From PolitiFact Texas/Austin American-Statesman:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke is blaming Gov. Greg Abbott for high inflation in Texas, taking a page out of the GOP playbook in attacking President Joe Biden.
O’Rourke released an Instagram video on April 23 with the caption, “Greg Abbott is the single greatest driver of inflation in the state of Texas.” TV news clips were stitched together with clips of O’Rourke speaking.
In one clip in the montage, O’Rourke says, “Under Greg Abbott, property taxes have gone up $20 billion.”
O’Rourke went on to say, “When you add this to the other inflation that he’s causing …” with more clips pointing to electricity bills, traffic backups at the border in April due to additional commercial vehicle inspections Abbott ordered that he said would improve border security, and the rising costs of internet and phone for rural Texans.
Overall, O’Rourke is saying Abbott is exacerbating consumer prices in Texas, which were already rising nationwide.
We took a look at one component of the ad: that jaw-dropping number of a $20 billion increase in property taxes. Is it true?
Read the full story and see how O’Rourke’s claim scored at PolitiFact Texas, and listen to an interview with PolitiFact’s Nusaiba Mizan in the audio player above.
