Phelan: Ken Paxton shouldn’t be spending millions of taxpayer dollars to settle whistleblower lawsuit

Austin (CBSDFW.COM) – Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dade Phelan was vociferous with $3.3 million. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed to pay four of his former top officials to settle whistleblower suit against him.

Court documents show the four men and others went to the FBI over two years ago and filed bribery charges against Paxton, who later fired them and called them “fraudulent employees.”

In Friday’s statement, Paxton said he was partially settling the case to save taxpayers money, but Phelan disagreed that taxpayers should pay. “I don’t expect the House of Representatives to have $3.3 million in the budget. Mr. Paxton will have to report to the Texas Chamber. why is it the right use of taxpayer dollars and then he has to sell it to 76 members of the Texas House. It’s his job, not mine.”

When asked if he personally supported it, Phelan said, “No, I don’t think that’s the right use of taxpayer dollars.”

Phelan spoke to CBS 11 Wednesday afternoon at the Capitol.

We contacted the prosecutor’s office for comments, but received no response.

Phelan is focused on the legislative session and how to use the state’s nearly $33 billion surplus.

Property tax relief is a priority, and Phelan said he wants to address what he calls rampant property valuation, as well as the fact that your home’s taxable value can increase by as much as 10% a year. “I think we need to think about how to lower this figure and apply it to everyone, to all property owners. Thus, everyone will receive a real property tax benefit. Small business, medium business, big business, landowners, wood cost, whatever. “

He said it would also save tenants money because there is now no limit to how much the taxable value of residential complexes can increase.

But there would be no guarantee for this.

Phelan said he would leave it on the market.

Also at that meeting, Phelan said that the House of Representatives would hold hearings on social media companies and their impact on children. “We’re going to fight big tech in the Texas home.”

He said that when it comes to social media in Texas, there should be a bill of rights. “We know for sure from whistleblowers that many of these social networks know their algorithms are predatory, they know kids are addicted to their business plan and they can’t put their phones away. We are seeing mental health problems, as their ugly head clearly shows in public and in higher education. Just today, I met with some chancellors about mental health needs on their campuses the likes of which they’ve never seen before. I point my finger at social media.”

Our interview with Speaker Phelan comes as Governor Greg Abbott prepares to deliver his State of the Union address Thursday night, in which he will lay out his emergency legislative issues for consideration by state legislators.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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