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Rep. Williams voices concerns about Austin’s plan to defund APD at MAGA meetup
"When you start defunding the police you affect the very core of the community's life and the people's life. You can't defund police, we are a country, a state of law and order," Williams said.
AUSTIN, Texas - Republican leaders are making their stance known against the city of Austin's move to defund law enforcement.
Texas Congressman Roger Williams (R-25) spoke at a Make America Great Again meetup where he voiced concerns about the future of Austin should they follow through on their current plan to cut $150 million from the police department's budget and reallocate money to other city programs.
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"When you start defunding the police you affect the very core of the community's life and the people's life," Williams said. "You can't defund police, we are a country, a state of law and order."
On Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott spoke with FOX 7 Austin on his proposal to freeze property tax revenue for cities like Austin looking to defund law enforcement.
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Gov. Abbott on proposed legislation against cities who defund their police departments
The governor said in a press conference this week that any city in the state that defunds police departments will have property tax rates frozen at their current level.
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"Basically it leaves the city of Austin and any other city no option but to continue to fund law enforcement to keep communities safe," Abbott said.
Abbott says freezing the property tax revenue will make it impossible for a city to continue operating. "Without law enforcement officers keeping the community safe all the other functions of government are rendered nullified. Public safety is job one," he said.
Williams is urging Austin Mayor Steve Adler to reconsider.
RELATED: Governor Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton react to Austin's decision to cut police budget
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Austin mayor responds to proposal discouraging Texas cities from defunding police
Adler responded to the state's proposal by outlining the Austin City Council's actions last week regarding the Austin Police Department budget.
"They have in business what they use is best practices look at the best practice, he can look at Seattle, Portland, New York, Chicago is that where he wants to take and the council wants to take Austin, one of the greatest cities in the world, we got Tesla coming in, all the things coming in," Williams said.
Abbott says freezing property tax revenue is just the first of several programs the state is working on to punish cities looking to defund law enforcement. He expects to release more information on these programs in the future.
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