In less than 24 hours, legislators will adjourn the first special session sine die and gavel into another. As redistricting committee members prepare to likely meet again this Sunday, at Every Texan we are concerned and disappointed that political maneuvering continues to hold the true priority hostage: mitigating the catastrophic impacts of the devastating July 4 floods. Texans are still reeling from the devastating, life-long impacts of this natural disaster. The focus of our state leaders should be clear for this special session and any that follow – families require resources to recover today and Texans need leaders to ensure communities will be prepared for natural disasters to come.
Governments have a core responsibility to use public funds to help protect communities in times of crisis – it’s why we pay taxes. While the Legislature is right to use the Economic Stabilization Fund for immediate recovery, it must also maximize available federal funding. Communities hit hardest — especially rural and low-income areas — suffer even more when officials turn down federal dollars for political reasons. In addition, flood control and disaster preparation are currently managed by a patchwork of river authorities, cities, and counties with overlapping responsibilities. The Legislature should act to clarify and coordinate these efforts to strengthen statewide resilience.
Several items on the current special session call (including congressional redistricting) are not emergencies, yet they are taking precedence over urgent needs in flood-ravaged communities. When disaster strikes, Texans cannot afford political detours.