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San Antonio Rep. Larson Calls Out 'Lack of Maturity' in Governor's Office

Ryan E. Poppe
State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio

Republican Rep. Lyle Larson of San Antonio claims Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed five of his bills as political retribution in yesterday's round of vetoes.

Most of the bills authored by Larson and vetoed by the Governor dealt with one of the most important issues facing San Antonio, water.

“It’s very unfortunate that he chose retribution against bills that were strategic water planning bills, dealing with desalinization, dealing with aquifer storage and recovery, issues that have longer-term impact on the state on developing water sources and storing them," Larson says.

In announcing the vetoes Thursday, Abbott said some of Larson’s bills were duplicates of others already passed, or they tied the hands of local businesses. But Larson says Abbott killed them because he’d supported a successful measure that would have limited the governor’s powers.  It would have prevented a governor from appointing someone to a board or commission if that person had given the governor more than $25-hundred campaign donations.

Larson says Gov. Rick Perry, who preceded Abbott, vetoed some of his legislation and signed some of his other bills into law.  He says it wasn’t personal with Perry.

“Gov. Perry, he was able to differentiate between politics and policy.  Big maturity difference from this administration under Abbott, I mean everyone in Austin realizes there is a lack of maturity in their office", Larson explains.

Abbott’s office declined to respond to Larson’s comment that the Governor vetoed the bills as punishment.  

Larson’s bills are among at least 50 Abbott has vetoed from this recent session.  The last day for him to use his veto pen is Sunday.

Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.