Corrupt Ken Paxton’s “Ineffective” Economic Agenda Slammed By Republican & Non-Partisan Economists
AUSTIN, TX — Republican, Democratic and nonpartisan economists are all panning Ken Paxton’s 478 days-late “economic agenda,” saying it would explode the deficit, drive up inflation, and create tax loopholes that benefit the ultra-wealthy while working Texans struggle with rising costs.
Republican George Callas, former senior tax counsel to Speaker Paul Ryan, panned Paxton’s agenda, labeling it “not only ineffective, but counterproductive.” Economists from both parties in the NY Times detailed how Paxton’s plan would be both “expensive and unhelpful to the neediest Americans.” The Washington Examiner editorial board said it takes us “in the wrong direction.” And Conservative commentator Gary Polland on Fox 26 Houston said Paxton’s plan just “doesn't make any sense. ”
Texas Democratic Party Spokesperson Ryan Martin:
“Nobody believes that Corrupt Ken Paxton, a multimillionaire who got rich on a government salary with 15 properties and multiple charges of bribery, cares about lowering their costs. The only thing Ken Paxton cares about is lining his pockets and helping his billionaire donors get richer. From tariffs spiking grocery prices, to the Iran war increasing gas prices, and the One Big Ugly Bill doubling healthcare premiums for millions: Ken Paxton is at the center of policy raising costs for working Texans right now. Texans are fed up with corrupt politicians like Ken Paxton and their price spiking agenda and will be sending him packing in November.”
Read for yourself:
Houston Chronicle: I asked a Republican tax expert about Paxton’s economic plan. You won’t like his answer.
August 10, 2026
By Evan Mintz
Last week I had the pleasure of attending Ken Paxton’s campaign rally at White Oak Music Hall. While an all-female punk band prepared to rock upstairs, I listened to our somnolescent attorney general discuss his Texas Promise Agenda, a package of proposed tax deductions that serve as the core of his economic platform.
Here’s the bad news: Paxton’s economic agenda won’t help, and it might actually make things worse.
There are three major problems with that agenda.
First, most taxpayers won’t benefit from any of those deductions. You’d have to itemize your tax return to get those deductions and roughly 90 percent of taxpayers just claim the standard deduction. Though the tax cuts largely benefited the wealthy, the standard deduction change made the tax code simpler and more fair for everyday Americans. Anyone who would want to avail themselves of Paxton’s plan would have to keep track of thousands of dollars of expenses throughout the year. For many, that much government paperwork is a barrier.
Paxton’s deductions largely duplicate existing deductions and other tax benefits. For example, taxpayers can already deduct major medical expenses. You can use Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts to pay out-of-pocket medical costs and — with a doctor’s note — even gym memberships. And homeowners can deduct their local property taxes and the interest paid on their mortgage.
Paxton’s plan would merely widen the tax loopholes already on the books. The second problem with Paxton’s plan is that, if it does work, he’ll just end up subsidizing demand without increasing supply. That’s a surefire recipe for more inflation. Healthcare and housing are two of the most strictly regulated industries in the United States. Pouring in more money via tax cuts without, say, making the healthcare industry more competitive or making it easier to build homes will inevitably drive prices higher. Basically, Paxton is taking a page out of the San Francisco playbook.
Paxton lacks any plan to pay for the deductions at a time when the national debt has become a major concern. The federal government currently spends more on national debt interest payments than on the military. Meanwhile, that sky-high debt also pushes interest rates upward, making it more expensive to take out a mortgage and keeping homeownership further out of reach for too many Americans. Paxton’s agenda would only add to the debt, exacerbating an already painful fiscal reality.
George Callas spent 15 years on Capitol Hill as the go-to Republican tax wonk, notably serving as senior tax counsel to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. That’s all to say: This guy bleeds Republican red, and he knows tax policy. So I called him up and asked him what he thought. Callas described the Texas Promise Agenda as “not only ineffective, but counterproductive.”
So what should a Senate candidate propose if they actually want to make housing, groceries and everyday goods more affordable?
Here are a few ideas: End the war in Iran to let petroleum and fertilizer flow again. Remove Trump’s tariffs that drive up the prices of everyday goods. And pass an immigration bill that ensures the agricultural, construction and healthcare industries have the workers they need to grow food, build homes and keep Americans healthy.
But none of that is on Paxton’s agenda.
Here’s the end lesson: Right now, when it comes to fiscal and economic issues, the divide isn’t Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s people who care about policy on one side, and people who just care about politics on the other. And Paxton’s Texas Promise Agenda shows he’s clearly in the latter.
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