Democratic frontrunner for Texas governor Gina Hinojosa is once again taking aim at higher bills for Texas families.
In a news release on Sunday, Feb. 8, she again noted that the only Texans who benefit from Republican incumbent Greg Abbott’s economic plans are the wealthy and connected.
“Texans are working more and more and getting less and less. It’s clear in every aspect of life. Working hard used to mean you could build a life in Texas. You could pay the bills, save a little, and eventually buy a home. But after almost 12 years under Greg Abbott, that promise is slipping away,” she said.
In what she called “the Abbott Corruption Tax,” Hinojosa noted that more than half of Texans are renters — over 4.1 million — who now spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
The spike in housing and utility bills was not a coincidence, she underscored, as home prices became too high for many first-time buyers.
“As governor, I will fight to lower housing costs, expand the supply of homes Texans can afford, and take on corporations who manipulate the market at the expense of working families,” she said in the release.
Hinojosa also picked up an endorsement Friday, Feb. 6 from the Austin American-Statesman calling her “the champion Democrats need.”
“At a moment when the state’s economic success is increasingly divorced from the well-being of many Texans, Hinojosa offers a compelling alternative,” the editorial board wrote.
The Statesman highlighted Hinojosa’s focus on issues that transcend partisan divisions: “Notably, these issues aren’t left vs. right or urban vs. rural. They are priorities that would broadly benefit Texans.”
Greg Abbott doubles down on legal oversight
Republican incumbent Greg Abbott again bolstered his call for more oversight for district attorneys by asking Texas lawmakers to create a new statewide “Chief State Prosecutor” position.
“For too long, we’ve watched rogue local DAs let dangerous criminals evade real consequences by enabling lenient bail and soft-on-crime policies,” Abbott said in a news release Friday, Feb. 6. “This new statewide prosecutor would serve as a critical backstop, ensuring repeat offenders are actually held accountable, supporting our police, and delivering the law and order.”
A petition for the public was added to force the issue with state legislatures.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Gina Hinojosa takes aim at rising costs for Texans
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
