AUSTIN, Texas — Things are heating up in Austin with some lawmakers still at odds with the governor over how to cut property taxes.
In an attempt to get lawmakers to cave, Gov. Greg Abbott is using his veto power against them.
CHECK BILLS GOV. ABBOTT HAS SIGNED AND WHICH ONES HE'S VETOED
"All of these bills that have yet to be signed face the possibility, if not the probability, that they’re going to be vetoed," the governor said.
Sunday is the deadline for the governor to stop a bill. As of Friday afternoon, he had already vetoed eight. At least 16 more were vetoed Saturday.
"It’s not a very good image to veto bills for no reason other than he didn’t get the property tax bill he wants," Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.
Patrick is accusing the governor of using his veto power to force the Senate into a compromise with the House over a bill that would cut property taxes.
"This is targeted vetoing of those bills that have nothing to do with the issue at hand except Paul Bettencourt is the author of those bills," Patrick said.
He said Abbott is targeting "good policy" bills that were either sponsored or authored by Houston Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who also happens to be the author of the Senate's property tax bill.
Six of the eight bills the governor vetoed this week had Bettencourt's name on them.
“Bettencourt has his name on every bill that’s of importance to the lieutenant governor, so when you see Bettencourt’s bills, how can I say, vetoed, you’re really seeing the lieutenant governor’s," said KHOU 11 political analyst Bob Stein.
Stein said he's surprised by the governor's use of the veto power.
"He vetoed bills he supports,” Stein said. "It’s like little kids fighting, except only the governor appears at this point to be, how can I say, a little more spiteful than the lieutenant governor.”
Despite all the fighting, Stein thinks a compromise will eventually happen.
"And why do I think that will happen? Because I think the governor cares more about not only getting something done eventually but moving on to his other legislative agenda," he explained.
By Saturday afternoon, Abbott had vetoed 47 bills. According to Texas Tribune, that's more than the 21 bills he vetoed after the last session, but fewer than in 2019, when he vetoed 58. The Tribune reported the most