[Excerpt]

Chapter 313 was one of the country’s worst examples of crony capitalism, funneling billions in Texas taxpayer dollars to out-of-state interests. The program still costs Texas taxpayers over $1 billion a year in tax breaks to major oil, gas and manufacturing companies — money that could go to educating our children.

Dallas Area Interfaith, the Texas IAF, allies and a bipartisan group of legislators killed the reauthorization of Chapter 313 in the 2021 legislative session. Rather than leaving the program in the grave, industry groups are actually proposing to resurrect Chapter 313 this legislative session and make it worse in the form of House Bill 5.

Central Texas Interfaith

[Excerpt from FOX 7 Austin]

"The Austin ISD school board has voted against a multi-million dollar tax break for NXP, a semiconductor company... 

"It is not fair that those who have the greatest ability to pay are the ones who don't want to pay a dime," Rev. Minerva Camarena Skeith of Central Texas Interfaith said. 

The tax break called the appraised value limitation, or 313 agreement, lets potential businesses build property and create jobs in exchange for a 10-year limit on the taxable property value for school district maintenance and operation. 

"We want more dollars for AISD and for every school district in this state. We want every child to have every opportunity they need," Rev. Miles Brandon with Central Texas Interfaith said."

Austin ISD School Board Rejects Tax Break for Semiconductor Company, Fox 7 Austin

Austin ISD School Board Denies Tax Break for Semiconductor Company NXP with Narrow Vote, KVUE ABC

Austin ISD Board Considers Chapter 313 Tax Break for Semiconductor Company NXP, KVUE ABC

NXP Fails to Gain School District Tax Incentives for Possible Factory Expansion, Austin Business Journal

With Weeks to Spare, Austin ISD to Vote on NXP Incentives, Austin Business Journal

AISD Board to Vote on Contested Tax Breaks for Billion-Dollar Semiconductor Company, KXAN

Central Texas Interfaith Commends AISD Board for Rejecting Chapter 313 Deal with NXP, Central Texas Interfaith [pdf]

Dallas Area Interfaith

[Excerpt from Dallas Morning News]

"Amid pressure from community advocates, the Dallas schools administration pulled a vote to approve a property tax break for a manufacturing company just before trustees were to weigh in on it Thursday night.

The Texas Economic Development Act – commonly referred to as Chapter 313 based on its position in the tax code – will expire at the end of the month. Companies across Texas are rushing to get deals approved with school districts and lock-in tax abatements ahead of the deadline...

“Does it make sense to continue to grant certain large corporations these huge tax breaks?” Dallas Area Interfaith leader Bill deHaas said ahead of the meeting. “We already know that we have a crunch on educational spending.”

Dallas Area Interfaith Calls on All DISD Trustees to Vote Against Hanwha Q Cells Chapter 313 Application to the Board [pdf]

Dallas ISD Punts Tax Break Ask from Manufacturing Company Ahead of Chapter 313 Expiration, Dallas Morning News [pdf]

CENTRAL TEXAS INTERFAITH BOOTS EARLY TURNOUT IN RURAL BASTROP & SUBURBAN WILLIAMSON CO.

"By the end of early voting, [CTI] saw marked increases in 16 of the 17 precincts they targeted across the Austin area. Rev. Miles R. Brandon II, of St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church in Round Rock, said many of the people they contacted found it refreshing that they were being asked only to vote and weren’t being sold a particular candidate or political party. "We don’t talk to people about candidates, but we talk to them about issues.” (Austin American Statesman)

[Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bastrop County]

Suburban Swing: Once Reliably Red, Williamson Voters Back Both Biden, Cornyn, Austin American-Statesman [pdf]

Bastrop County Nonprofit Works to Increase Voter Participation in Low Turnout Area, Austin American-Statesman [pdf]

DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH TARGETS LATINO VOTERS IN STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS

"Julio Román, a Dallas resident, spent some of his Saturday passing out nearly a hundred voter registration cards to people in the city....Román is with Dallas Area Interfaith, a grassroots coalition focused on improving communities in the DFW area. Throughout the pandemic, the group has been helping immigrant communities pay their rent, conducting food drives and encouraging people to vote." (Dallas Observer)

[Photo Credit: Jason Janik/Special Contributor, Dallas Morning News]

Latino Voters Could Make a Difference in National and North Texas Races, Dallas Morning News [pdf]

Abbott's Limits on Drop-Off Locations for Mail-In Ballots Won't Affect Dallas County Directly, Dallas Observer [pdf]

Under Trump, as Election Approaches, Almost 235,000 Fewer New Citizens Will Be Sworn in This Fiscal Year, Dallas Morning News [pdf]

TMO WORKS TO REACH ELECTION DAY VOTERS AFTER EARLY VOTING SUCCESS

"According to The Metropolitan Organization, a coalition of faith-based nonprofits in the Houston area, “low propensity voters” — which the group defines as voters who are newly registered, infrequent, young, or from communities of color — are casting ballots at rates on par with or exceeding those seen in the 2016 election in nearly all of their [targeted] precincts." (Houston Chronicle)

[Photo Credit: Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle]

Faithful Citizenship Sparks Nonpartisan Voter Rallies at Houston Parishes, The Texas Catholic Herald [pdf]

Campaigns Try to Reach Election Day Voters After Record Early Voting, Houston Chronicle [pdf]

Targeting their city and county governments, leaders from Houston, Dallas and San Antonio leveraged million in relief targeting vulnerable residents, including low-income families, essential workers and immigrants. 

Said Fr. Bill Kraus of Our Lady of Angels Catholic: 

"No strings attached, no citizenship necessary, no documents, [etc.]... Just residents in...need.”

• TMO Leverages $15 Million from the City of Houston for Rental Relief
• TMO Wins $15 Million Harris County Pandemic Relief Fund for Houston Residents
• DAI Leverages $13.7 Million in Housing Aid, Pushes For More in Face of Overwhelming Demand
• DAI Wins $10 Million in County Relief for Housing & Small Businesses Aid 
• COPS/Metro Leverages $25 Million in Local Housing Aid, to Include Immigrants