Houston Chronicle Sunday

Echoes of Perry as Abbott dings another Dem governor on biz taxes

- By Bobby Cervantes

First, it was California. Then it was Connecticu­t. Now, Gov. Greg Abbott has New Hampshire in his cross-hairs.

The Granite State is the latest target in Abbott’s crusade to poach major businesses from other states and lure them to Texas, citing in particular the just-enacted 25 percent cut in the business franchise tax.

“Texas is wide open for New Hampshire businesses looking to escape the restrictiv­e tax burdens solidified by Governor Hassan’s unfortunat­e veto of the state budget,” he said in a statement, echoing a part of his predecesso­r’s legacy that he is proud to continue.

The shot came after New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan vetoed a budget proposed by state lawmakers and instead signed a continuing resolution to keep the government’s lights on. Hassan rejected the legislatio­n due to its “unpaid-for corporate tax cuts that will create a more than $90 million hole in future budgets,” according to her statement.

“I have vetoed the budget passed by the legislatur­e because it is unbalanced, makes false promises about what it funds, and gives unpaid-for tax giveaways to big corporatio­ns, many based out-ofstate, at the expense of critical economic priorities, including higher education, health care, public safety and transporta­tion,” Hassan wrote.

As we get a clearer picture of Abbott as governor, with his first legislativ­e session behind him now, the influences of former Gov. Rick Perry – for better or worse – make the new governor sometimes For more on this story, click

here.

 ?? Eric Gay, STF ?? In this Jan. 5 file photo, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott, left, listens to Gov. Rick Perry during an oath of office ceremony for new Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Eric Gay, STF In this Jan. 5 file photo, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott, left, listens to Gov. Rick Perry during an oath of office ceremony for new Attorney General Ken Paxton.

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