‘We believe in law enforcement’: Texas governor pledges to financially punish cities that attempt to defund the police

Governor of Texas Greg Abbott has issued a stark warning to left-leaning cities in the Lone Star State, saying he will withdraw funding from municipalities that try to defund law enforcement agencies.

The Republican politician sent the unambiguous message after Austin’s city council slashed its police budget by $150 million last week. “Texas will defund cities that try to defund their police. We support law enforcement in Texas,” Abbott tweeted late on Wednesday.

Discussing the issue on Fox News, Governor Abbott accused liberal precincts of “caving to socialism,” and argued that the violence that’s erupted in Portland, Seattle, Chicago, New York, and “cities across the country” in recent months offers proof that defunding the police is a dangerous move.

Texas will defund cities that try to defund their police.

We support law enforcement in Texas. #BackTheBlue https://t.co/ux4mekXYaW #FoxNews

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 20, 2020

Abbott said that legislation has been proposed this week that will freeze the tax revenue for any city that defunds its police or law enforcement department. “They will lose the lifeblood of the revenues they receive from property taxes in Texas,” he explained. “What this does, in [plain] English, is ... defund cities, and cities’ ability to operate at all, if they try to defund law enforcement.”

“So, Texas is laying down a marker,” he continued. “And that is, whether it be the city of Austin or another city, such actions are not going to be tolerated. In Texas, we embrace law enforcement. We will not accept turning power over to these socialistic forces that seek to abandon the rule of law and abandon the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe,” Abbott added.

The stance was welcomed by many on social media, with numerous people applauding the no-nonsense approach to the issue of law enforcement funding and the movement to defund police departments.

Reason 1,000,001 to identify as Texan. https://t.co/IudqgFgQtr

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) August 20, 2020

Yes, finally. That's the Texas I know.

— Sandy Bush👩‍⚕️🏠 (@sellingsimi) August 20, 2020

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