Shehla’s Pledges
TEXAS FIRST!
The state of Texas has invested at least $140 million in Israel bonds, money that should have been invested here at home.
As Comptroller Shehla would: Seek legal opinions and political support for the comptroller’s office to put Texas first, and divest from all foreign bonds. Let’s put Texas first!
REDUCING WASTEFUL TAX BREAKS
In the AI sector alone, Data centers in Texas are given $1 billion dollars in tax breaks every year, with a baseline requirement of employing only 40 employees. Not to mention the devastating resource and environmental impact it has on local communities!
And the estimated tax breaks is only set to increase https://www.texastribune.org/2026/04/08/texas-data-centers-sales-tax-break-billion-dollars/
Our tax dollars can be better spent in funding disaster relief and public schools and Texans have a right to weigh in on wasteful tax breaks!
FAIRNESS!
The Comptroller’s Office maintains “Divestment Statute Lists” which target companies for boycotting energy companies, for “bias” against weapons and ammo manufacturers, and for other politically motivated reasons. These lists are intended as political leverage from the state legislature, and the implementation of the lists by the Comptroller's Office is also political.
https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/06/21/business-texas-contracts-boycott-israel
The Comptroller’s Office is currently working to deny school voucher money to accredited private Islamic schools, even as voucher money is slated for private Christian schools
As Comptroller, Shehla would seek legal opinions to dismantle the highly politicized “Divestment Statute Lists,” and instead make cost the top factor in state contracting. The state’s contracts should benefit taxpayers, not political idealogues in Austin. Shehla would administer school vouchers and other state opportunities without religious bias.
FREEDOM!
A new state law, SB8, offers Texas Sheriff's offices state grant money as an incentive to cooperate with federal ICE operations. This program will be administered by the Comptroller’s office.
As Comptroller, Shehla would challenge both the legality and the wisdom of this program. Texas Sheriff's must remain independent. Our Sheriff’s offices should be run exclusively for the benefit of local Texans, not as an arm of federal law enforcement. That’s just un-Texan.
https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/development/grants/sb8/