AUSTIN – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the release of Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s biennial revenue estimate (BRE):

“The Comptroller’s Biennial Revenue Estimate today is welcome news considering the economic challenges our state has faced. We believe that with a continuing healthy economy, a growing Economic Stabilization Fund and federal COVID-19 relief, we will be able to move forward on our budget priorities this session and balance the budget by session’s end, as required by the Constitution. We will:

• Continue to mitigate the impact of the pandemic while positioning the Texas economy to come back stronger than ever.
   
• Maintain the historic funding increases in education from last session as well as teacher pay increases.
   
• Maintain the $9 billion shift in franchise tax, homestead exemptions and school property taxes enacted since 2015.
   
• Maintain our commitment to meet the growing cost of health care.
   
• Maintain our commitment to border security, transportation and infrastructure.
   

“We have ensured that Texas remains well-positioned to continue to grow and strengthen our economy, overcome the hurdles that we still face and continue to make our state a place where Texans can thrive and prosper.”