Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has endorsed two candidates in Plano council contests — an extraordinary move that injects a partisan voice in the city's growing debate over development and taxes.

Last week, Abbott backed Shelby Williams over incumbent Ron Kelley and challenger Byron Bradford. He also endorsed former 2017 mayoral candidate Lily Bao in race for an open seat over Ann Bacchus and LaShon Ross.

"It's the first time I've seen it," said Collin County Republican Party Executive Director Neal Katz of Abbott's endorsements, but without judgment. "It's a new one on me."

The two candidates have touted the popular governor's endorsement in their campaigns. But Abbott's decision to delve into local politics drew the ire of stunned local officials, including the mayor. They say Abbott is making a mistake and possibly received some bad political advice.

A spokesman for Abbott declined to comment on the endorsement and referred to statements released by the candidates. In both endorsements the governor listed the candidate's support of "limited government" and "free market principles" as reasons for his support.

Liberty Mutual Chief Talent and Enterprise Services Officer Melanie Foley, Liberty Mutual Insurance Chairman and CEO David H. Long, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere, left to right, cut the ribbon during the ceremonial opening of Liberty Mutual's new campus in Plano on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News) (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)

Growing involvement

Plano — the largest city in the Republican-dominated Collin County — has become an epicenter in the fight over tax policy, growth and local control.

Williams and Bao both oppose various Plano development projects because they fear too much high-density housing in the city. They also say they would guard against soaring real estate appraisals that don't impact the tax rate, but causes property owners' tax bills to rise.

But officials say the city has been a leader in keeping down the tax rate, which is 30-cents per $100 valuation lower than in Dallas. And they defend the city's master plan for growth as a reasonable, necessary way to both grow the tax base — which could in theory help keep the rate down — and deal with the city's exploding population and infrastructure demands.

The City Council approved the Plano Tomorrow master plan in October 2015 after what it described as a several-years-long listening tour involving thousands of residents. Leaders revised the plan at least twice to appease residents who were worried that it would lead to more apartments and big developments.

Still, opposition persists in public and a court fight continues. The controversy is the biggest political battle in Collin County, a Republican stronghold that Abbott won handily in 2014 and 2018. But Abbott and Republicans lost ground in the county in his re-election bid.

The opposition, which has loosely united under the label Plano Future, has tried to stir up anger over urbanization, casting their rivals — even fellow Republicans — as liberals.

The fight led another top Texas executive to rattle the Plano political scene. In November, Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal team stunned Plano officials by filing a motion to withdraw an amicus curiae brief it had submitted just a day earlier to the Texas Supreme Court in support of Plano's defense of the Plano Tomorrow comprehensive plan for development.

Paxton's office said the original filing was "erroneously submitted," while Plano officials decried the move as "playing politics" or making a "severe error."

Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere, a Republican, was among those to blast Paxton, who has long enjoyed support from Empower Texans, an anti-tax group that has backed Plano Tomorrow opponents and often challenges the GOP establishment. LaRosiliere also criticized Abbott's endorsements, saying a governor taking sides in a local, non-partisan election was "odd" and the candidates backed by Abbott are flawed.

Representative Matt Shaheen sits at his desk on the third day of the 86th Texas legislature on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the Texas state Capitol, in Austin, Texas. (Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

"It's unfortunate that somebody advising him didn't do their due diligence," said LaRosiliere, who supports Kelley and Bacchus for Plano council. "Had he done his due diligence, he would have been a lot more reticent to jump on their wagons."

But state Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, who supports Bao, said he welcomed Abbott's foray into local politics. Shaheen, a former Collin County Commissioner, said he likes "the idea of the Republican Party getting involved in non-partisan, local races."

"Republicans should endorse local candidates that share their values," Shaheen said.

Partisanship creep

Democrats have also become involved in municipal elections.

In 2017 the Texas Democratic Party endorsed candidates in local county races as part of Operation Lift, an initiative designed to boost progressive Democrats running in council, county and school district races that are generally non-partisan.

But much of the recent partisanship has occurred within the Republican Party. While the Collin County GOP does not back candidates in municipal races, their precinct leaders can do so personally.

Abbott's involvement is an extension of his stake in local government's actions as he pushes a plan in the Legislature that would potentially cap at 2.5 percent the amount of increased tax revenue local governments can receive from year to year. Big city mayors, including LaRosiliere, have blasted the plan as harmful to essential city services.

Both candidates Abbott endorsed support the governor's property tax plan.

Bao has helped with Abbott's political campaigns, and Williams, 43, is the Texas Director of the fledgling Convention of States that Abbott has proposed to make amendments to the Constitution.

The governor said in his public statements that he's proud to support both local candidates.

"Electing leaders who will fight for limited government and free market principles at the local level has never been more important," Abbott said in making the recommendations.

Shelby Williams has been endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott for Plano City Council Place 5.



Early Voting: April 22 - April 30

Election Day: May 4, 2019



Go Vote!#Plano #Planocitycouncil #lowertaxes #cleanwater pic.twitter.com/gx20ZAOv42 — Lady MAGA #FreeJulianAssange (@LadyMAGA7) April 7, 2019

Earning the Goverernor's endorsement in a #Plano City Council race is a remarkable accomplishment for Lily Bao and a true honor for the City of Excellence @CollinGOP @CitizensPlano @lilyforplano pic.twitter.com/scg1QqSnQx — Howard Powers (@HowardPowers) April 2, 2019

Candidate vetting

Critics of Abbott's endorsements say they were done haphazardly and for local races with politics beyond his grasp.

The mayor was heavily critical of Bao and Williams. LaRosiliere said Bao, his former rival for mayor, has a real estate business based on listing property to Chinese nationals. And he wondered why Abbott would endorse Williams, who in 1994 was arrested for misdemeanor assault on a person who Richardson police called his girlfriend. Records show those charges were dismissed.

"This is the person Abbott is endorsing," LaRosiliere said.

Williams denied the assault happened and has avoided giving specifics about the arrest, saying he didn't want his enemies to distort the facts.

Members of The Dallas Morning News' editorial board pressed Williams for his side of what happened, but he would only say the case was dismissed and made cryptic references to him being at the scene of the incident.

"I did not commit assault," he said. "I did not do anything wrong. The case was dismissed."

According to a 1994 Richardson police report, Williams, then 19, was charged with simple assault after an altercation with his girlfriend. She told police that Williams picked her up and she bit and scratched him to get away. She said Williams then hit her in the mouth and hurt her upper lip.

Williams told The News he spent the night in jail but the charges were dropped. The News has been unable to reach the woman named in the incident.

On The News' editorial board's candidate questionnaire, Williams described his arrest as a case of mistaken identity, which conflicts with the Richardson police report.

"In 1996, like Richard Jewell, the security guard originally accused of the Atlanta Olympic Park Bombing, I too was baselessly arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time," he wrote. "Granted, he received a good deal more media coverage than I did, but in both cases, the charges were dismissed without ever going to trial due to a complete lack of evidence."

In an email to The News about the incident, Williams said, "the D.A. determined that my arrest when I was young was without merit, and the case was accordingly dismissed without ever going to trial."

Policy disputes

Plano Mayor Pro Tem Ron Kelley (City of Plano)

Kelley, 56, and Bacchus, 52, say the candidates' policy views also make Abbott's endorsement puzzling.

"It's unfortunate that a governor would engage in a non-partisan race, especially in a city that's doing it right" said Kelley, the city's mayor pro tem, a minister and director of the nonprofit Prestonwood Foundation. "For him to get involved in a local race is pure politics."

Bacchus, who has lived in the city for 18 years, said Abbott's endorsements were based on bad advice.

"I can't imagine the governor's values line up with Lilly's," Bacchus said.

Williams and Bao, who have Plano Future's imprimatur, said Abbott got it right and welcomed his support.

Bao, 49, said she was "very proud and honored by the endorsement of our governor." And she called LaRosiliere's comments about her selling properties to Chinese nationals "disappointing, divisive and anti-Asian racism."

"He owes an apology to all residents of Plano, especially those in the Asian American communities," she said in a text message.

In this 2017 photo, then-Plano mayoral candidate Leilei "Lily" Bao talks with supporters at an election night campaign party. (Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

"Most people I meet view the endorsement as an achievement," she added.

LaRosiliere retorted that he's not anti-Asian, he's "anti-hypocrisy."

"She says said she is against Section 8 low-income apartments, yet voted repeatedly in favor last year as a Plano Housing Authority commissioner," he said. "She says we are overpopulated, which is a legitimate concern, yet her profession is to attract people to Plano."

Bao countered that LaRosiliere was the potential hypocrite.

"It's sad that the mayor is doubling down on anti-Asian racism," she said. "It would be hypocrisy for the mayor not to resign after these racists remarks."

Williams, the other subject of the mayor's scorn, said he's proud to have Abbott's support.

"I believe Governor Abbott's endorsement speaks for itself," Williams said.