Paxton seeks to join suit challenging Austin labor agreement

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office is seeking to join a conservative group’s lawsuit against the city of Austin over its labor agreement with fire fighters.

Last month, the Texas Public Policy Foundation and two Austin residents sued, objecting to a labor agreement allowing “release time.” It lets fire fighters go on temporary leave to conduct business for their union.

In an announcement Tuesday, Paxton said the agreement funnels taxpayer funds to the “labor union’s political activity.”

Paxton also repeated the foundation’s claims that doing so violates “anti-gift clause provisions” of the Texas Constitution – which it argues prohibits “governments from giving taxpayer funds to private entities without a public purpose.”

Austin says its labor agreement complies with state law and that it’s willing to defend it in court.