Tax specialist warns Texas Attorney General's plan could worsen affordability

One outlet featured a column that highlighted criticism of Attorney General Ken Paxton's tax agenda from a seasoned Republican tax specialist. Editor Evan Mintz introduced the piece by noting Paxton's focus on the economy and struggling Americans, then presented George Callas's assessment that the proposed deductions for out-of-pocket medical costs, healthy-living expenses, and first-time home purchases are largely irrelevant to most taxpayers who do not itemize.

Callas labeled the plan not only ineffective but also counterproductive, noting it repeats tactics historically used by Democrats rather than the growth-oriented tax reforms Republicans once championed. He suggested that meaningful action on the affordability crisis would involve ending the war in Iran, lifting Trump-era tariffs, and enacting immigration legislation to secure labor for key industries—options absent from Paxton's proposals. The column concluded that Paxton's agenda reflects political grandstanding rather than substantive policy solutions.