They say everything is bigger in Texas. Some argue that the saying even applies to the state’s local governments.
Conservatives often contend that more decision making should be done at the local level, but what if local governments overreach their authority?
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has been vocal about his opposition to what he characterizes as an overabundance of regulations implemented at the local level in his state.
During remarks at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 13th annual Policy Orientation in January, Abbott said that “the truth is, Texas is being California-ized with bag bans, fracking bans, tree-cutting bans…We are forming a patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations that are eroding the Texas Model.”
“Large cities that represent about 75 percent of the population in this state are doing this to us. Unchecked over-regulation by cities will turn the Texas miracle into the California nightmare,” Abbott continued.
”We are forming a patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulations that are eroding the Texas Model,” says @GregAbbott_TX.
‘Texas Model’
In an interview with The Daily Signal, James Quintero, the director of the Center for Local Governance at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, elaborated on what Abbott calls the “Texas Model.”
“Here in Texas, we take great pride in the fact that we’ve implemented conservative principles: low taxes, limited government and free markets,” Quintero said. “That’s essentially what the ‘Texas Model’ is.”
Quintero said that while these policies contribute to Texas’ success at the state level, “too many” local governments are “running afoul” of the principles.
According to Quintero, big government at the local level is still big government. “They’re growing government at the local level in unreasonable ways,” Quintero said.
For example, the city of Dallas issued a ban on plastic and paper bags, mandating that residents use reusable bags or pay a nickel for each disposable bag they use—a measure Quintero says is in violation of existing state law.
“I’m a rule of law guy,” Quintero said. “You can’t have a situation where local governments flout existing state law.”
If a city or county wants to implement a regulation or ordinance that goes against existing law, then Quintero says there should be “a robust debate at the Capitol.”
Cities are “subsidiaries” of the state, and must “respect” state laws, he said. Reasserting the “primacy” of state laws protects “core conservative principles.”
“Liberty is the principal, local control is the preference,” Quintero said. “It all comes down to the proper role of government: protecting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
‘Welcome to America’
Tom “Smitty” Smith, the Texas director of Public Citizen, told the San Antonio Express-News that Abbott is being hypocritical and “talking out of both sides of his mouth.”
“On one hand, when it comes to the federal government telling states what to do, he says ‘local control,’” Smith said. “And so we now have Greg Abbott declaring the state is more powerful than cities or local communities and their desires.”
In an interview with The Daily Signal, Smith likened the governor’s comments to a “Stalinist dictatorship.”
“[Abbott] is running around suing the Obama administration advocating for state rights, but when it comes to citizens going to their cities, he claims they shouldn’t have that right,” Smith said.
Smith is unconcerned about regulations varying from city to city or county to county.
“Welcome to America,” he said, adding that Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in America “in terms of business development,” despite local ordinances such as bag bans.
Conflicting Opinions
One state senator has introduced legislation affirming the preeminence of state laws over local ordinances.
Comments
In Georgia, the State government exists to
promote municipal abuse.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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