and afford the health care they need. It has the highest uninsured rate in the country, and fewer of its residents report having a regular source of health care — an important marker of how well the health system is working. Texas also has the largest number of residents who said they skipped health care they needed because of cost, and health insurance costs take a bigger share of people’s incomes in Texas than in almost any other state. Texas is also one of 14 states that still have not expanded Medicaid under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, leaving millions of working people uninsured.

The Fastest-Growing U.S. States Have the Worst Health Care

The 2020 census shows that the U.S. states with the fastest-growing population score the worse when it comes to the quality of their residents’ health and access to care. They have large numbers of uninsured adults, high levels of premature death from treatable conditions, less investment in...

hbr.org

Well thats weird.
I love my healthcare.

 

[candycorn]

I heard Beto wiped the floor with Abbott

 

[miketx]

I heard Beto wiped the floor with Abbott

You heard wrong you filthy liar.

 

[miketx]

The moderation were good

but there shouldn't be any military weapons allowed.

Come get them.