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<br /> <br /> <br />S.B. 343 <br />Abolish Local Control. Centralize Power in Austin. <br />Just like New York. <br />S.B. 343 would totally upend the relationship between Texas cities and state <br />government, making Texas like the State of New York. City voters and locally- <br />elected <br />ordinance. <br /> <br />In 1868, a federal judge named Dillon issued a ruling that cities can do only what their state <br />government expressly authorizes them to do. The State of New York follows Rule, and <br /> <br /> <br />the way to go and in 1912 adopted a constitutional amendment affirming <br />local decision making. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />The Texas Constitution (in Article XI, Section 5) authorizes cities over 5,000 population to adopt <br />by election a home rule charter. The charter grants the citizens of that city the power of self- <br />government. Over 350 Texas cities have done so. <br /> <br /> <br />S.B. 343 would make Texas revert to the rule created in 1868 federal court decision and <br />provide that a city may not enact an ordinance relating to anything governed by state law, unless <br />expressly authorized to do so. <br /> <br /> <br />- would be another <br />step in the centralization and consolidation of government power. <br /> <br />City councils often step up to the plate to protect the property values, the quality of life, and <br />even save the lives, of Texans. In many cases, cities have to make decisions at the <br />neighborhood level and not every neighborhood in a state of 26 million people is the same. <br />That is why Texans recognize there is a proper role for state government and a role for local <br />government. <br /> <br />