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Gov. Greg Abbott talks economy, grid reliability, ‘school choice’ during Houston visit
Touting a powerful Texas economy generating more than a third of the nation's new jobs Governor Greg Abbott appeared in Houston promising a more reliable grid and boldly pledging school choice.
HOUSTON - Governor Greg Abbott came to Bayou City bearing both gifts and promises.
"A $1 billion endowment for the University of Houston to help it advance further and faster in its research capability," said Abbott of a pending appropriation.
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The elected leader of the world's 9th biggest economy pledged an electrical grid soon to be boosted with more generating power.
"We will leave this (legislative) session knowing that we will have enough additional, new power to at least power another one million homes across the state of Texas, while also making sure that in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, the power will stay on," said Abbott to a lunch gathering of the Houston Region Business Coalition.
The governor also says Texans will soon have more money to "pay" for that power or anything else they need.
"We are going to use that surplus to return to the taxpayer the largest property tax cut in the history of the State of Texas," said Abbott of the $35 billion tax generated windfall.
SUGGESTED: Majority of Texans supporting Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's push for school choice
And to keep the $2.3 trillion dollar per year Texas economy hitting on all cylinders the Governor pledged to streamline business regulations into a single, statewide standard stripping authority from individual cities and counties.
"We will use this regulatory reform to make sure at any level of government in Texas that we will all be moving at the speed of business," said Abbott.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott intensifying his push for school choice
FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan explains why the governor is pushing so hard for school choice.
On the controversial issue of education funding and "school choice," the Governor insisted one size does not, and should not, fit all.
"No one in government knows better than Mom and Dad about which education option is best for their child, that is what we will deliver this session by empowering parents with the power and freedom to choose the education that's best for their child," predicted Abbott, despite a recent test vote in the Texas House rejecting so-called "vouchers."