Cities that defund police departments face freeze on property tax increases, Gov. Abbott proposes

“They will never be able to increase property tax revenue again if they defund police,” Abbott said from the Bob Bolen Public Safety Center. "Defunding the police puts Texans in danger and invites lawlessness into our cities, and cities that endanger their residents should not be able to turn around and raise more taxes from those same Texans." Last week, the Austin City Council cut roughly 34% of the Austin Police Department's $434 million total budget.