Texas independents see the color purple as Big Tech data centers wallow in public dollars
- LIV Team
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Texans keep hearing about how Texas Democrats will "turn Texas blue." But Texas independents see a mixture of red and blue, the color purple, as Democrats appear to be gaining a competitive advantage in this election. We at LIV want at least two viable options as we seek a third option -- for the 8 million Texas independents not aligned with any single party. We believe electoral competition is the cure for our many problems in the way of policy, not politics we so desperately need in Texas.
The color purple was on full display on July 27 with Agriculture Commissioner and Republican, Sid Miller, standing together at a protest with the Democratic nominee for his seat, Clayton Tucker. The protest took place just as the Texas Senate Finance Committee deliberated on the billions of dollars in tax exemptions wallowed in by the disgraceful data center industry hogs at the public trough. This giant sucking sound of public dollars is the work of state government at its highest levels, especially Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
Try not to regurgitate when you read how we, the people, pay for AI slop in this Texas Tribune article about July 27's Texas Senate hearing hearing: "Texas’ multibillion-dollar sales tax exemption for data centers is growing, while audits lag."
Did you hear the one Big Tech giant -- Google -- stepping in to help Anthropic deal with those pesky Hill County Commissioners trying to assert local control?
Grab your dramamine quick and help LIV gently herd those 8 million Texas independents on how to shop the ballot in November for policy not politics! RSVP HERE for the Monday night Zoom
This Monday night's regular LIV meeting @8 pm on Zoom, will focus on the fight for local control and data center tax abatements reform.
What's Next for the Independent Movement?
In very few races (like Hays County's independent for County Judge -- Liz "Sumter" Gajdos), will you see independents on your ballot in November. This is wholly due to severely restrictive ballot access laws petition rules both parties have put in place. Litigation has been ongoing since 1994! We currently await a decision in federal court by Judge Robert Pitman who just heard the case taken by Mike Collier for a place on the Texas ballot to run an independent for Lt. Governor. We expect a ruling very soon!
Though Mike's ballot access is a long shot, it could happen. Moreover, our fingers are crossed for relief to open the door for Texas independents in the next cycle.
The Wild Wild West of Western Bastrop County
The Bastrop Town Hall on July 22 -- attended in person and online by nearly 500 people -- is reverberating across the county and officials are feeling the pressure of our cross-partisan -- purple --- movement.
The results were seen at the Bastrop Commissioners Court meeting on July 27, the same day as the Senate Finance hearing. There was a tense, but productive, dialogue between commissioners and residents about tax abatements for data centers. This conversation will continue as EdgeConneX and Pacifico data center developers are pushing for abatements.
Check out the video from the Bastrop Commissioners Court and the residents who showed up! Bastrop Commissioners Court video, July 27. (Apologies to those who commented, but had to be edited out due the video's audio problems beyond our control. Thanks to Jenai Marek for video production.)
More about what you can do.
=>Reach Linda Curtis at 512.360.8754. She's got work for you!
AND....last but not least:
