Two North Texas candidates in a Republican Party runoff, Laura Hill and Nate Schatzline, sat down with The Texan to discuss their vision for the future of House District 93. The district consists primarily of areas in the northern parts of Tarrant County and is a vacant seat.
Matt Krause was the district’s representative for the last 10 years, but he is currently in a runoff election for Tarrant County district attorney.
Schatzline is the founder of For Liberty & Justice and director of operations at The Justice Reform, an anti-human trafficking organization. He has received the endorsements of Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn, Republican candidate for Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, and O’Hare’s primary opponent, Cary Moon.
Schatzline has also been endorsed by Texas Right to Life, Texans for Vaccine Choice, the Tarrant County Law Enforcement Association, and the Texas Home School Coalition.
Hill served as a city council member and mayor of Southlake and has experience as a small business owner.
She is endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), retiring Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson, and the Fort Worth Police Officers’ Association. Groups like Texans for Lawsuit Reform and LifePAC have also endorsed her candidacy.
When the candidates were asked what their top legislative priorities would be, Schatzline said he would prioritize eliminating “political indoctrination” and “sexualization of children” in classrooms, encouraging school choice, and securing the border. The candidate added that he would also focus on increasing law enforcement funding statewide and prohibiting vaccine mandates.
Hill said she would prioritize raising the homestead exemption to 25%, lowering property tax rates for senior citizens, and reforming school financing. She added that “getting the border under control” and “getting back to teaching the basics” would also be part of her legislative priorities.
The candidates were then asked their thoughts on the results of the 2021 legislative sessions of the Texas Legislature.
Schatzline said it was “very conservative,” adding that although the legislature “didn’t do everything it could have, […] the Texas Heartbeat Bill was historic and is saving countless lives.”
Hill credited legislators for working a regular and three special sessions.
“I do give Texas credit. We persevere. When the work isn’t done, we go back,” she said.
Among the bills she praised were increased border funding, the Heartbeat Bill, constitutional carry, and banning critical race theory (CRT) in schools.
Both candidates were also asked what they would do to offer property tax relief.
Hill pointed to her record as Southlake’s mayor, where she claims she cut taxes and raised the homestead exemption.
“I hope my experience and track record of cutting city taxes will allow me to be part of the conversation in Austin for cutting taxes for our homeowners,” Hill said.
Hill recognizes that the most significant portion of homeowners’ tax bills pays school district taxes.
“We must find ways at the legislative end that provide enough funding, so we are taking some pressure off the school districts,” she added.
Schatzline said he would like to eliminate property taxes because he “fundamentally believes property taxes are unconstitutional.” He conceded that it would take several steps to get there.
The first step Schatzline suggests is that the legislature use some of the projected $12.5 billion state budget surpluses in the next legislative session to “pay down debt on local [school districts] with some of that and reallocate some of the needs of schools to the state.”
He added that lawmakers should thoroughly examine the state’s budget for waste and areas they can cut.
The runoff will be decided on May 24.
